Wow...what a year

I just got back from a nice walk with Billy and sat down in the quiet of the afternoon and started reflecting on the season. There have been many highs, lows, and down right sideways things that have happened with this team this year so to call it a roller-coaster is an understatement.

One of the great things about being close with the head coach is that you get an inside look at what goes into the day to day of all those wins, and how to dig a team out of a loss or two. I have learned so much about hockey and the dynamics of assembling 23 players into a group and helping them believe in the same goal, the same objective. As a close friend of the head coach, I have met a lot of great people in this hockey world and it has been such a treat to hear the odd story or two about their journey.

With all the great benefits of being so close to the situation there are times when it is not always a bed of roses. I am not only a supporter of my best buddy, but there is a streak of 'fan' in me and and emotional one at that. I really celebrate the wins and get totally pumped up after an energizing game. With as much intensity as I celebrate the wins, I feel the losses equally. I get a sickness in my stomach which follows me around until the next game.

Being close to the head coach it seems that there is no such thing as celebrating a win. It is 'collect the two points and move forward to the next game'. I understand that to a degree, but I need at least an hour or two to feel good about things. Don't get me wrong Hitch loves winning, but as he has said himself, the fear of losing is more powerful than the joy of winning. In professional sports, I get that.

Looking back on this season, I started to recall the key moments of the season where things were teetering on either moving into the right direction or on the verge of falling into that black hole and not being able to recover.

Goaltending: Pascal Leclaire had an excellent season last year, and nobody imagined our goaltending situation would transpire the way it did. The jackets used 5 goalies this year, and it is the rookie, Steve Mason who has proven himself worthy of the starting job and has been a huge reason we were able to clinch a spot in the post season. Overcoming knee surgery and a bout of mono, Mason will surely go onto win rookie of the year honours.

Mason's bout of mono was a very worrisome time as the jackets put themselves in a situation where they did not have a reliable backup to take the starts. Somehow we had Dan Lacosta, a guy who had mere minutes of NHL experience come in and beat the sharks in OT and shutout the Avalanche. Being around the coach during that time was difficult. Not only did I have my own worry to contend with, but I felt the worry of him and the quality of the remaining season was teetering and Hitch knew it.

Center: Finally it seemed as though the jackets had a center, who in a few more months, would be able to play on the top line with Nash. Derrick Brassard. In a game vs. Dallas, he was really starting to show some leadership qualities, but unfortunately his effort to stand up for his teammate cost him his season as he damaged his shoulder in a fight. He required surgery which was a 6 month rehab.

The worry of losing this player was real, and I felt it with every cell in my body. Being close to Hitch and the situation didn't give me any place to run and hide from the harsh reality of losing a great young skilled player. It was awful.

Then there were the season 'screw jobs'...the supposed high stick in Minnesota that was called a goal on the ice, was reviewed as inconclusive, but somehow the call was reversed anyway and 'no goal' was called with 11 seconds left. No goal-no points.

Then there was the extraordinary 'kicking motion' by Manny Malhotra in Dallas that cost the jackets another valuable point. It was my fear that we would miss the playoffs by one point making those screw jobs become center stage for me emotionally all over again.

The coach handles these kinds of things far better than I ever could as I ranted and raved to anyone who would listend and even called Gary Bettman on XM radio to let my dissatisfaction be heard....to no avail of course.

Make no mistake there were plenty of points that the jackets themselves left on the table--late losses to the Ducks, the Oilers, the Coyotes, the Wings come to mind. Those late game losses stung more than a regular loss because they are unexpected and you don't have any time to mentally/emotionally prepare for them.

Over the last few games when we have had the chance to clinch, I saw my usual determined, focused friend with a not so familiar look on his face. It was a look that I hadn't seen before. Concern? Focus? Determination? Stress? A combination of it all?

1 point away from clinching with three tough opponents on the schedule and I was sick with worry so I can't imagine what he was going through. The weight of an organization and the city on his shoulders. Normally I can ask him for some solace, but not at this point, he was as 'concerned' and focused as I had ever seen him. He was absolutely pouring everything into his team and doing everything he could to get them to where he needed them to be. My 'rock' didn't have anything to spare when I needed some reassurance...I was alone in this one.

Needless to say when we clinched last night everyone involved with the organization and every fan who has been around collectively exhaled. History was made last night for the jackets and I am happy and so proud that my best bud played a role and I had the chance to be a part of it.

I can't wait to see the team on Saturday and I can't wait to see the ovation they get. I started the regular season on opening night with them shedding tears of pride and joy for them, I am sure I will need extra kleenex for the boys Saturday night.

Congratulations Blue Jackets, you earned it.