The Cannon

The Value Of A Goon

2010-07-29T16:26:09Z

The Value Of A Goon

Derek over at The Copper & Blue looks at the current NHL "arms race" on goons in Free Agency, and why this trend will hurt, not help, the teams rushing to load up on enforcers.

Would you be surprised to learn that Jared Boll was one of the best goons in the NHL at drawing penalties, rather than taking them? This is an interesting post and worth making anyone who claims Columbus needs a "real heavyweight" read.

FS Ohio Teams Up with ASAS

2010-07-28T22:58:51Z

Passing this along from Fox Sports Ohio:

COLUMBUS, OHIO - FOX Sports Ohio is excited to announce a partnership with After-School All-Stars (ASAS) and its "Sports As A Hook" program.

ASAS is a leading non-profit organization that provides comprehensive programming to middle school children in 13 cities across the US. Its mission is to provide free, quality comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life.

"Sports As A Hook" is a sports-based youth development initiative which helps connect sports to leadership and life skills, community service, nutrition, empowering girls, nature and parental involvement. FOX Sports Ohio will be teaming with the Columbus chapter of After-School All-Stars (CASAS) to provide monetary support for "Sports As A Hook" resources as well as engage in activities set up to benefit CASAS children.

"Sports As A Hook seemed like a natural partnership the very first time we heard about it," stated Henry Ford, Senior Vice President & General Manager, FOX Sports Ohio. "We're excited to support such a wonderful program, but more important to serve the youth in our communities."

This partnership will officially launch at the CASAS 2010 Summer Games this Friday, July 30 from 9:00am to 3:00pm at The Ohio State University's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Over 2,000 Columbus youth ages 7-17 are expected to attend Summer Games for a full day of sports, enrichment, and brain game clinics and competitions. Clinics and competitions will include: hockey, soccer, fencing, archery, basketball, golf, martial arts, track and field, chess, poetry, financial literacy competitions, a science tent, and many other fun and educational activities. There will additionally be live entertainment, lunch and refreshments, visits from local politicians, and awards for all participants.

During the 12 noon lunch "half time" presentation, Ford will present CASAS with a monetary donation on behalf of FOX Sports Ohio. Participants are encouraged to visit the FSOhio tent to play games and win prizes. FOX Sports Ohio's team partner, the Columbus Blue Jackets, will also have a presence at the Summer Games with their slap shot inflatable on site. Blue Jackets mascot Stinger will be roaming and interacting with kids at the event as well.

"After-School All-Stars Columbus is honored and excited to partner with Fox Sports Ohio to implement the "Sports As A Hook" program. We can think of no better place to kick off this great relationship than at our Annual Summer Games this week being held at The Ohio State University's, Jesse Owens Stadium where 1500 youth from Central Ohio will gather for a day of enriching activity," said Donald K. Anthony Jr., Executive Director, After-School All-Stars Columbus. "We want to thank Fox Sports Ohio for their generous contribution to the program and extending their resources to help us provide meaningful experiences to our youth."

The mission of ASAS is to keep at-risk children safe and help them achieve in school and in life. Operating in over 450 school sites in 13 urban cities in the U.S., ASAS serves more than 80,000 children annually, the majority of them middle school students from low-income families. CASAS' goal is to fuel children's passions in academics and enrichment activities, provide them with the academic foundation to succeed in school, and equip them with skills to become productive members of their community. For more information, visit www.as-as.org and www.asascolumbus.org

Stralman Blinks

2010-07-28T13:27:09Z

Stralman Blinks

Here I wrote a great article for you last night about how Stralman was likely a goner, and then common sense breaks out after all.

Per Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch, Stralman and the Blue Jackets have agreed to a 1 year, $1.95 million deal.

I repeat: Don't play poker with Scott Howson.

Negotiations Have Failed (Edit: Or not!)

2010-07-28T04:40:09Z

More photos » Jay LaPrete - AP

What do these players have in common? They could both be Former Blue Jackets in the next 48 hours.

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Edit: Then again, we could have been wrong. 1 year, 1.95 million.

