The Cannon

Game 71 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Wild

2010-03-19T22:22:25Z

Rick Nash is back, Matty Garon is in net playing behind a shorthanded defense. How will this game end up? I smell a close game, one that could come down to goaltending. Garon vs. Harding could be the story tonight.

Poll

Will Rick Nash score in his return?

Game 71 Preview: Jackets take on the Wild

2010-03-19T19:46:41Z

Twelve games left in the season. Not much left to play for, but tonight on a personal level I hope we take it to Minny. Nothing against the team itself, I am just one of those CBJ fans who has a natural dislike for our expansion cousins. I was one of those fans who pouted when Minny made the playoffs first, etc. It's funny though, had the result of my coin toss gone the other way I would be saying the same thing about the Blue Jackets.....

The Wild defense is in rough shape. They are starting a rookie back there tonight and the team is also without starting goaltender Niklas Backstrom. The Jackets have some good news and bad news going into tonight's game- they are going to be without Rusty Klesla and Jan Hejda for the rest of the season, but Rick Nash makes his return tonight after suffering a sore back, followed by the stomach flu. Matty Garon gets the start tonight against Josh Harding.

Fearless Prediction: Rick Nash scores in his return from injury/illness.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Hockey Wilderness

Game Page: Wild vs Blue Jackets coverage

TSN Preview: Wild vs Blue Jackets preview

TV: FSN

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Blue Jackets haven't played since Monday, but the Wild played last night in Nashville. How do the 2000-01 expansion teams compare? Columbus is 275-356-33-62 with one playoff appearance; Minnesota is 327-284-55-59 with three playoff appearances.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

R.J. Umberger	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Andrew Murray	Samuel Pahlsson	Chris Clark
Derek Dorsett	Michael Blunden	Jared Boll

Fedor Tyutin	Marc Methot
Mike Commodore	Kris Russell
Nathan Paetsch	Anton Stralman

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: None

INJURED/SICK: Derek MacKenzie, Jan Hejda, Rostislav Klesla

Minnesota Wild

Andrew Brunette	Mikko Koivu	Antti Miettinen
Guillaume Latendresse	Andrew Ebbett	Martin Havlat
Cal Clutterbuck	James Sheppard	Owen Nolan
Robbie Earl	Casey Wellman	Chuck Kobasew

Cam Barker	Nick Schultz
Marek Zidlicky	John Scott
Jaime Sifers	Justin Falk

Josh Harding

Wade Dubielewicz

Shrapnel - 3/19 Edition

2010-03-19T19:40:11Z

More photos » Jay LaPrete - AP

4 days ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' Andrew Murray, center, takes a shot against Edmonton Oilers' Devan Dubnyk, left, as Aaron Johnson, top right, and Ryan Whitney try to block the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 15, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Browse more photos »

In this edition of Shrapnel: All-Star game, selling the CBJ, Calvert, tonight's lineups, Jake's hair, Boston's revenge, and more!

Hello, Friday. We missed you.

Puck-rakers:

The Blue Jackets will attempt to host the All-Star game in 2013. Imagine the benefits of this happening. Tons of exposure for Columbus, the Jackets, all the revenue, having at least one Jacket in the game (Nash) and at least three more (looking at you Mase, Brass, Jake).

The Jackets are for sale? Thats what this article in the NY Times seems to think. With the arena lease and trying to make up for millions of dollars lost each year, its possible but nothing concrete has come from it.

BlueJackets XTRA:

As Mike reported on recently, Matt Calvert has signed a deal with the team. This kid is genuinely stoked about playing for Columbus next year. Great news, in my mind. He continues to praise the franchise for believing in him and his talents. Welcome to Columbus, Mr. Calvert!

Lineups for tonight:

CBJ

Minnesota

Could the new relationship between the Jackets and the Springfield Falcons be temporary? The Lake Erie Monsters are Colorado's minor league affiliate for the time being, but both sides have an opt out clause after next season. This could allow Columbus to add Lake Erie as their newest affiliate by 2011.

It would further the connection between Cleveland and Columbus in the sense that the Indians have the Clippers as their minor league team, and they have a business relationship with the Jackets. The Lake Erie Monsters are owned by Dan Gilbert (the majority owner of the Cavs). I think this would be tremendous for Columbus in the long run. Make it happen!

Earlier in the year, Jake's long flowing hair was the talk of the locker room. After the Detroit massacre (that started the downfall of the season) former head coach Ken Hitchcock asked Jake to cut his hair. Shortly after, Jake fell into a huge slump. Nowadays, the hair is back and what do you know, he's playing some great hockey. Long story short, Jake's long hair = a winning team.

Yahoo! Sports:

Thursday's Three Stars. I'd just like to make notice of Thomas Vokoun's little mishap. At least he's not the only one to make a mental mistake like that.

The forecast for the next 6 years: booing Ryan Kesler in a Vancouver uniform. He signed a 6-year $30 million dollar deal to stay up north. Good extension for the Canucks.

Do league officials play favorites when it comes to disciplining players? We all know that Alex Ovechkin was suspended for 2 games for boarding Brian Campbell. This time, Anaheim's James Wisniewski has been suspended for 8 games after running Campbell's teammate Brent Seabrook into the glass. Do you guys think there is a double standard for serious hits?

Paul Kariya is the latest player to join the 400-goal club. The benchmark goal helped lead the Blues past the Rangers on Thursday night.

NHL.com:

Please note as of March 19, 2010, San Jose is no longer the top dog in the West. Its almost certain that they won't win the President's Trophy again either, with Washington way ahead in the East.

