Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThe Columbus Blue Jackets are visiting The Garden tonight which means that we shall check in with one of the smartest managers in hockey this side of Julien BriseBois, which happens to be Don Waddell of Columbus.
What – among the many things that make Waddell so wise – is that in mid-season he got the brainstorm to import a new coach; this being Rick Bowness.
"The funny thing is that Bowness isn't a really 'new' coach," says The Old Scout, "he has been around almost as long as Joel Quenneville, who's been around almost as long as Scotty Bowman." Then, a pause; "And you know how long that is."
Why is that important to you, fan of the once-beloved-Blueshirts?
"The Blue Jackets are squarely focused on making the playoffs," wrote Brian Hedger in The Hockey News Yearbook last fall.
Trouble is/was Dean Evason happened to have not been the right man for the job. So Dangerous Don Waddell got his long hook out of the closet and sent Evason to Severance Payland.
Out went Evason and in came Bowness as new head Blue Jacket bench boss along with an infinite number of "What Him Agains?"
In a sense, the fact that Rick now is coaching his eighth – Yeah! The Maven said eighth – NHL team makes – him "The Retread's Retread."
It also has lifted the once-forlorn Blue Jackets right back into the Wild Card Race; something the Rangers dream about, while carrying a large sandwich sign: WHY NOT US?
Well, for one thing – as the hoary saying goes – The Rangers are so far out of the playoff race that "The Hockey News can't even find them!"
Maybe the Rangers someday will play as hard and well as the Blue Jackets. Maybe someday the Rangers will play as hard and well as the Blue Jackets – even tonight.
(P.S. The Maven will settle for two periods and hope for the best.)