The Cannon

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

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

Game 66 Preview: Jackets Continue West Coast Swing Against the Kings

2010-03-08T18:27:26Z

Another late one tonight folks. The Jackets continue their California road trip tonight as they take on the Kings. They really showed up to play on Saturday against the Sharks, but at the end of the day the skill just didn't match the effort. The forwards aren't getting the puck on a consistent basis.

Brass returns tonight after dealing with a burn to his hand. He'll slide in on the second line with Umby and Jake. I'm hopeful that his return will spark some offense from his wingers. The top line was nowhere to be found on Saturday, they need to be noticed five on five. Mase gets the start tonight against Jonathan Quick.

Fearless Prediction: Brass shines in his return. Goal? Sure, why not.

Game Time: 10:30pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Jewels From The Crown

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Kings coverage

TSN Preview: Blue Jackets vs Kings preview

TV: FSN

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

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Blue Jackets are winless in their past four games after a 3-0 start to the Claude Noel reign. The Jackets need to reload their power play which has gone 0 for 10 since the Olympic break. The Kings have lost their past two games, but remain in solid playoff position.

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

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
R.J. Umberger	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

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: Nathan Paetsch

INJURED/SICK: Rostislav Klesla

Los Angeles Kings

Ryan Smyth	Anze Kopitar	Dustin Brown
Brad Richardson	Jarret Stoll	Alexander Frolov
Fredrik Modin	Michal Handzus	Wayne Simmonds
Scott Parse	Jeff Halpern	Richard Clune

Drew Doughty	Jack Johnson
Sean O'Donnell	Rob Scuderi
Randy Jones	Matt Greene

Jonathan Quick

Erik Ersberg

Shrapnel - 3/8 Edition

2010-03-08T17:48:59Z

More photos » Jay LaPrete - AP

about 1 month ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' R.J. Umberger, center, celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars with teammates Rick Nash, left, and Antoine Vermette during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets defeated the Stars 2-1. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Browse more photos »

In this edition of Shrapnel: The latest on Manny, Free agency, lineups, Brass' injury, Crosby on Letterman, headshots, knee-to-knee hits, and more!

Lets do this.

BlueJackets XTRA:

This interview with former Jackets C Manny Malhotra gets his thoughts on where he is now, and his former team. After reading it, I'm very disappointed. So, you're telling me you took a one-year, $700,000 dollar deal over a three-year deal, making twice as much? Have fun in the playoffs.

The ONLY good thing I see from the Torres trade was the availability of more money to spend in free agency. But the question is, do we use it on a number one center, or the right defenseman? I think we need to keep Russ, Klesla, Commie (no choice), Hejda, and Stralman. Its not that I dislike Tyutin, or Methot, but someone has to go.

Howson's take on the value of a shootout. I don't think awarding 1 1/2 points for a shootout winner is going to solve anything. However, I do think something needs to be done about overtimes/shootouts/ties.

Here are the lineups we should expect to see tonight:

CBJ

Los Angeles - To think, we STILL could've drafted Anze Kopitar...

Puck-rakers:

Wonder what happened to Derick Brassard? Only to a Blue Jacket...

Yahoo! Sports:

Wow, Crosby REALLY wants his stick back. I thought such a stand-up, giving, caring guy like him would want a fan to have one of his hundreds of hockey sticks.

Speaking of the golden boy, he recently turned down an offer to be on David Letterman. In the spirit of the late night talk show host, I give you the Top 10 reasons Sidney Crosby passed on being on the Late Show. Reasons 6 and 7 would be enough for me to skip out on Letterman.

There are very few things more serious in hockey than a knee-to-knee collision. Should there be an automatic penalty for these vicious hits? Two games won't cut it. These hits can seriously injure, and even end careers.

NHL.com:

Today through Wednesday, all NHL GMs will meet in Boca Raton to discuss headshots in the league. Hopefully they discuss other career and life threatening injuries that take place on the ice. Oh, and all the GMs...meeting in Florida...and some colleges are already on Spring Break. Coincidence? I think not.

Quote of the day:

"To add we will have to subtract and what we do remains to be determined. Maybe it's a trade, maybe there is a trade that makes sense to help the back end."

- GM Scott Howson on the d-man situation heading into free agency.