Quote of the Day:

"I wanted to get it done as soon as possible. They showed they believed in me by drafting me, and I'll always remember that. I love the city. I love the guys in the room. They were really cool to me in training camp (last fall). I'm excited to be a part of the organization for a long, long time."

- Matt Calvert on getting his entry-level deal signed.

Fight of the Night:

Pittsburg LW Matt Cooke v. Boston RW Shawn Thornton. My first reaction even before I watched the fight, was that it was retalliation for the hit Cooke put on Boston's Marc Savard.

FOTN Honorable Mention:

Pittsburg LW Michael Rupp v. Boston D Zdeno Chara. Video. Oh, Michael Rupp, how foolish you are.

Goalie Masks of the CBJ

2010-03-18T20:14:26Z

The goalie mask has come a long way since it was first used in 1959. At the time, the mask, debuted by Montreal goaltender Jacques Plante was made of fiberglass and was made especially to fit his face. Now, in the interest of not boring everyone to death, lets jump ahead and take a look at some of the masks of our beloved goalies, past and present.

In the history of team, there have been 14 total goalies. Its not all that difficult, but I whittled the list down to a few and came across some interesting stats along the way:

Of them, only 6 have played more than one season with the team. (Mason, Denis, LeClaire, Norrena, Tugnutt, and LaCosta)
Of the 7 still in the NHL, 3 are currently Blue Jackets.
In only his second season, Steve Mason has already jumped into second place in all-time wins. He will be the most successful goalie in CBJ history. (Ok, not a stat, but we know its true)
Marc Denis holds more records than any other goalie in team history.
The best winning percentage belongs to Dan LaCosta (2-0, yes, it counts)

Ok, back to business. Every goalie in the league adds his own touch to his mask, whether that be a tribute to a friend or family member, a hobby, a team theme, or just something kickass. Lets look at these goalies and their masks.

Ron Tugnutt

One of the signatures of any Tugnutt mask was the splash on the front. Imagine the effect of getting hit in the face with a snowball. No matter who he played for, he always sported the splash on his mask. He also displayed the team's logo on the top of his masks. Here are a few of his many different goalie masks.

Dallas mask

Pittsburgh mask - it looks to me like someone hit him in the face with a yellow snowball. Gross.

Columbus mask - nothing says intimidation quite like Stinger. Shooters beware!

Marc Denis

Marc had a knack for using his team's moniker to inspire his mask designs. When he was drafted by Colorado in 1995 he came up with this design. Who knew that if he had played for Minnesota a few years later, he could've used the same mask.

When he made the trip to Columbus, he did what seemingly everyone has done, and used the Civil War as his muse, if you will. He was the first goalie to "Carry The Flag" on his headgear.

When Denis moved on to Tampa Bay, he looked to the heavens to and received a gift from god - a Greek god, that is. Marc also had a tendency to sport the good old #30 on the chin of the mask.

Pascal LeClaire

Pascal's Columbus mask took the "Blue Jacket" theme to another level when he coupled it with the sport of hockey. The Union solider on the sides sported a pair of skates and carried a lime green stick (he just had to fit Stinger in there somehow). If you look again, you can also see a small picture of Snoopy on the back. I think I read somewhere that Snoopy was his favorite cartoon character so why not put him on the mask? The old CBJ logo with the red ribbon with stars was wrapped around the bottom.

His Ottawa mask rules. As I am writing this, I'm getting my first look at the new headgear. Its all black with a red and black ribbon around the chin and jawline. Each side features a new and improved Ottawa logo. Picture, for example, the current logo. The character looks very clean and stern. Now inject that guy with about 50cc of steroids, and you get this.

Pazzy's Ottawa mask gets an A+ from me for sheer badassness.

Steve Mason

Mase's first CBJ mask featured several Union soldies on either side, with the star and flag logo on the right side, and the hat and team name on the left. On the back, he has a tribute to his grandfather who passed away last June. Going on with the trend, he keeps his nickname on the chin. His alternate mask at the time had the same features on the sides and chin, but on the top has a black and white civil war figure.

Just recently this year, Mase debuted a new mask (seen at the top of this story. He kept the theme similar to his other NHL masks, the blue mask has a larger picture of the star and flag logo on the head. Also different on this mask is the style his nickname is written. He put his name on the red, white and blue style Ohio liscense plate. I thought this was really neat considering he got his new Ohio driver's liscense last summer.

Mathieu Garon

The newest CBJ goaltender has been in the league as long as Columbus has. He's played in some diehard hockey towns. Starting in Montreal, Garon paid tribute to a Canadien great, Jacques Plante. He was also awfully confident in himself with the brick wall design. If anyone can knows what the full quote is on the chin, please share. I can't find it anywhere.

His Los Angeles mask is probably my favorite. On the chin, he had the Kings logo and wrapped around the face was a purple and black chess board. This was a very neat look in my opinion. The top and back displayed a knight wearing armor, and wielding a sword and shield.

On his Columbus mask, Garon has his number on his chin. Following in the footsteps of Marc Denis, he has a Union soldier on the top of the mask.

So there's a brief look into the masks of some of the CBJ goalies. What masks are you favorites? What goalies around the league have masks that stand out to you? Share below.

Poll

Which goalie has the best collection of masks?

Blue Jackets Change Affiliate to Springfield

2010-03-18T04:03:43Z

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting tonight that the Jackets and the Crunch were unable to come to an agreement on a renewal of their affilation. The Jackets will no longer use the AHL's Syracuse Crunch as their farm team, and will instead partner with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL.