With the cancellation of negotiations scheduled for this evening between GM Scott Howson and agent Marc Levine, it seems that the Blue Jackets' streak of 10 years without having to go through salary arbitration will be snapped on Wednesday morning. The two sides have scheduled one last negotiating session before the arbitration hearing opens, but given the comments from both camps that include phrases like "The 11th hour" and "unless either side is willing to make a significant move", it seems extremely doubtful that the gap between the two positions will be bridged over coffee and croissants.

Barring a flinch from one side of the table, it seems likely that both sides will step into arbitrator Margaret Brogan's office at 9:00am sharp.

Lee Auer of The Jackets Blog took an excellent look at what both camps are likely to be using for comparable salaries and players. The Dark Blue Jacket has made a post that I'd consider required reading on how the club likely views Stralman's hearing, and where a replacement may already be waiting in the wings.

Given that most of us in Columbus aren't terribly familiar with what the process involves, I'd also suggest this awesome arbitration guide from suite101.com as well. (Take special note of the acceptable evidence category How the player contributed to team’s success or lack thereof in the most recent season.)

Now, what do I think will happen...?

The clock is ticking, and there are exactly three ways this is going to go.

1) Stralman Blinks - Yes, I said that Stralman blinks. Not "someone" blinks. If there is one thing I have decided over the past several years of observing this team, it is that I wouldn't dare play poker against Scott Howson. A man who is incredibly effective at hiding his emotions and presenting a glassy calm attitude even when the world around him is going straight to hell in a handbasket, he keeps his cards close to the vest, and with the possible exception of the Tarnstrom trade, I've yet to see anyone get into a staring match with him and win.

Howson made his position perfectly clear when he asked for a 1 year ruling: "We'd like to keep you. But I don't really need you." If Howson thought Stralman was a vital piece of the puzzle, he'd have requested a two year award to guarantee that the Swede would be skating in Union Blue next year no matter what. The message to Stralman is that he can be replaced, and if he needs further reasons for concern, he just needs to look around the NHL to see what the free agency pool looks like. After the initial frenzy cooled off, only three defensemen have been picked up as UFAs: Brett Lebda, Brad Lukowich, and Joe Corvo.

Stralman might look at Corvo as a beacon of hope - he's put up similar seasons in the NHL at times, and I'd say that the 2009-2010 Anton Stralman is decently comparable to Corvo's 2006-2007 season in Ottawa (except, of course, that Corvo knew how to keep the puck out of his own net...), and of the three he signed for the most money.

How much did Corvo get? $2.25 million?

If you're hoping for $3.5 million+, that's not terribly good news.

Frankly, the Free Agent market isn't going to be kind to Anton if he risks going to UFA status. While there are certainly teams with cap space available, several of the most likely candidates (Atlanta, Colorado, Dallas, St. Louis) all have stated that they intend to stay close to the cap floor for various reasons. Even worse, with two exceptions (Nashville and Anaheim), every other team with cap space to spend right now has at least 7 D-men already signed on one way NHL contracts, and neither of those remaining teams are likely to spend heavily on a UFA when they have touted defensive prospects like Cam Fowler, Luca Sbisa or Ryan Ellis who could be NHL ready this season.

Teams know that there are plenty of options still out on the market, and more than a few teams under cap crunches still need to make trades. Why should a team take a $3 million flyer on Stralman when Marc-Andre Bergeron would probably lace up for them at $1.5 million? Why sign anyone right now, when they can wait until the middle of September when teams become desperate to squeeze under the cap, and all of the sudden they stop laughing at the offer of a middling prospect, a third round pick, and a journeyman forward, and start writing up paperwork?

If Anton Stralman walks through the door at 9:00am, he's leaping into a vortex of uncertainty and risk. He might come out of it with a huge raise, but it's just as likely that he'll leave jobless and desperate into a market that has no obligation to conform to his desires. When you have a long sleepless night considering those factors, an offer on the table, even if it's only a 250% raise instead of a 500% raise, suddenly looks a lot more attractive in the cold morning light.

On the other hand, if common sense was going to break out, I don't think that Stralman and his agent would have canceled negotiations tonight.