Fight of the weekend:

Columbus RW Jared Boll v. San Jose D Brad Staubitz

Honorable Mention:

Dallas C Steve Ott v. Pittsburgh RW Craig Adams. Video.

Game 65 Recap - Shark Bait

2010-03-07T21:53:08Z

Last night was a night of firsts. We saw Mike Commodore make his return after being out since January 20th. It was Interim head coach Claude Noel's first road game. We also got our first look at the newest Blue Jacket, Nathan Paetsch. Mase also debuted a new mask last night.

The first period was basically a twenty minute feeling out process by both teams. A lot of back and forth action but the momentum seemed to belong to San Jose. Figure that one out, if you can. How that wrap around late in the period didn't go in, I'll never know.

I thought Jared Boll's fight with Brad Staubitz was his best of the year. He look a beating but definitely gave one back. The result sent Staubitz to the locker room.

Speaking of Staubitz, lets add him to the Blue Jackets shit list. He leveled Dorsett with a forearm and as Dorse skated by, he said something probably not meant for TV. Staubitz jumped him and started throwing punches. Naturally, the teams came together to try to break it up, and the San Jose winger was sent off with a double roughing.

The power play, which is ranked 8th in the league looked awful, going 0-4 on the night. I don't know what needs to happen, but I think even one goal on that double minor would've changed the outlook of the game. What do you think should happen to help the power play?

I don't know who this #17 is but its not Andrew Murray. He scored the lone goal for the Jackets in the opening minute of the second. Its his second goal in as many games. At this rate he'll finish the season with a new career high in points (21) and goals (19). Good luck, Murr Dogg.

Entering the third we were in a very familiar situation. The Jackets took a 1-0 lead into the final 20 minutes looking to blank the Sharks for the second time this season. This is something that hasn't been done since Marty Turco did it in 2006-07.

San Jose struck midway through the period to tie up the game. Dany Heatley (go figure) tipped in a Joe Thornton pass from behind the net. It was his fifth goal of the season...against Columbus. Can't somebody get a body on this guy? We knew they would be coming out just ready to take over.

Joe Pavelski scored the eventual game winner with less than 5 minutes left. The Jackets fell to 1-2-1 against the Sharks this season. Steve Mason's record fell to 16-20-7 equalling his total losses from last season.

Quick hits:

No matter how many times you have a lead against the Sharks they always seem to come back. Its amazing they always fall apart in the playoffs.

My first impression of Nathan Paetsch: I'd like to see what he can do defensively. Knowing he can play both offense and defense makes me think, could there be more hybrid players in the league? Also, if there were more two-way players in the league, what kinds of formations and gameplans could coaches come up with?

Mike Commodore's first game was was alright. Nothing special, much like his entire season.

Why Mike Blunden was called up in favor of anyone else is becoming baffling. Look at Tomas Kana. In 38 games he's scored 13-12-25 and is a +6. Why not give him a shot?

Mancrush: Steve Mason. He's been just amazing lately. He looked great early on and got the short end of the stick Stopping 42 saves in a game is skill enough, so doing against the Sharks is even more impressive. But, he can't do it all on his own, he needs that defensive support from the guys in front.

Doghouse: Power Play. Like I said, we can't afford to piss away a double minor power play in San Jose. We easily could've pushed the lead and probably won the game.

Lets hear your take on the game: your thoughts on Paetsch, Mase's play, and anything else you want to vent about.

Game 65 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Sharks

2010-03-06T15:25:22Z

In tonight for the Jackets: Mike Commodore, Michael Blunden and Nathan Paetsch. Out of the lineup for the CBJ: Derick Brassard, Raffi Torres, Fredrik Modin and Milan Jurcina. My biggest hope is that this one isn't a laugher- the Sharks have a rock-solid chance at winning The Cup this year, and the Jackets are on life support. There is a small chance we can squeak out a win however- if the Sharks take the Jackets too lighty and Mase stands on his head. That's essenitally what needs to happen for Columbus to get the win. Welcome back Big Red!

Poll

How will Paetsch do in his CBJ debut?