On a personal level, I have mixed emotions on this move. I follow the AHL quite closely, and I have always wanted to see the Crunch do well. That said, the past couple of seasons have seen me grow sour on the Crunch to an extent. I enjoy reading Lindsay Kramer's blog- in fact I link to it in a sidebar here on The Cannon. The problem with Kramer's blog though, is the people who comment on it, and the tone of some of his posts. It seems there are never-ending complaints regarding the partnership, with accusations such as: "Columbus doesn't care about Syracuse" and "The Blue Jackets do nothing to help the Crunch".

I call bullshit. The Jackets have consistently made trades and signed players for the sole intent of improving the Crunch. Look at this year. Deals were made to bring in guys like Brendan Bell, Tomas Kana, Greg Moore and Chad Kolarik. These guys haven't even sniffed NHL ice. Those players were brought in to make the Crunch better. Over the years there have been similar deals, with limited success. You can't fault the Blue Jackets- they always, year in and year out tried to make the Crunch a better team.

I am excited for this fresh start. The Falcons aren't one of the marquee franchises in the AHL, and some would argue that they are only in the league because the AHL HQ is in Springfield. I think that at least for next year this partnership could be something special- a new home for some of the incumbent prospects that Columbus has playing in Syracuse, and a change in culture as well. The new prospects such as Matt Calvert, who haven't experienced Syracuse, can be part of the first wave of Columbus prospects who have spent time as Falcons.

At the end of the day I wish the Crunch well, but it really bothers me that parts of the Crunch fanbase and media honestly believe that Columbus never made a complete effort towards making the Crunch a good team. I look forward to cheering for the Falcons and I can't wait to see them in action.

Poll

How do you feel about the change of affiliate from Syracuse to Springfield?

The Future is Bright

2010-03-17T21:54:55Z

News came down the wire yesterday that Jackets prospect Matt Calvert was signed to his entry-level contract. This is good news for the Jackets because if he wasn't signed soon he would re-enter the draft. There was really no chance that he wasn't going to be re-signed, but it's good news nonetheless.

When the Jackets drafted him in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, he was the least heralded of a group of three youngsters playing for the Brandon Wheat Kings. Those three would spend most of their junior career playing as a line- the other two players are 2009 first round draft picks Brayden Schenn and Scott Glennie. Schenn went to the Los Angeles Kings and Glennie was taken by the Dallas Stars.

In the fall of 2009 Calvert was very impressive in training camp, and the Jackets were eager to sign him with the intention of sending him to Syracuse of the AHL. However, he was still eligible to return to junior for one more season. Most players elect to skip their overage year in junior and make the jump to professional hockey, but there was a huge incentive for Calvert to return to Brandon. They are the hosts of this year's Memorial Cup- the holy grail of junior hockey. Being the hosts, Brandon gets a bye right to the Memorial Cup tournament. The other three teams in the tourny are the champions of the QMJHL, OHL and WHL. Add to this fact that Matt is a Brandon native, and he made the decision to return to junior. He is currently tied for the team scoring lead with Schenn, with 99 points apiece.

Next year he will be a professional. With the current makeup of the team, he has a good shot at making the Columbus roster right out of camp. He is a tenacious player who's engine never quits. He can supply offense and for a smaller player he can be quite physical. For those Jacket fans who have been here since the start- he plays a hell of a lot like Tyler Wright. He is a logical replacement for Raffi Torres, so seeing him in a CBJ sweater next year should help ease the pain of trading Raffi.

While on the topic of Calvert, let's take a quick look at some other prospects. For the first time since the early years of the franchise, the prospect cupboard is relatively bare. There are still some very good players on the way for the Jackets though:

Nikita Filatov is still the team's best prospect, and count me in the group that wants to see him be a star in Columbus. Also in the mix is John Moore, the team's first round pick from last year. He will likely be in Syracuse of the AHL next season. Maksim Mayorov just completed a brief stint with Columbus and didn't do much to impress. That doesn't mean he isn't going to be a good player, he just needs some more time to develop.

Two more players are making the future look bright- The Cannon favourites David Savard and Cam Atkinson. Savard is piling up the points as a defenseman with Moncton of the QMJHL and Atkinson is curently fourth in Hockey East scoring with 34 points in 27 games while also leading his Boston College team in scoring. Savard has been nominated for the QMJHL's Best Defenseman Award, Sportsman of the Year Award, and Best Defensive Defenseman Award.

A pair of college prospects have been nominated for some CCHA hardware also. Forward Matt Rust, who was acquired from the Florida Panthers for defenseman Mathieu Roy has been nominated for the CCHA Top Defensive Forward Award. He plays with fellow CBJ prospect and 2009 second rounder Kevin Lynch at the University of Michigan. The other prospect up for an award is 2007 second round pick Will Weber, he is nominated for the CCHA top defensive defenseman award.

Shrapnel - 3/16 Edition

2010-03-16T17:50:12Z

Jay LaPrete - AP

4 days ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' Mike Commodore, left, knocks the puck away from the net as teammate Marc Methot, second from left, Edmonton Oilers' Mike Comrie, second from right, and Dustin Penner wait for a rebound during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 15, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

View full size photo »

In this edition of Shrapnel: Hejda's injury, Vermette's career year, Mayorov's return, a big name receives a suspension, power rankings, and more!

