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The Jackets missing half the team

The numerous absences among the Jackets are afecting their performances, and the injury situation is only getting worse

The Columbus Blue Jackets have lost their third match in a row now. In the first matches they somehow managed to compensate for the numerous absent players, but as time goes on it's becoming increasingly clear that they're missing a lot of important players. After Anaheim and Los Angeles, they recently lost to Ottawa, for the second time this season.

The Jackets were the ones scoring the first goal in their last two matches, but they both ended very badly for them in the end, with a 5-2 defeat. Against Ottawa, they put up a resistance that lasted for two periods, but did not stand a chance in the third. It's hard to judge those things, but based on the last few matches once could claim that the Jackets currently don't have the roster to compete for a full 60 minutes.


- I think we have enough players to achieve a positive score with, we should not use injuries as an excuse-  said the Jackets' forward Jared Boll.


However, the injuries are a reality and one can objectively say that the Jackets are at half strength. They're missing goalie Bobrovski, for whom they don't have an adequate alternative, as well as their best defender James Wisniewski, while there are simply too many players missing on offense.


The butchered Jackets will be facing the Leafs, who have managed get just a point more than the home team with a full roster over the past nine matches. However, they did win two of their last three games and seem to be waking up. In their last match they beat Buffalo at home, decisively, which got their confidence up for this game.


After Boston ran them over at home, the Leafs vented their frustration on one of the weakest teams in the league, Buffalo. With Bernier on the goal they kept their net empty, but he faced only about a dozen shots on goal. The floodgates opened in the third period, when the Leafs scored three goals and cemented a victory with little importance but a great boost to their confidence.


- We played that match the way we should have, and now we're focused on how to carry over that performance and momentum on the Columbus game- said Randy Carlyle, Toronto coach.


Last season  Toronto lost all three duels against Columbus, decisively, but now they have a great chance to win against an injury ridden opponent, whom they're on par with when the rosters are full.


The Leafs are missing Booth and Kozun, less important players, while the rest of their roster is ready and healthy.

Columbus have been in a lot of trouble ever since the start of the season. They have a huge problem tonight because they won't have their goalie Bobrovki to count on and have no proper substitute for him. Wisiniewski is still out, and their offense can't count on half of the players. I think this team is not at a level that can see them put up a good fight - they simply miss too many players and like that can stand up to only worse teams. I don't believe Toronto will have problems here.