re: Choosing an NHL team to follow (STL Blues, it is - questions on pg. 7)

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That is a solid pitch. You've just given me more to think about.

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I will tell you the following (even if it will sadly hurt our chances. Idk if it would or not...): the name "Blue Jackets" comes from Ohio's/Columbus' major contributions to the Union Army in the Civil War. Columbus was a major hub for uniform/weapon manufacturing and Ohio provided the most soldiers to the Union Army out of of all the states. It also plays a pretty big role in our team's identity, not just from a name standpoint, but marketing. They've used slogans to sell tickets like "Carry the Flag", "Join the Battle", "Battle On" and most recently the fanbase has been dubbed the "fifth line", similar to the Seahawks' twelfth man (fifth line is a clever play on both the hockey line and also a battle line). And we even have a replica cannon that "fires" in the arena after we score goals and win a game.

I actually find the whole thing pretty cool... just don't know how someone from the South may appreciate it. Still hope you consider us, though, if you don't find that a big deal, because from a hockey standpoint we're strong, but I want to give you the knowledge to make a more-informed decision.

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I see a number of people suggesting Colorado, what can you tell me about them?

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Came out of nowhere last year. They had the No. 1 pick after winning the lottery following a very bad 2013 season. Nobody thought they'd do anything in 2013-2014, brand new coach, and boom, won the division (lost a tough seven-game series to Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs), finishing ahead of both Chicago and St. Louis. It was pretty shocking. They have a lot of good, young talent (such as the aforementioned 2013 No. 1 overall pick), particularly on offense and a very solid goalie.

The thing with them is some people think last year was a fluke based on advanced stats such as number of shots taken versus shots allowed (it's kind of similar to a football team having a better record than their yards gained versus yards allowed would likely indicate, because of turnovers, special teams, strong red zone defense, etc.). And since most of the division got even tougher, it wouldn't be a shock if they took a major step back this year. Still, they're a talented and young team. And Patrick Roy is coach, which is exciting based on both his fame and his coaching style (very, very fiery).