Puck-rakers:

Jan Hejda is expected to miss the rest of the season, after suffering a right knee injury. Early thoughts are a sprain which is similar to what happened to his left knee earlier in the year. Honestly, I'm ok with this. I certainly wish him a speedy recovery but with the season basically over, I want to get a look at some other guys. Get well soon, Jan!

BlueJackets XTRA:

Antoine Vermette is having yet another career year. With his 3 points last night he's set a new career high with 55. He also has a new high in assists (33) and is close to surpassing his goals record (24, has 22 currently). I'll call it right now, next season Vermette will crush whatever number he racks up by season's end.

A very brief but great feel-good story. Even though he's gone, Ryan Salmons is still having an impact on people.

Random notes. More on Hejda, Klesla, Maks, Boller and a few others. I think Boller is extremely lucky not to be out for a period of time. I've watched the fight over and over and I'm so glad he was able to move around just fine. Here's hoping Rusty can FINALLY put the injury bug behind him. If he can play a full season imagine what he can do given the start he had this year.

Ovechkin receives suspension, Modano out indefinitely. Ovie gets 2 games for boarding, which is warranted. Does anyone think the league should throw out the rules for suspensions and start over?

Yahoo! Sports:

Ryan Miller seems to be the early favorite to win the Vezina this year. Who would your vote go to? Certainly, his Olympic play was tremendous but that shouldn't be a factor. My vote would go to Miller because his numbers are just phenomenal.

Puck Daddy's Three Stars. One Jacket earns top honors, and another gets an honorable mention. Both well deserved, as they played probably their best games all season long.

Two Ducks find themselves day-to-day suffering from various injuries. Selanne is looking to score his 600th career goal this year.

NHL.com:

On the front page, check out the "Saves of the week" video on the "Plays of the week" tab, and look under "Plays of the night" and you will see a couple familiar faces. Even though the team is under performing, I like that the players are still getting the recognition for their abilities.

State of the Division. Detroit is making their push to the playoffs. To think, this time last year, they all but locked up a top seed. Even if they make it in, seeing them actually have to fight for once is refreshing.

BlueJackets.com:

Maksim Mayorov is headed back to Syracuse. The good news: This means Rick Nash should be good to go by the next game. The bad news: We might not see Maks again until next year. I think we have something special in him but we need to give him the exposure to get better. You know, like what we did with Brule, just hope for a better result.

Who doesn't like free stuff? If you get a chance, head down to the arena Friday night when the Jackets take on Minnesota and get a free CBJ Pint glass.

Power Rankings:

ESPN - 28th

Columbus Dispatch - 27th

TSN - 29th

CBS Sports - 29th

Fox Sports - 28th

Quote of the Day:

"I won't lie. It's a tough situation to be in. I remember last season coming to Columbus (from Ottawa at the trade deadline). That was so much fun...I didn't have as many points at the end of the season, but it was a much more rewarding season."

- Antoine Vermette

Fight of the Night:

Oilers D Theo Peckham v. Blue Jackets RW Jared Boll

Honorable Mention:

Bruins RW Shawn Thornton v. Devils LW Jean-Luc Letourneau-Leblond. Video.

Game 70 Recap: Jackets Cement Their 14th Place Status

2010-03-16T14:08:11Z

I hate playing out the string. I've been a Blue Jackets fan since Day One, so I had the treat of watching the team play the spoiler role for the last 15 to 20 games of every season. Last year was the only exception. Other than the obvious fact that the team isn't making the playoffs, I hate playing out the string because you have games like last night.

Other than the two points that does nothing but increase the gap between 14th and 15th in the standings, the only other thing the Jackets could take from last night is that they lost Jan Hejda, likely for the rest of the season. They were lucky not to lose Jared Boll either, I know I'm not alone in cringing and holding my breath when his head hit the ice after his fight. The linesman and Theo Peckham's reactions said it all. He turned out to be OK, (we think) but it would have just made the night even more costly.

I suppose you can't forget about the offense that was shown last night. The final score was 5-3. The Oilers have a patchwork defense and a goalie who hadn't won in nine starts so the fact the Jackets showed offensive flair should be taken with a grain of salt. In his return from injury Juice had a goal and three assists, and to me it looked like he never left the ice. Vermy had a goal and two assists. The other goal scorers were Chris Clark, Jakub Voracek and Marc Methot.

Quick Hits:

- Maksim Mayorov was returned to Syracuse after the game, which likely means that Rick Nash is good to go for next game. Mayorov didn't look completely out of place, but after starting on a scoring line he made some mistakes and lost his opportunity to play with scorers, being placed on the fourth line.

- Vermette set a career high in points last night, with 55.

- Look for Nathan Paetsch to get more ice, or a defenseman to be called up from Syracuse to replace Hejda. I'd like to see Brendan Bell myself.

- The Jackets would pick 6th in the NHL draft if it went by today's standings.

Mancrush: I'm going to go with Huselius. Not only because he scored four points, but because he was all over the ice making plays. He looked good in his first game back from injury.

Doghouse: Commodore. I don't want to pile on the guy, because he's having a tough season, but man he looked slow and confused out there. What happened to Big Red from last year?

Shrapnel - 3/15 Edition

2010-03-15T18:24:09Z

In this edition of Shrapnel: Edmonton, Gilbert Brule, Noel, injuries, the longest game ever, and more!

Lets do this...

Puck-rakers:

If things weren't bad enough, now our captain is sick, and only 6 players took to the ice for practice. Sounds like the team is just exhausted. Hell, I'm exhausted for them. It is looking pretty bad for our guys tonight even if they ARE playing the worst team in the league.

