The Case Against Keeping Johansen Builds

Oh, the humanity. After the most epic in a string of increasingly epic losses, Scott Howson - or somebody - has some very important decisions to be made in the near future. 

Run along laddie. Nothing to see here.

Should the Blue Jackets finally give up on the idea that Steve Mason can resurrect his career? Should we at least think about having a viable option to Mason on the roster like most NHL teams do? Speaking of careers, is it time for Scott Arniel to find a new one? And lest we forget, there's this: do the Jackets keep Ryan Johansen in Columbus or send him back to Portland?

Johansen has played in five games. That gives him four more before the decision must be made. Most everyone agrees that Johansen has nothing left to prove in juniors. But the argument for sending him back gets stronger and stronger with each disastrous loss. 

There really is no point in burning a year of his eligibility if he isn't going to help the club. So far he hasn't helped much at all, which is not to say he has played poorly. The issue isn't really about how he's played. It's about how little he's played. In the five games he has been in the lineup Johansen has averaged only 10:41 in ice time.

Perhaps more importantly, giving Johansen a front row seat from which to witness the atrocities that are unfolding in Columbus can't be a good idea. Some might argue that young Johan has already seen enough to experience permanent scarring. If so, that's even more reason to send him to Portland, get him a therapist and hope he'll be OK.

Johansen has shown enough for us all to see that he has a great future ahead of him. Staying healthy and getting stronger, both physically and mentally, should be his primary objectives. As painful as it is to admit, it's starting to look like the best place for that to happen is Portland.