Probability: 15%

2) An Acceptable Award - If, as is rumored, the two sides are as much as 1 million dollars apart, its entirely possible that the honorable Ms. Brogan will come to a compromise that the Club will find acceptable. (In fact, interestingly enough, I was able to find an arbitration scorecard for some of her work with the MLB. In cases where the club and player were less than $1m apart, she did tend to side with the player, but four out of five times the sides were over $750,000 apart, she sided with the club.)

Both sides will probably breathe a little easier, but if I were Stralman, I'd hit the gym right away and start getting ready to fight tooth and nail for my job come training camp. As DBJ pointed out, John Moore is already waiting in the wings, and unless Stralman can show that he deserves a contract extension, this might only be a one year reprieve.

Probability: 40%

3) An Unacceptable Award - Howson has made no secret of the fact that if the price is too high, he's walking away. Point producing defensemen almost always receive a high award, regardless of their defensive liabilities. If the ruling comes down closer to Stralman's requested salary, expect Howson to offer Stralman a polite handshake, a hope that he'll have good luck in the future, and five minutes after leaving the room he'll be making a phone call to Mike Gillis, Brian Burke, or one of the other 27 general managers to tell them that he's ready to go forward with a trade that he likely started setting up five minutes after Stralman's agent filed the arbitration paperwork, or faxing an offer to a free agent who was starting to get worried that there might not be a job for him in the NHL this year.

It might not be finalized that same day, but Howson has been the man with a fall back plan since day 1 in Columbus, and I see no reason to expect anything different. Every move that he's made with regards to Stralman seems to indicate that he's not afraid of cashing out and stepping away from the table if the game gets too rich for his blood.

Probability: 45%

At the end of the day, I like Anton Stralman. I think that if he could improve his defensive play, he's exactly the type of player Howson's been using to build the Blue Jackets - young, offensively talented, and quick on his skates. I think Scott Arniel and Brad Berry could really shape him into a fantastic player. I'd love to see him in Union Blue for the upcoming season.

But I don't think he's irreplaceable, and I don't think Scott Howson does either.

Jackets, Stralman will go to Arbitration

2010-07-27T01:21:19Z

Jackets, Stralman will go to Arbitration

Per Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch, the Blue Jackets exchanged briefs today with Marc Levine, the agent for Anton Stralman, and it appears there will be no further negotiations between the two sides. Portzline is stating on twitter that he expects the arbitration hearing to go forward as scheduled on Wednesday.

The team has requested a 1 year arbitration award so that they have the option of releasing Stralman to free agency should they disagree with the arbitrator. There have been no reports of the exact amounts each side is looking for, but it appears the difference between the two positions is around $1 million.

Friday Followup: I Can't Think Of A Witty Title This Week

2010-07-23T18:29:48Z

It's a long, hot July day, but the good news is that tomorrow is Saturday, so we can all sleep in and relax tomorrow, right?

This week at The Cannon, we continued the "Players to Watch" series with Dorsett and Klesla, took a look at the Traverse City tournament schedule, talked about how LeBron James' departure from Cleveland may be a bad thing for hockey, and found out that Sami Salo is busted indefinently. (Even better? The version of floor hockey he was playing is supposed to be safer than traditional ball hockey. Salo really is made of Cotton Candy.)

Around the rest of the Jackets' blogosphere, the Columbus community mourned the loss of Andyman, while GM Scott Howson prepares for a trip to Toronto next week for the Anton Stralman arbitration hearing, and new head coach Scott Arniel finalizes his search for a new place to live in Columbus, among other things. (Puck Rakers)

The Green Seats View took a look at Shaone Morrisonn as a possible UFA addition to the blue line, Ten Minute Misconduct gave us an update on the Arena situation (among other things), Light The Lamp compares the Kovalchuk contract circus to Rick Nash's status in Columbus, and the Jacketsblog reminds you that there are only 77 more days until hockey season.

Normally, I'd link to more coverage of other NHL teams, but it's almost all about Kovalchuk, and you're as sick of hearing about that mess as I am. I'll simply say that Quisp and the gang over at Jewels From the Crown probably have some of the best coverage I've seen of the whole thing. Though special mention to Mike over at From The Rink posting a Top Gear hockey palate cleanser.

Have a good weekend, everyone! We'll keep the light on.