Wonder how the future will look? With the young group of talent we have waiting in the wings, hopefully the future = 2010-11.

BlueJackets XTRA:

The end of the season draws near, and the Interim tag will be removed from Claude Noel one way or another. If Noel doesn't become head coach, he will likely leave to coach elsewhere. Now whether that be in the NHL or minors or juniors is unknown, but I think he'll make a hell of a coach somewhere.

Lineups for tonight:

CBJ

Edmonton

What happened to Gilbert Brule? He went from being a highly-touted prospect drafted by a bad team, to being a slightly average player on another bad team. If he were in the right system, he could be a very effective player.

Four-check:

What to watch for tonight: Edmonton G Jeff Deslauriers. He recently had a blow-up that makes this guy look like a saint.

Gameday: Edmonton. What happens when an unstoppable force meet and immovable object? Whatever it is, it won't be seen in tonight's game. Its going to be brutal.

Yahoo! Sports:

In case you missed it, which would have been awfully hard, an NCAA game set the all time record for the longest game ever played. Maybe ties aren't so bad afterall.....

Ovechkin? They don't need no stinking Ovechkin. After being ejected for boarding a Blackhawk (thank you) the Caps rallied to win in OT. Seriously though, I don't want anyone to get hurt (yes, this means you too Crosby). To further prevent serious injury, should the league institute suspensions for game misconduct penalties?

NHL.com:

Rumors around the league are saying that the boarding penalty given to Ovechkin could lead to Brian Campbell missing the rest of the season.

Its about time to start looking at the entry draft. An early look at the player rankings have an awful lot of offensive talent at the top.

Quote of the day:

"Young guys who stay on a roster and don't get played . . . that's not a good situation. Anyway, we are happy to have Gilbert."

- Oilers coach Pat Quinn on having Gilbert Brule.

Fight of the weekend:

Ottawa RW Chris Neal v. Vancouver C Rick Rypien

Honorable Mention:

Philadelphia C Mike Richards. New York Rangers C Brandon Dubinsky. Video.

St. Louis LW D.J. King v. Minnesota LW Derek Boogaard. Video.

Game 70 Preview: Battle of the Western Conference Cellar-Dwellars

2010-03-15T16:10:25Z

his game is one of those hockey games where late in the season two teams are playing for pride, and nothing more. They aren't close in the standings, yet they are the two worst teams in the Western Conference. There's no jockeying for position. That said, I always like playing the Oil. I find them fun to watch, especially Gagner.

It's hard to imagine this game being a high-scoring affair, but given the names on the Oilers blueline and the fact Columbus' achilles heel all season has been poor defensive play this one could be a shootout. Rick Nash is out again for the Jackets, this time with the flu. Juice is going to give it another go however.

The battle between the pipes at this point looks to be between Steve Mason and Jeff Deslauriers. Mase needs to get back on track and finish the season strong, it will only help him going into next season.

Fearless Prediction: Gilbert Brule scores for the Oil, 'jus cuz.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: The Copper & Blue

Game Page: Oilers vs Blue Jackets coverage

TSN Preview: Oilers vs Blue Jackets preview

TV: FSN

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Both teams are without their top offensive talents. The Blue Jackets' Rick Nash is out because of the flu, while Ales Hemsky of the Oilers has been out since November because of a shoulder injury. The Oilers are 1-14-1 on the road since mid-December, including a 6-4 loss in Toronto on Saturday.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

R.J. Umberger	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Derek Dorsett
Chris Clark	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Michael Blunden	Andrew Murray	Maksim Mayorov

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Marc Methot	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Mike Commodore

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: Nathan Paetsch

INJURED/SICK: Derek MacKenzie, Rick Nash, Rostislav Klesla

Edmonton Oilers

Dustin Penner	Andrew Cogliano	Gilbert Brule
Ethan Moreau	Shawn Horcoff	Mike Comrie
Robert Nilsson	Sam Gagner	Marc Pouliot
Chris Minard	Ryan Potulny	Zack Stortini

Ryan Whitney	Tom Gilbert
Taylor Chorney	Jason Strudwick
Aaron Johnson	Theo Peckham

Jeff Deslauriers

Devan Dubnyk

Game 69 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Blues

2010-03-13T23:00:22Z

This will likely be one of those ugly, out-hussle-your-opponent style games. The Jackets are without two-thirds of their top line, and they will need to play an air-tight style against the Blues. I believe this game will come down to special teams and goaltending. (Crazy concept, i know).

I look for Russ and the Brass line to step up. They absolutely have to. If they don't, we're closer to Taylor Hall. That's not such a bad thing however....

Poll

Play spoiler, or tank for a lottery pick?

Game 69 Preview: Jackets Look for Third Straight Win

2010-03-13T15:19:46Z

Figures. The Jackets are all but officially out of the playoffs, so they start winning again. They win just enough to get out of the draft lottery, picking in the 6-7 range. I know not every fan out there wants the team to tank if they are out of the playoffs, but man wouldn't a Taylor Hall or Cam Fowler look good right about now?

The Jackets are in the midst of a modest two-game winning streak. They are going for their third in a row tonight against the St. Louis Blues. Mase is back in the net tonight after getting pulled last weekend against LA. Mathieu Garon had two outstanding starts before tonight, let's hope Mase can continue that high level of play. Chris Mason is in net for the Blues.

