The panic button was firmly pressed by various and sundry in town the last time these two teams faced off. The Flames came out flat against the NHL’s lowliest basement dweller and rapidly dug a hole from which there was no escape. The loss was the sort of humiliation Flames fans in weren’t prepared to absorb with good humor given the Calgary’s own poor start to the season.

The Blue Jackets aren’t elite by any means, but the truth is there should be no abnormal stigma attached to losing to them. Not when they have someone aside from Mason in net at least. They are a solidly middling club otherwise with a couple of weapons up front that can do some damage. They’re a good goalie and few other minor pieces away from being at least upper-middle class team.

Columbus may have an Islanders-like record, but the BJ’s aren’t the Islanders in terms of true talent. Their season is cooked because of the awful start, but look for them to post some better numbers in the second half of the year before selling off pieces at the deadline.