Jackets Get Some Clitsome

2010-07-22T16:52:24Z

Jackets Get Some Clitsome

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Even though Clitsome actually accepted his qualifying offer prior to the start of Free Agency, the club made the extension official today. The owner of the best name in professional hockey, Clitsome had 1 goal, 2 assists and 6 PIMs with a 0 +/- rating in 11 games last season.

He's likely to be a third pairing or 7th d-man with the squad this season, and I wouldn't be entirely shocked if he starts the year in Springfield should John Moore make the club.

Players to Watch Part 6 - Rostislav Klesla

2010-07-22T14:17:55Z

More photos » Jay LaPrete - AP

Columbus Blue Jackets' Rostislav Klesla checks Minnesota Wild's Antti Miettinen. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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Part Six: Rusty Klesla

Now typically you would read a "Player to watch" story about an up-and-coming youngster who has shown some promise from a previous year/season/series etc. We at the Cannon have already given a few cases where this isn't exactly the case. (See: Vermette, Commodore). Even the vets have to up their game from year to year.

If there's one guy on the roster everyone has big expectations for going into camp it has to be Rusty. That doesn't just include this year - its every year. Its been a rollercoaster of a career for Klesla, fighting inconsistency and injury most of the way. There's no doubt in his work ethic however. One thing is for sure, he wants nothing more than to help this team win.

As I mentioned, his injury history has really put a damper on his career. It reads like a rolodex of pain - seriously, check it out. When he isn't on the shelf, Rusty uses his great size (6'3", 220) to throw at the opposition. Fun fact: he's not inept on offense, but you'd never know by looking at his last 2 seasons. Lets take a look at where he came from, where he is, and where he's going...

Where he came from:

Rusty actually started his pro career playing in the USHL for a season for Sioux City. He spent the next two years in the OHL with the Brampton Battallion. He saw a lot of success scoring 99 points in 112 games. Making the move to the NHL hasn't been as much of a success as he hoped.

The fourth overall pick in 2000, Klesla remains the only original Blue Jacket on the roster (we miss you, Veebs). The then 18 year old defenseman had enormous expectations from a coach and management that (thankfully) are no longer around. Only having played 8 games in the team's inaugural season, Klesla was already not living up to the hype. His 22 points in 2006-07 remain his career high.

He was signed to another 4-year deal in 2009. I hope that whatever happens, Rusty plays his final year as a Blue Jacket. I guarantee he would always be one of the franchise's most loved players, joining the likes of Pascal LeClaire, Jody Shelley, Rick Nash, and others.

Where he is:

From what I know, Rusty is rehabbing and skating and should be good to go for camp. Last year's start looked promising for the long time Jacket. Just two games in, he was on a blistering pace for an 82-goal season. Another on-ice injury put Klesla out for allegedly 6-8 weeks, but weeks turned into months turned into the rest of the year.

Things were looking great for Rusty, he was averaging over 20 minutes a game, he scored the game winner in the season opener (being there for it was awesome, it was a rocket), he finally looked like he had beaten the injury bug.

One could argue that Klesla's injury lead to that huge slide the Jackets suffered in December and January. The losing started November 21, and his injury was on the 30th but after that, well, you know. In only 26 games, he totalled 2-6-8. -7, 26 PIM.

Where he's going:

If he can stay healthy and avoid the freak accidents that put him out last November, I see Rusty being a very good player for this team. He showed a lot of passion and desire last year. If this team makes the playoffs again, no one deserves to be out there more than Klesla.

If Commie and Hejda return to form, they will be the top defensive pair. Two years ago it was one of the most dominating groups in the league. With John Moore almost guaranteed to make the roster, Klesla will be called upon to mentor him and help elevate his game. I think these two would make a great second pair. If Moore somehow loses a roster spot, Rusty and Russ should play together.

2010-11 Season Predictions:

While I would like to think Rusty is finally over his IR-plagued past, I have to be realistic. I hope I'm wrong.

GP	G	A	TOI	+/-	PIM
60	4	10	21:12	8	42

Other Predictions:

He will get significant time on the Power Play.

Will spend time as a top two defenseman

Will be paired with John Moore and/or Kris Russell to form a formidable scoring blue line.