The other storyline tonight is that Nasher is out....again. Ditto for Juice. He gave it a shot last game but re-tweaked his injury. The Umby-Brass-Jake line needs to really step it up. Two of the three players on the second scoring line were on the fourth line last game.

Fearless Prediction: Kris Russell has a huge game. Goal perhaps?

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: St. Louis Game Time

Game Page: Blues vs Blue Jackets coverage

TV: FSN

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

After dropping five of six to the Blues last season, the Blue Jackets are 3-1-0 against them this season. With two-thirds of the top line out because of injuries, the Blue Jackets will have to outwork the Blues to have a chance. The Blue Jackets are 5-6-5 against Central Division opponents this season.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

R.J. Umberger	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Andrew Murray	Antoine Vermette	Derek Dorsett
Chris Clark	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Nathan Paetsch	Michael Blunden	Maksim Mayorov

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Marc Methot	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Mike Commodore

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: None

INJURED/SICK: Derek MacKenzie, Kristian Huselius, Rick Nash, Rostislav Klesla

St. Louis Blues

Paul Kariya	David Backes	T.J. Oshie
Andy MacDonald	Patrick Berglund	David Perron
Alexander Steen	Jay McClement	Brad Boyes
Brad Winchester	B.J. Crombeen	Matt D'Agostini

Eric Brewer	Erik Johnson
Barret Jackman	Roman Polak
Carlo Colaiacovo	Mike Weaver

Chris Mason

Ty Conklin

Game 68 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Thrashers

2010-03-11T23:42:05Z

No Nasher tonight, but Juice is back. Chris Chelios is back in the NHL- will he try to make a statement? Garon goes in nets tonight again after looking spectacular on Tuesday against the Ducks. It's hard to say what kind of game this will be tonight- my guess is a high-scoring affair. Hopefully the result will be in Columbus' favor.

Poll

Is Chris Chelios' return worth the hype?

Game 68 Preview: Chelios Returns to the NHL Against the Jackets

2010-03-11T19:27:09Z

The Jackets looked pretty good in their game against the Ducks on Tuesday night, and they look to translate that level of play to home ice tonight when they take on the Atlanta Thrashers. The Thrashers are without superstar Ilya Kovalchuk, but Niclas Bergfors has been playing quite well for the Birds since the deal with New Jersey. Of note tonight is the return of Chris Chelios to the NHL. The Thrashers called him up in advance of this game and he will make his debut tonight. I'm not expecting much from him.

Rick Nash is out again tonight with a lower-body injury, but Juice is back in the lineup. I like the look of the second line tonight-Juice and Mayorov flanking Vermy. I think it could make some noise. Having Brass and Jake together is never a bad thing. Matty Garon gets the start tonight.

Fearless Prediction: Chelios takes some stupid penalties, the Jackets capitalize and win with special teams.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Bird Watchers Anonymous

Game Page: Thrashers vs Blue Jackets coverage

TSN Preview: Thrashers vs Blue Jackets preview

TV: FSN

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Blue Jackets have lost three in a row at home, tied for the longest skid of the season. The Thrashers traded franchise left winger Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey before the Olympic break. The first meeting was a slopfest, won 4-3 by the Blue Jackets in Atlanta on Nov.5.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

R.J. Umberger	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Maksim Mayorov
Chris Clark	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Michael Blunden	Andrew Murray	Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Derek MacKenzie, Nathan Paetsch

INJURED/SICK: Derek MacKenzie, Rick Nash, Rostislav Klesla

Atlanta Thrashers

Bryan Little	Nikolai Antropov	Niclas Bergfors
Clarke MacArthur	Rich Peverley	Maxim Afinogenov
Jim Slater	Todd White	Colby Armstrong
Slava Kozlov	Marty Reasoner	Evgeny Artyukhin

Ron Hainsey	Tobias Enstrom
Chris Chelios	Johnny Oduya
Pavel Kubina	Zach Bogosian

Johan Hedberg

Ondrej Pavelec

Shrapnel - 3/11 Edition

2010-03-11T19:24:21Z

In this edition of Shrapnel: Lineups, Chelios, Mac's injury, Nash's medal, Oregon, a former Jacket fights, and more!

Is it Friday yet?

BlueJackets XTRA:

Lineups for tonight. As always, there will probably be some tweak to them before game time.

CBJ

Atlanta

Much like in the past, the third period has NOT been a friend to the Jackets. Here's a breakdown of just how bad its been. Only if hockey were 2 periods long we'd do so much better. Supposedly conditioning isn't a factor but how many more times will that be the excuse?

Chris Chelios was called up from the AHL and will likely join the Thrashers in their game tonight with Columbus. Just how old is Chelios? This puts it into perspective. I'm not kidding, my jaw 'bout hit the floor.

A recent call-up, Derek MacKenzie, saw his return to the NHL end suddenly. He suffered a sprained MCL and is likely out 3-4 weeks. This is unfortunate because I think Mac can be a great contributor to the team this late in the season. Who do you think the next call-up will be?

Puck-rakers:

A random collection of notes.

Transcript from yesterday's chat.

Here's an update from the arena. Nasher out, Juice in. Maksim Mayorov playing with Antoine Vermette and Kristian Huselius. I don't know why, but I really like this decision. I've always wanted to see what he can do with the right line mates.

Four-check:

A look at Atlanta. There are also some other little notes in there. What do you think of the Boll situation? Does management let him walk or bring him back? At this point, I hate to say it, but he should be let go. His roster spot could be really valuable next year so its time to say goodbye to Boller.

