Blue Jackets interim coach Claude Noel can get so deep into a philosophical response that he will occasionally stop himself and earnestly ask, "What was the question again?"

It's one of several unconventional qualities of a 54-year coach who calls his hockey stick "Flamethrower" and allows the club's assistant equipment manager to decorate his office.

But yesterday, as various members of the organization offered analytical answers to the question of what would constitute success in the final 19 games of the season, Noel was concise.

"Winning, simple," he said. "A fan might say we need to win (this many), a rocket scientist might say, 'No, we need to win this (many).' We need to win them all, and that's what we're trying to do."

Behind his props and pop quizzes is a man serious about making the most of his first NHL head-coaching opportunity.

Since replacing Ken Hitchcock on Feb.3, Noel has enacted substantive changes: increasing responsibilities of young skill players, demanding the team play a faster game, pushing his defensemen to join the offensive rush.

His club returns to action from the Olympic break tonight against the Vancouver Canucks in Nationwide Arena. The Jackets are 3-1-1 in the Noel era.

The players want to build on their momentum even as Wednesday's trade deadline looms, threatening to remove unrestricted free agents such as Raffi Torres and Milan Jurcina from the team that stands in 14th place in the Western Conference.

"We want to be proud that we left everything on the table," forward R.J. Umberger said. "We want to establish an identity in this locker room that we had last year and lost for a bit. We want to go into the summer with a good understanding of the team we want to be."

Although Umberger took umbrage with comments Noel made about team fitness, he likes the up-tempo approach the coach is taking. Many in the locker room do. The Jackets have played with more enthusiasm and pace under Noel.

He has been unrelenting in finding ways to increase team speed. He harps on players' tendencies to glide instead of skate after making a pass. In practice, he's more forceful than Hitchcock in emphasizing points and correcting players.

Noel draws parallels between coaching and raising kids.

"If you have told them and they make the mistake again, then your degree of discipline (elevates and) it's raising your voice. And the next time it's, 'Come over here,' and we will have a personal chat and we're going to hit you between the eyes verbally," Noel said.

He is acting like anything but a substitute teacher keeping the seat warm. Since returning to practice last week, Noel has incorporated drills to get the defensemen more involved offensively.

General manager Scott Howson hopes the team provides more of what he saw in Noel's first five games.

"Lots of spirit, lots of competitive play, lots of energy," he said.

The season's final month is a critical evaluation period for Noel, Howson said. Many observers assume that the Jackets will hire a new coach in the offseason.

Until then, it's Noel's job to convince them otherwise. He's trying to get the most from youngsters such as Jake Voracek, Derick Brassard, Kris Russell and Steve Mason, who have flourished under his tutelage.

Noel wants to teach and win.

"It's like parenting," he said. "Your young son starts to walk, it's exciting. He starts to eat, it's exciting. Then, he starts to throw macaroni at you, it's exciting. It's fun because you see how he's learning. It's the same thing here."

treed@dispatch.com