The Columbus Blue Jackets' arrival in Ottawa was a race against the clock on Monday, nearly causing the postponement of their scheduled National Hockey League matchup against the Ottawa Senators. The game at Canadian Tire Centre was ultimately pushed back by 30 minutes to a 7:30 p.m. start to accommodate the visiting team's tumultuous travel day.
A Cascade of Mechanical and Weather Problems
The Jackets' troubles began immediately after their 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders at home on Sunday night. The team's Montreal-based charter flight, operated by Chrono Jet Inc., was grounded due to a mechanical issue, preventing it from picking up the team. The flight was rescheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, aiming to give players a normal day at their Kanata hotel.
However, further complications arose. Weather issues at both St. Hubert Airport in Montreal and in Columbus, Ohio, forced Chrono Jet to delay its Monday departure from Montreal until late morning. The plane did not arrive in Columbus until just after 1 p.m., and the Blue Jackets finally took off at 2:39 p.m.—much later than planned.
League Monitors as Team Heads Straight to the Rink
The situation was serious enough that the NHL's headquarters in New York was closely monitoring developments. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to the Ottawa Citizen that if the Jackets had not been able to depart when they did, the game likely would have been rescheduled. The team landed at Ottawa's MacDonald-Cartier International Airport at 3:50 p.m. and proceeded directly to the arena, bypassing their hotel entirely.
Coach Evason Dismisses Adversity as an Excuse
Despite the disrupted routines and tight schedule, Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason refused to let the travel chaos serve as an excuse for his team's performance. "We're hockey players, right? They'll be ready when the puck is dropped, and you play hard," Evason stated to reporters before the game. He emphasized the players' resilience, noting, "They've been through it. They played two, three games in one day when they were kids. It's a hockey game, and when the puck drops, we'll play hard."
Evason acknowledged the interruption to game-day rituals but stressed the importance of mental preparation over superstition. "As long as it is a routine, and it's not a superstition, then you should be able to pull it off and be able to prepare, most importantly, your mind," he said. "These guys are in tremendous shape. They're athletes, and they'll get their bodies ready." The incident highlights the unpredictable challenges teams can face during the grueling NHL season.
