If there was anything that the Columbus Blue Jackets needed to happen this season, it was for their AHL affiliate the Cleveland Monsters to make the playoffs. With just nine games left in the regular season, the Monsters have a chance but things are far from settled.
Entering play on Saturday, the Monsters are fifth in their division by points percentage but sixth in overall points, trailing the Laval Rocket by one. Because the Monsters have three games in hand over the Rocket, they control their own destiny. But making these playoffs are anything but a certainty thanks to their remaining schedule.
How’d We Get Here?
Things were looking dicey for the Monsters for long stretches of the season. The injury situation with the Blue Jackets had a direct effect on who the Monsters could play on any given night. Even now, important contributors are in Columbus as emergency recalls.
As of Saturday, Billy Sweezey, Jake Christiansen, Jon Gillies, and Trey Fix-Wolansky are on the Blue Jackets’ roster. That comprises the Monsters’ best forward, two of their best defensemen and an AHL experienced goalie. The Blue Jackets in the coming week should top over 500 man-games lost to injury. That’s absurd.
However give the Monsters and their coaching staff credit for not only battling through the injuries and uncertainty, but also having the team in position to make the playoffs. Trent Vogelhuber has done a nice job managing all of the disruptions while making sure the team is developing the right way.
Of late, the Monsters have gotten some help in the form of healthy bodies and assignments from the Blue Jackets. Most notably, Cole Sillinger was assigned to them. Carson Meyer is also back healthy and playing. Although injured at the moment, Yegor Chinakhov and Daniil Tarasov are important contributors. We’ll see how long they’re out and how severe their injuries are.
The Monsters as a result have been the best team in their division in the last 10 games going 6-3-1 in that stretch. But now their schedule gets quite tough to finish the season out. This starts with a pair of games against one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams in the Hershey Bears.
The Final 9
The Monsters host the Bears for a pair at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The teams split a pair of games in December at Giant Center in Hershey with the Bears winning 3-2 and the Monsters winning 6-5…
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