I don’t know whether to be comforted or concerned that Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is willing to see a sports psychologist this off season to shake his playoff struggles.
One one hand, it’s good Bob is open to doing whatever it takes to carry his Vezina Trophy-type talents into the post-season. But there’s a part of me that wonders what happens if that doesn’t work?
Three weeks after the Blue Jackets’ elimination in the first round of the playoffs, we’re all still mostly enamored with the team’s 50-win season and its 108 points. Sure, the early exit against arch-rival Pittsburgh still stings, but there were enough heretofore unprecedented accomplishments by the CBJ to convince us 2016-17 was a great year with a not-so-great ending.
Imagine if we’re here again next year, having proven this past season was no fluke, having battled with the Penguins and Washington for the Presidents Trophy again, only to lose in the first round because Bob battles himself throughout disappointing playoff run that ends with the opponent scoring three goals or more in every game, like happened in April.
I’m guessing the patience Blue Jackets brass is showing now won’t be given so easily upon a repeat of Bob’s post-season disappearing act.
Maybe this guy can help.
But why worry about a problem that doesn’t exist yet? Let’s hope this exercise with whoever becomes Bob’s “head” coach works out as well as the 17 pounds of muscle he lost last off season to transform himself into more of a bendy, pliable goaltender than the muscular little fire plug that kept pulling muscles at inopportune times.
It sure seems like the Ohio State-Michigan game will be on Fox this fall, instead of ABC. You can read all about the back story to the network switch here. What it means for you is likely that 1057 The Zone's Chris Spielman will be calling THE GAME with Thom Brennaman, as they are Fox's No. 1 Big Ten broadcast team for the fall.