"Out there" Prediction:

Plays a full season, injury free.

There you have it, now let us hear it in the comments!

Unintended Consequences

2010-07-21T16:38:48Z

View full size photo »

Regular Cannon readers will need to bear with me today, because this story really isn't about the Blue Jackets - or at least it isn't directly.

However, it is about the state of a hockey team in Ohio, and what an uncertain future might hold for it, so I hope you'll bear with me and see why I think this is a story worth following for any Ohio hockey fans.

On Thursday, July 8, 2010, the city of Cleveland had their heart publicly and violently broken by LeBron James. A favorite son, he'd turned them into a sports destination with the Cavaliers, and his rising tide had lifted quite a few boats - including the return of minor league professional hockey in the form of the Lake Erie Monsters.

Cleveland, much like Columbus, has supported professional hockey at one level or another almost since the sport's entry into the US, ever since the Cleveland (Hockey) Indians first skated onto Cuyahoga ice in the 1920s. Since that time, teams have come and gone (sometimes at an alarming rate), but have always kept some presence in the Cleveland sports fan's mind.

In Lake Erie's case, though, the team is uniquely linked to the Cavaliers, as they are owned by Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert, and share a great deal of infrastructure and logistical support off the ice, including ticket sales reps and other front office staff.

So with one half of the linked organizations suffering an incredible blow this offseason, what does the future hold for the Monsters?

First off, some recent history of Cleveland hockey, thanks to friend of the blog Skraut:

When the IHL folded operations at the end of the 2000-2001 season Cleveland lost the Lumberjacks, a hard fighting team with strong fan appeal built over the previous 9 seasons thanks to the tireless efforts of owner Larry Gordon. The "Jacks" were famous for publicity stunts which brought in crowds large enough to make Richfield Coliseum, and later the Gund Arena, seem not so empty. Unfortunately due to the competition between the IHL and the AHL, the team switched affiliations 4 times in the final 3 years of its existence. A lack of continuity in the front office, and on the bench finally eroded some of the fanbase, and the Jacks were not selected to be one of the few IHL teams to merge in with the AHL.

Cavs and San Jose Sharks owner at that time Gordon Gund took control of the Kentucky Thoroughblades and brought them to Cleveland naming them the Cleveland Barons after the 1970's NHL franchise and the AHL franchise of the same name which competed in the city from the 1930's to the 70's. Unfortunately Gordon Gund just assumed he could put a team in his building and have it be successful without any promotion, sponsorship, or community ties. The fans treated the team with the same indifference that the owner did, and the team routinely played games with 500 fans in a 21,000 seat arena. The place just felt like a tomb, the on ice product was horrible, with the team only making the playoffs once, and fans stayed away in droves. Eventually the San Jose Sharks moved the team to Worcester Mass. in 2006.

After the 2006-2007 season without hockey, new Cavs owner Dan Gilbert purchased the dormant Utah AHL franchise and brought it to Cleveland, and has done a fantastic job rejuvenating hockey in Cleveland. Attendance is up near the top of the AHL, with the Monsters having 4 of the top 5 attended games league wide their first year. Gilbert makes sure to promote the Lake Erie Monsters at Cavs games, and will routinely bring Cavs players to LEM games to sign autographs and promote the Monsters. Many of the old favorites from the Lumberjacks have returned and the excitement is back.

Since the team's arrival in Cleveland as the AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, the team has used the Cavaliers as selling point to drive attendance, and also offered themselves as the lower costing alternative for a family who would love to take their wife and kids to a game. Monsters ticket prices, even on game days, can be had for as little as $10 a seat, while Cavs tickets start at $29. (LEM tickets also have the advantage of only being sold for the lower bowl of the Q, while the cheap seats at the Cavs games put you in the nosebleed seats of the upper deck.)

This means that in the crowds attending, perhaps 1/3 are the die-hards, and 2/3 are folks looking for a chance to get out of the house, let their kids have fun at the game, and perhaps Dad will go check out the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders or see what's on the TVs in the concourse. Of those die hards, most are fans of the team, not of any particular player, thanks to the high turnover in AHL squads, which should hopefully help to shield them from too many lost sales due to roster changes.

