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Committing to Reality

The day after the Blue Jackets defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit squad in an exciting overtime game, I cannot help but feel tempted to forgo the present and think about the unknowable future. Isn't that like a paranoid fan? What brought this notion?

The 12 year contract signed by Red Wing star Henrik Zetterberg today is worth a cool $73 million deal. I look at Zetterberg and see a excellent player who is clearly a star that deserves the money Detroit was willing to give him. I also look at Zetterberg in comparison to Rick Nash, and I would rather Nash. Yes, Nash got a hat trick yesterday, but this evaluation is not just about one game. With the specter of a contract year next year, it begs the question of whether Jacket management can afford to keep their popular star. With a group of young rising stars (Mason, Huselius, Brassard), will the team be hard-pressed by salary demands? Today it seems unthinkable that they would allow Nash to leave, but the fan speculates about the future, the next game or next season.

The Jackets beat the Red Wings. Good. Baby steps, Dr. Marvin.