Yahoo! Sports:

As Mike pointed out with the last game recap, Oregon's candidate for the Senate - Marc Delphine - has been using a reverse version of the Jackets logo for his campaign. The first thought that went through my head was "Hey, nice logo, you make that yourself?...cause you didn't." Fans quickly let the team know and they passed the issue along to the NHL. I don't think Delphine meant for it to happen, but hey, at least he's trying to raise awareness for our team.

From the land of the embarassing. I feel really bad for this kid. He seemed to take it really well but he'll hear about it for the rest of his life. I mean, c'mon. Its hockey, in Minnesota.

This article takes a look at Anthem etiquette. Seems like every team has their own thing, but Chicago's is the worst. I understand its been done for years and years, but its just disrespectful to drown out the song with your constant yelling and screaming.

BlueJackets.com:

Heading to the game Saturday? Get there when the doors open because from 6-7 Rick Nash's gold medal and game-worn jersey will be on display. While you're there, also bid on the St. Patrick's Day jerseys. Remember, all the money goes to the Blue Jackets foundation, so its worth it!

Quote of the Day:

"You can't give confidence. You can show it, but you can't give it. The players have to find it - work for it - themselves."

- Claude Noel, speaking on the constant breakdowns in third periods.

Fight of the Night:

Rangers LW Jody Shelley v. Devils LW Jean-Luc Letourneau-Leblond

Shrapnel - 3/10 Edition

2010-03-10T17:03:58Z

In this edition of Shrapnel: We've got power rankings, today's chat, hits to the head, the playoffs, the view from the other side, and more!

Ready...Set...GO

BlueJackets XTRA:

Time for your weekly visit to the psychiatrist...I mean, online Blue Jackets chat. Is there even a difference anymore?

These things are true: The season is pretty much done, we'll secure a great first round pick in the draft, and Rick Nash promises the team won't give up the rest of the way. Its important for us, the fans, not to give up as well. Brighter days are ahead, we just have to keep supporting.

Discussions are still ongoing regarding hits to the head. The Cooke hit on Savard, that Howson cited can be seen here. Accident? Purposely done? You make the call. Personally, bias aside, I feel that Cooke could've done more to avoid hitting Savard. It should warrant a suspension, as should all hits to the head.

Puck-rakers:

If you're driving home tonight between 6 and 7 pm, tune into the Coach's Show. Guests include Claude Noel, and Toronto Maple Leafs and Team USA head coach Ron Wilson.

Anaheim Calling:

What they're saying. Good to know we're not the only ones suffering this season.

Power Rankings:

Columbus Dispatch - 27th

TSN - 27th

CBS Sports - 29th

Fox Sports - 27th

ESPN - 27th

Yahoo! Sports:

Last night, the Flames took down the Wings in Detroit. Why is this important? It pushed Calgary into the 8th place spot in the conference, and knocked Detroit down to 9th. They're getting dangerously close to missing the playoffs for the first time since...(scroll down to postseason appearance streaks)

Another hit to the head during last night's Oilers/Senators game. Pathetic.

Marty Turco still believe the Stars can make the playoffs. Right. Interesting link in this article. A writer for the Globe and Mail has calculated the records each team will need to reach over their remaining games to make the playoffs. Its a bit flawed with the guesswork thats involved, but still a pretty neat way of looking into the future.

NHL.com:

In a 36 save effort, Mathieu Garon earns third star honors.

The Bleacher Report looks at 5 possible playoff matchups. Some of these could be really good. Who ya got in the Finals? I'll take San Jose (finally) against Washington for 1000, Alex.

Quote of the Day:

"The guys who are here long-term are the guys who have to stand up right now. Those guys have to be committed to the city and committed to the team. Guys like myself and others have to stand up and say it's unacceptable for games like (Monday's) to happen."

- Rick Nash on the rest of the season. Glad to see he's finally being vocal with his teammates.

Fight of the Night:

Columbus RW Derek Dorsett v. Anaheim LW Matt Beleskey. Its a damn good thing Scrappy Doo stepped in. I cringed when I saw Beleskey jawwing with Brass.

Honorable Mention:

Columbus D Fedor Tyutin v. Anaheim C Ryan Getzlaf. Video. I bring this fight up because the notes say Umby got a double minor for roughing. I didn't see it, does anyone know what he did?

Game 67 Recap: Finishing on a High Note

2010-03-10T16:47:35Z

The Jackets ended up taking one of the three games on their California road trip, winning 5-2 over the Ducks. The Jackets stormed out to a 3-0 lead, and held on as the Ducks clawed back to make it 3-2. The Jackets scored two quick ones at the end of the third. It was an entertaining game at times, with lots of physical play. Almost every shot in-close resulted in a scrum, and in some cases the gloves were dropped.

Derek Dorsett was his prototypical self last night, he scored the game's first goal, and while he was celebrating he noticed teammate Derick Brassard getting harrassed by the Duck's Matt Beleskey. He promptly skated over and started to put the beats on Beleskey. Two-thirds of a Gordie Howe hat trick on one play!

The goal scorers last night were Dorsett, Fedor Tyutin, Jakub Voracek, Antoine Vermette and Derick Brassard. Tyuts finished with a goal and two assists. Jake had one and one. Brass scored the final goal of the game, on a one timer set up by Vermette.