The Cavaliers also made sure to promote the team through in-game ads during basketball games and promotions and commercials on Fox Sports Ohio to help keep the team in the mindset of Cavs fans. If the front office continues that trend, it should help keep attendance up, but if less people are watching the Cavs, and less people go to games to see the in-arena advertising, the question is not "will the LEM attendance suffer?" but "how much will their attendance suffer?"

Despite that, though, when I talked to Monsters season ticket holders, the attitude towards the team was overwhelmingly optimistic. Everyone I wrote to was more than happy to share their theories on how the future might play out, particularly Jeff Robinson, a fan I was put in touch with by Angelique of Mile High Hockey.

I DO think the entertainment value per dollar ration will go up this year. The Monsters have a terrific front office with top notch, creative people. The goofy promo nights they have planned will no doubt continue. I haven't heard of any REALLY good ones yet but, since we know since Opening Night is celebrating the AHL's 75th anniversary, the LEM are rumored to be honoring the original Barons by playing in tribute 'top hat and monocle' replica jerseys in Monster colors. Should be a jersey off their backs night too and a REALLY good time. Now, if we could only get Syracuse to play in Bulldogs jerseys from Slapshot!

The LEM people I talk to seem to genuinely like the AHL and its' 'minor league' appeal - it allows them to do stuff the NBA would frown upon, without too many consequences. (The Monsters have already paid huge fines for doing relatively minor stuff like showing a questionable goal replay on 'Q-tube', a no-no per AHL by laws...)

The Avs have not signed any big name FAs this offseason and have stuck to the game plan of re-signing their own players and building through the draft...the players the Avs have signed are more or less penciled in as Monsters. The LEM front office is extremely disappointed about not making the playoffs yet. The VP of hockey operations, Len Komoroski, intended to have a meeting with Colorado brass this off season before free agency to address the roster - the LEM feel they've done a good job of marketing the team, and they wanted to see an increase in talent. Obviously that message was received. With the losses of front line players (Sertisch, Hensick, Weiman), replacements have already been found. They may never light it up for the NHL, but they should be capable of doing something special here.

To follow that up, I had to ask both Jeff and Skraut if they felt Gilbert's public declarations that he would do everything he could to have the Cavs win a championship before the Heat did might hurt the attention given to making Lake Erie successful - and what they thought about the possibilities of the team hooking up with the Blue Jackets down the road.

Jeff:

I'm convinced that (Cavs owner) Gilbert's passion to make the Cavs successful post-LeBron will translate positively to the Monsters. I don't see it being quite the same situation as the Lumberjacks or Barons, but I still don't see it as being terribly good in the short term.

If hockey is EVER going to really make it in Cleveland, this is our Alamo. With the Lumberjacks and Barons, we learned that they were tenants in the building - nothing more. The Barons at least seemed to start on positive footing, with the Gund family partially owning the San Jose Sharks and wanting to bring their AHL affiliate north after the Lumberjacks left. Unfortunately, within 6 months the Gunds sold their interest in the Sharks to SVSE and you know they'd leave town as soon as possible.

Unlike the Barons, the Monsters have the arena, parking, concessions and team shop under one roof and share offices with a team and league with strong revenue streams. It doesn't and WILL NOT EVER get any better than that! I think that if the next NBA CBA drags on, and it might, the Monsters will/should help fill a void in the arena if there is a lockout by the owners of any significant length.

Personally, I would like to see the deal with COL extended. They have supplied players that have gotten better every year and look poised to make a significant jump this year. But if the rumblings of CBJ setting up camp here next year are true though, I would hardly be upset. I have been a fan of theirs since they came into existence. They too have some talent in the pipeline.

I think the Jackets regret (to a certain extent) not getting on board then. The possibility of cross marketing the Cavs/CBJ/LEM could be great for Ohio. I guess we'll find out this off season. What I've heard is the COL/LEM agreement is up after this year, but supposedly, a mutual option exists for them to extend their arrangement indefinitely.

