Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock is backing off his day-to-day chats with Derick Brassard and Jake Voracek. He's entrusting that responsibility to an assistant the young forwards call "Uncle Gary."

In an effort to deliver his message through a different voice, Hitchcock is allowing assistant Gary Agnew to conduct daily meetings with Brassard, 22, and Voracek, 20.

Sometimes, it involves video study, other times it's simply taking the temperature of the Jackets' two most-promising young forwards. Both have appeared overwhelmed at times this season under the demanding Hitchcock.

"We are trying to fast-track both of them without overwhelming them," Hitchcock said. "Sometimes, dealing with an assistant coach can feel less intimidating.

"I think if the head coach is dealing with the same player on a daily basis, it also gets pretty boring and redundant."

Agnew said he's been meeting with the two players for a couple of weeks.

Brassard and Voracek have enjoyed the change. They still talk with Hitchcock in team meetings, but the individual talks are handled by Agnew, 49, who spent six seasons coaching in the minor leagues before joining the Jackets in 2006.

"It's good and it's different from going in the office every day," Brassard said. "Sometimes, it's good to see the good stuff you do and not all the bad stuff. It's been good.

"He's there to help us, and we are there because we want to learn."

Hitchcock said he used similar arrangements while coaching for Dallas and Philadelphia, always targeting younger players.

"We don't just talk about hockey, we talk about other things, as well," Agnew said. "When you get to this level and you are that age, there are a lot of pressures."

Goalie change

Hitchcock will start goaltender Steve Mason today for the first time in six games. Mathieu Garon had started the previous five games, winning three straight before suffering two losses.

The decision is not a reflection on Garon's recent play -- he kept the Jackets afloat in Thursday's game, a 3-0 loss in Chicago. Hitchcock wants to give his struggling second-year goalkeeper a chance to play again and reward his hard work during practice.

"Mase is really dug in now and focused," Hitchcock said. "Both of those guys have been very diligent in their preparation."

Mason has not been on the bench for the start of five straight games since his first season of major junior hockey. He did play well in relief of Garon on Tuesday in St. Louis, allowing no goals in two periods.

A season after winning rookie of the year honors, Mason's 3.24 goals-against average and .892 save percentage are among the NHL's worst.

Afternoon affair

The Jackets are playing a rare Saturday matinee this afternoon. Naturally, television is behind the scheduling.

Last summer, NBC identified the Chicago-Detroit game, which will be played Sunday afternoon, as one it wanted to possibly televise. The problem: An NHL team cannot play an afternoon game the day after it plays a night game.

Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock said the team had two options: move today's game to the afternoon or move it to another date.

treed@dispatch.com