Game 65 Preview: Depleted Jackets Take on the Sharks

2010-03-06T15:18:17Z

Tonight's game is the first for the Jackets after the trade deadline. Gone from the lineup are Raffi Torres, Fredrik Modin and Milan Jurcina. The only new body coming in to the locker room is Nathan Paetsch- a bottom of the lineup plugger, who can fill in on defense and at forward. He'll start his Blue Jacket career on the fourth line. The new lineup that Claude Noel has come up with is listed below, you'll notice that Derick Brassard is out again with a hand injury. He's still having a hard time gripping the stick. Commodore was activated from IR as well, so he'll slide in to the lineup. At this point it looks like Mase will go up against Nabokov between the pipes tonight.

I couldn't think of a more difficult game for the Jackets to have to play with a depleted lineup. After trading away the vets, and with Brass out, the Sharks are not the team to rally against. They are going to come at the Jackets hard and often. Mase will need to be sharp, and the penalty killers will have to be top notch tonight. I'm just hoping we don't have a blowout. I'll also be looking to see what Paetsch has to offer.

Fearless Prediction: No prediction today, just hoping we don't get embarrassed.

Game Time: 10:30pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Fear The Fin

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Sharks coverage

TV: FSN

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

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Jackets are 1-14-2 in the Silicon Valley. Since 2000, the winning percentage of .118 is the worst by any road team against a single opponent in the NHL having played at least 10 times.

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

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

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

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: None

INJURED/SICK: Derick Brassard, Rostislav Klesla

San Jose Sharks

Dany Heatley	Joe Thornton	Devin Setoguchi
Patrick Marleau	Manny Malhotra	Joe Pavelski
Ryane Clowe	Scott Nichol	Jamie McGinn
Brad Staubitz	Torrey Mitchell	Jed Ortmeyer

Niclas Wallin	Dan Boyle
Rob Blake	Douglas Murray
Kent Huskins	Jay Leach

Evgeni Nabokov

Thomas Greiss

Shrapnel - 3/4 Edition

2010-03-04T17:36:10Z

In this edition of Shrapnel: Fallout from yesterday's trades, Clitsome back to Syracuse, Brass injured, Crosby's gear, and more!

Puck-rakers:

Now that the dust has settled here's another look at yesterday's deadline moves. A note on Torres, he said he didn't think it was fair to the other players to take the 2 year/$4 million dollar deal. Torres also said the deal wasn't for him. Buffalo really is getting a great locker room guy in the deal. Team first mentality, can't take that for granted.

After a decent first NHL game, Grant Clitsome is on his way back to Syracuse. In return, Columbus is recalling Mike Blunden. I can only ask why Blunden?

Derick Brassard could possibly miss Saturday's game due to a hand injury.

BlueJackets XTRA:

The countdown has begun. 113 days until the draft. The Jackets have 8 guaranteed picks, plus two conditionals.

Aside from the NHLers we traded away, we finally got rid of Alex Picard. In my opinion its about time. He was accomplishing a huge pile of nothing in his days in ~~Columbus~~ Syracuse. Good luck in Phoenix.

SB Nation:

The winners and losers according to SB.

Chimmer scores in Miller's return in net.

TSN.ca:

Better call Scooby-Doo and the rest of the gang! The equipment Sid the Kid was wearing last Sunday after the gold medal game has gone missing.

TSN's take on winners and losers. The panel, including former Jackets Michael Peca, take a look at the moves from yesterday.

Yahoo! Sports:

The "dreaded" trade deadline report card. Awful lot of mediocre grades given out on a less than stellar day of trades.

The Penguins got a steal when they acquired Alex Ponikarovsky from the Maple Leafs. However, they will be without his services until Saturday at the earliest.

NHL.com:

At the end of the day, I think the team that helped themselves the most was the Phoenix Coyotes. 7 deals, a league high, helped them establish depth, and added some offense to their lineup.

Quote of the day:

"I'm disappointed I couldn't stay, it's been good here. It just wouldn't be fair to other players if I took the deal. I just have to sit it out and see what happens. The deal just wasn't for me."

- Raffi Torres. Good luck in Buffalo, we'll miss you.

The NHL Trade Deadline- From a Blue Jackets Perspective

2010-03-03T22:08:52Z

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There are still some deals trickling in, but the Jackets have made a handful of moves today, with the returns mostly looking toward the future. In all, the Jackets made five deals, here they are:

Raffi Torres to Buffalo for Nathan Paetsch and a Second Round Pick

We all knew this deal was going to happen, and Scott Howson got the asking price that he was reportedly looking for. Paetsch was thrown in to off-set salary. He's a depth player at best, and is a restricted free agent at year's end. I like this move for the simple fact we gain the pick. The second round hasn't been kind of Columbus since their inception, so here's hoping they will strike gold with this pick. It will be hard to see Raffi go, but hopefully he'll re-sign with the Jackets in the summer, as rare as that maneuver can be.