Mathieu Garon played stellar in net last night, especially in the first and third periods. He had several highlight reel saves in the first, and shut the door after the Ducks put up a pair of goals. There wasn't much he could do on the first goal, and slapper from a wide-open Lubomir Visnovsky. The second goal illustrates why as a defenseman you never go back to pick up a dropped stick. Marc Methot did just that, he was pinning Ryan Getzlaf along the boards behind the net, and when he dropped his stick he skated over and picked it up allowing Getzlaf to skate freely to the front of the net, going top cheese with a wrister. Had Methot just continued to play the body rather than worry about his stick, maybe the play would have never developed.

Quick Hits:

- Oregon's candidate for the Senate-Marc Delphine- has an interesting campaign logo. Look familiar?

- The Jackets played without Kristian Huselius and Rick Nash last night.

- Derek MacKenzie was called up yesterday, along with Maksim Mayorov, but left the game with a knee injury. He may miss the rest of the season.

- Andrew Murray continues to look good out there. He may not have scored, but he's using his speed and size. He reminds me of Nash, except with no hands.

- Mike Blunden scored his first NHL point last night, an assist on Dors' goal.

- The Jackets went 3 for 6 on the powerplay, and the PK was at 100%, killing all seven Ducks powerplays.

Mancrush: my continuous mancrush on my boy Jake Voracek was given a boost last night, he scored a nice goal going top dog from the side of the net.

Doghouse: I have to go with Methot, for his brainfart on the Getlzaf goal.

Game 67 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Ducks

2010-03-10T00:52:29Z

After the abomination that took place on Los Angeles ice last night, there's nowhere to go but up for the Jackets. The playoffs aren't going to happen this year, and for some of the guys in the lineup now- it's time to impress if they want a job next year. Rick Nash and Kristian Huselius are out of the lineup tonight, look for Maksim Mayorov to drop into the top six along with Brassard, Voracek, Vermette, Umberger.

Poll

Which CBJ prospect currently playing in Syracuse do you want to see get a shot with the Jackets down the stretch?

Game 67 Preview: Final Game of California Road Trip

2010-03-09T18:25:33Z

This is the third game of a California road trip that has been an absolute nightmare for the Jackets. They were embarassed by the LA Kings last night. The Jackets didn't look good at all last night, not in any of the three zones. Steve Mason was clearly rattled after the first couple of goals and was pulled. After every goal you could see him sneaking glances over to the bench. He's clearly lacking in some confidence right now. To add insult to injury, Rick Nash left the game with a "lower body injury" and didn't return. It's unsure if he can go tonight.

Matty Garon will likely get the start, and it's not looking good for Huselius to be in the lineup. Maksim Mayorov and Derek MacKenzie have been called up from Syracuse. Look for Mayorov to get a chance on a scoring line tonight.

Fearless Prediction: A fight or two.

Game Time: 10:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Anaheim Calling

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Ducks coverage

TSN Preview: Blue Jackets vs Ducks preview

TV: FSN

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

One team is out of the playoff picture, the other is fading fast. The Ducks should be in desperation mode tonight as they try to remain in the Western Conference race. The are 0-2-1 since the Olympic break and blew a two-goal, third-period lead in a 4-3 shootout loss to Montreal on Sunday. The Jackets know all about blowing third-period leads to lose games. They have done it a league-leading 10 times this season.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

R.J. Umberger	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Maksim Mayorov	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Chris Clark	Samuel Pahlsson	Derek Dorsett
Andrew Murray	Michael Blunden	Jared Boll

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Derek MacKenzie, Nathan Paetsch

INJURED/SICK: Kristian Huselius, Rostislav Klesla

Anaheim Ducks

Bobby Ryan	Ryan Getzlaf	Corey Perry
Jason Blake	Saku Koivu	Teemu Selanne
Matt Beleskey	Todd Marchant	Dan Sexton
Troy Bodie	Ryan Carter	George Parros

James Wisniewski	Scott Niedermayer
Lubomir Visnovsky	Aaron Ward
Steve Eminger	Sheldon Brookbank

Jonas Hiller

Curtis McElhinney

Game 66 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Kings

2010-03-08T22:30:19Z

Game two of this California roadie- this time against the Kings. Brass is back, my guess for the guy who will sit is Nathan Paetsch. He wasn't used much on Saturday against the Sharks, but to his credit didn't look bad when he was on the ice. I'm looking for the top line to create a bunch of chances tonight.

Poll

The Cannon

Game 71 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Wild

Will Rick Nash score in his return?

Game 71 Preview: Jackets take on the Wild

Shrapnel - 3/19 Edition

Goalie Masks of the CBJ

Which goalie has the best collection of masks?

Blue Jackets Change Affiliate to Springfield

How do you feel about the change of affiliate from Syracuse to Springfield?

The Future is Bright

Which prospect are you most excited about?

Shrapnel - 3/16 Edition

Game 70 Recap: Jackets Cement Their 14th Place Status

Shrapnel - 3/15 Edition

Game 70 Preview: Battle of the Western Conference Cellar-Dwellars

Game 69 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Blues

Play spoiler, or tank for a lottery pick?

Game 69 Preview: Jackets Look for Third Straight Win

Game 68 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Thrashers

Is Chris Chelios' return worth the hype?

Game 68 Preview: Chelios Returns to the NHL Against the Jackets

Shrapnel - 3/11 Edition

Shrapnel - 3/10 Edition

Game 67 Recap: Finishing on a High Note

Game 67 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Ducks

Which CBJ prospect currently playing in Syracuse do you want to see get a shot with the Jackets down the stretch?

Game 67 Preview: Final Game of California Road Trip

Game 66 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Kings

If you could have one Kings player go to the Jackets, who would you want?