Skraut:

Cleveland is a strange place for hockey. It is a place where having something inexpensive to do on a Friday night is important. Yet in amongst the 6,000 or so people looking for something to do, there are the 2,500 or season ticket holders who still show up to an otherwise empty arena on a Tuesday night. It is these fans who are passionate for the sport. They were the only ones there during the Barons era, and that wasn't enough to keep the team here. If the Q loses feeling of being the "it" place to be because it is no longer where the King has his court; if Gilbert focuses so much on making his guarantee happen for the Cavs that he forgets about his other team, the excitement around the Lake Erie Monsters could be lost.

For selfish reasons, I've always wanted the Monsters to be affiliated with the Blue Jackets. It seems to fit on so many levels. However realistically, I can't help wonder if right now is the wrong time. I think they could weather a switch to a CBJ affiliate, but if it was this year it may be tough with all the other distractions. If the Cavs are going to be missing the face they've had for the past 7 years it may be tough to have the entire Monsters team be different. Having SO much change is what I'm getting at.

I know there is still one more year left before it may happen, but I look back at the Lumberjacks. They thrived with a long term arrangement with the Penguins, and then floundered when they changed players and coaches every year when they were changing affiliations. It has taken some time to un-do the wrong that Gordon Gund did to Cleveland Hockey fans with the shell of a team and the poor experience that was going to a Baron's game. With this hit to the Cleveland psyche, and with the uncertainty surrounding the cash cow that let the Monsters ride on its coattails, switching NHL affiliates which involves swapping coaches, and the players the fans care about could be a further detriment to the team.

After next season may be a different story, though. The Monsters have missed the playoffs their first 3 seasons. Do it a 4th, and the fans may be ready for a change. There still is the "new Franchise Smell" with the Monsters, and things are still going pretty well with the excitement. Then again they've been riding the Cavs coattails like I mentioned. If the Cavs fall off, the excitement goes away, the excitement of switching may be good. I'm not totally sure.

Gilbert needs to keep up with the promotions. They may be gimmicky but they pack the place, bring in excitement, and keep people thinking about hockey. I sat next to a family 2 seasons ago at Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader night, the place was packed. I had spent the entire game explaining the rules to the father. At the end of the game he thanked me and told me that nothing he saw that night made sense, he still didn't understand the game, but he and the kids had fun and that they'd probably be back.

There's no doubt that the Monsters have a tough challenge ahead of them - but every indication seems to be that the challenges they face (lowered attendance, mercurial fan interest, lack of post-season appearances) are ones they've already laid the groundwork to defeat. The team's preparations for the AHL's 75th anniversary couldn't come at a better time - with so many events already in the pipeline, it should make the promotion of the team easier - particularly if the casual fan can be enticed with the chances to win prizes or see some novelty jerseys.

Even better, if the team's efforts to improve the on-ice product pay off, it should help drive the gate - if there's one lesson that Blue Jacket fans should know by heart at this point, it's that winning can and will get people into the building.

The Monsters have pulled some very good gate returns despite lacking really successful on-ice product, thanks to the Cavs and a heavy diet of promotions. With the Cavs tie-ins likely to start fading, this is a pressure situation for the LEM coaching staff. Their success could be the difference that helps to keep them financially stable while the Cavs attempt to find their way.

Should the team struggle again, however, perhaps this will be a catalyst to break ties with Colorado and explore a new relationship with Columbus as a way to re-engage their season ticket holders and encourage the CBJ fanbase in Cleveland to take the local option occasionally rather than driving down I-71, and give hockey in Cleveland another chance to succeed.

(Once again, a big thank you to Skraut, Jeff, Angelique, and several other Lake Erie season ticket holders who were good enough to answer questions while I was working on this story.)

Players To Watch Part 5: Derek Dorsett

2010-07-20T12:00:50Z

More photos » Jimmy Jeong - AP

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The role of an agitator is a difficult one in the NHL. Expected to be a "tough guy", expected to be able to play against some of the opponents' top forwards, and expected to force the other team to make mistakes without harming his own club on or off the ice, it's something that very few do well, and those that do are almost uniformly loved in the cities they play for and hated everywhere else. Sean Avery, Darcy Tucker, Jordin Tootoo...and Derek Dorsett.