Milan Jurcina to Washington for a Sixth Round Pick

Milan, we hardly knew ye. A short time after acquiring Jurcina (along with Chris Clark) from the Caps for Jason Chimera, he's headed back to the Capitals for a sixth round pick. He was diagnosed with a sports hernia today, so that likely killed his value. Getting another for him should be looked at as a bonus.

Fredrik Modin to Los Angeles for a Conditional Pick

I have to be honest, I didn't think we'd be able to move him, even with all of the media speculation. For the Jackets to get any value whatsoever is a good thing. It's believed that the pick is a Seventh Rounder, my guess the conditional part is based on games played. It's too bad he couldn't be the dependable workhorse with the Jackets that he was with the Lightning, when he was in the lineup he was a beast along the boards. Good luck in the playoffs Freddy!

Mathieu Roy to Florida for Matt Rust

Rust is a scoring forward who is currently playing for the University of Michigan. Bringing in prospects is never a bad thing, but I personally really liked Roy's play. He didn't look out of place at all when called upon. Rust is just another player on the long list of prospects developing in college for the Jackets.

Alexandre Picard to Phoenix for Chad Kolarik

It's no shock to me that Picard is no longer a part of the organization. He was never able to break into the Columbus lineup and stick there. Kolarik is a depth forward who will replace Pic in Syracuse. Kolarik is an RFA after this season.

Overall it was a less-than-exciting trade deadline for the Jackets, the essentially just shipped out spare parts and got value where they could. The most intriguing pieces coming back are of course the second rounder and Rust.

What are your thoughts on the moves made by the Jackets today?

Poll

Was this a successful trade deadline for the CBJ organization?

Modin traded to Kings, May not have made deadline however

2010-03-03T20:06:56Z

TSN reported that Freddy Modin was traded to the Kings, but there is some doubt as to whether the trade call was made before the deadline passed.

More to come.

EDIT: The trade went through, Tom Reed reporting the return to be a conditional seventh.

Later this evening i will have a full trade deadline recap.

Jurcina traded back to Washington

2010-03-03T19:51:38Z

Juice2 on his way back to the Caps.

More to come.

EDIT: Looks like it's for a 6th rounder.

Jackets trade Raffi Torres to Buffalo

2010-03-03T19:23:05Z

Watching Rogers Sportsnet right now- reporting Torres to Buffalo.

More to come.

EDIT: Tom Reed reporting the return is a second rounder and Nathan Paetsch. Paetsch was put on waivers earlier this year by Buffalo but went unclaimed. This is strictly a salary dump. The second rounder is the key piece coming back.

Trade Deadline Thread

2010-03-03T11:32:57Z

Today is trade deadline day, and we'll use this thread to discuss trade rumors and breaking trades. Anything that is Columbus-related will get its own post. I work until 11 ET so if anything happens before that I may not be able to post right away.

Columbus should be active with three impending unrestricted free agents in Raffi Torres, Milan Jurcina and Fredrik Modin. GM Scott Howson could surprise us with other moves as well.

Game 64 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Canucks

2010-03-02T23:00:31Z

Tonight is the first game back after the break, and with tomorrow's trade deadline this could be the last look at certain players. Likely gone by tomorrow are Raffi Torres and Fredrik Modin, and who knows who else. This should be an entertaining game, can Mason continue his run of hot play?

Poll

The Cannon

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?

Game 66 Preview: Jackets Continue West Coast Swing Against the Kings

Shrapnel - 3/8 Edition

Game 65 Recap - Shark Bait

Game 65 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Sharks

How will Paetsch do in his CBJ debut?

Game 65 Preview: Depleted Jackets Take on the Sharks

Shrapnel - 3/4 Edition

The NHL Trade Deadline- From a Blue Jackets Perspective

Was this a successful trade deadline for the CBJ organization?

Modin traded to Kings, May not have made deadline however

Jurcina traded back to Washington

Jackets trade Raffi Torres to Buffalo

Trade Deadline Thread

Game 64 Open Thread: Jackets vs. Canucks

Can Steve Mason continue where he left off before the break?