Blue Jackets Setting the Bar for Bad

(photo courtesy bleacherreport.com)

The Blue Jackets are finished in Columbus, even if they don't know it yet. This team is not only dead last in the NHL standings by a country mile, but have a fractured management system from the top down. Perennial lottery picks that fail to pan out from poor drafting, misinformed free agent signings, and only one playoff appearance in their history. Not even Ken Hitchcock could save them, and he now has St. Louis in first place. The guy can coach. Compounding matters, their coveted first overall pick-to-be, Nail Yakupov, now has scrambled eggs in his skull. They've had bad luck, but the problem boils down to consistently atrocious mismanagement. With little fan interest, their franchise player begging to leave, and no discernible sign of hope on the horizon, I doubt they'll still be in Columbus within five years.
           (Columbus Captain Rick Nash addresses trade rumours)

Toronto's Operation #TankNation

(Photo courtesy of storm-nation.blogspot.ca)

(photo courtesy of raptorswatch.com)

                         

There's a debate raging around Toronto about the validity of #TankNation. It's the notion that when lower-end teams clearly aren't playoff bound, it's in their best interest to tank down the stretch to secure a better draft pick. 

Obviously no professional athlete would lose purposely, but this is more about the fans. The only thing they have to look forward to is next year, and they don't want their team to lose, but it wouldn't hurt. I understand the argument that to tank is classless, and it is, but bottom line, it's a struggling team's best chance at improving. The Raptors have embraced their fate and are tanking accordingly, while the Leafs are clinging to false hope, and after playing themselves out of the playoffs, will now likely play themselves out of a lottery spot too. #WorstCaseScenario.