Surprisingly, given his status as a fan favorite in Columbus, Dorsett has only played two seasons at the NHL level, joining the team for the first time in 2008-2009 for 52 games, 4 goals, 1 assist, -1, and150 penalty minutes. Before his NHL debut, he played 3 seasons for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL, where he developed a reputation as a player with an edge, but a surprising offensive touch - in his final season of junior before jumping to the Pros in 2006-2007, Dorsett netted 19 goals and 45 assists, while staying a +17 and still racking up 206 penalty minutes on the way to a WHL championship.

Last year, Dorsett was viewed as a guy who would stand up for his teammates and get under the skin of opponents, and was expected to continue in his role. However, after getting off to a promising start, his season was almost over before it began after a frightening and illegal hit to the head from Dallas' James Neal (another agitator of note) that left Dorsett out of the lineup with a concussion for 9 games. Even worse, upon his return in mid-December, Dorsett would break his right hand in a fight against Anaheim's Mike Brown, putting him on the shelf for another month while the team spiraled down the standings.

Upon his return, however, Dorsett had a surprising addition to his wardrobe: An assistant captaincy. Asked to step up in the leadership group by Ken Hitchcock shortly before the end of his tenure in Columbus, Doors took this as a challenge to try and spark the team, and it seems the responsibility agreed with him.

Dorsett brought in 10 of his 14 points this past season after being named to the leadership group, and his ice time jumped from an average of eight or nine minutes a night to almost thirteen minutes, and finishing the year at a +6 rating. Asked to set an example, Dorsett also worked to reduce his penalties, only taking three fighting majors after his return to the team, and reducing his average PIMs per game from 3.6 to 1.36. We often talk about younger players needing to mature in the NHL, but Dorsett is one of the few who clearly did so, and has the numbers to back it up. He didn't really change his game drastically - he simply seems to have had a light bulb go on about when it's best for him to get into an opponent's face or be willing to get involved in a scrum, and when it's best to just take a mental note of the opposing player's number and keep skating back to the bench.

With his ability to play on the third line, and even occasionally take shifts in the top 6 when asked, this is going to be a big year for Derek. He's proven he has the character to be a leader, and he's clearly willing to stand up for his teammates on and off the ice. He's shown he can work to improve his game, and he's shown that while he'll never be a major scoring threat, he is able to contribute and go to the net for the greasy, grindy goals that every team needs to succeed. What he does need to prove this season is that his body will hold up to the demands of the NHL schedule. His high for a pro season to this point is 64 games in his one season in Syracuse. If Dorsett is going to be a catalyst for his team, they need him on the ice, not nursing injuries on the training table.

New head coach Scott Arniel knows Dorsett from his time in the AHL, where he and the Syracuse Crunch had a brutally physical, back and forth series against Arniel's Manitoba Moose where neither side would back down, until the Crunch finally put the Moose away in game 6. Arniel has said that Dorsett was one of the players who impressed him the most in that series was his physical play and his determination. If Dorsett can continue to show those same talents in Arniel's system and stay healthy, the future should be very bright.

2010/2011 Prediction: 70GP, 6G, 14A, 110 PIMs.

I'm not expecting Dorsett to suddenly turn into a point producing machine, but I think that if he continues to work on his endurance and improving his game, good things are going to happen. Dorsett has been working out in Columbus this summer, and I expect him to be one of the guys reaping the benefits of getting to work with the new Strength & Conditioning coach before others. (Not to mention that, god willing, I don't expect Dorsett to get cheap-shotted and concussed again this year!) His game will always draw penalties, especially if he continues to stand up for his teammates in situations like this, but I think it's reasonable to expect him to continue to show the same improved sense of timing that he used through the end of last season, and to keep bringing passion and leadership to the locker room. (And a timely goal now and then wouldn't hurt, right?)

RIP Andy "Andyman" Davis

2010-07-19T13:32:29Z

RIP Andy "Andyman" Davis

Local DJ Andy Davis, AKA Andyman of CD101 passed away while on vacation in Michigan this weekend with his family.

In addition to being CD101's programming director and supporting them as the Blue Jackets' FM radio partner, Andy was a die-hard hockey fan and worked as the in-arena announcer for the Columbus Chill through the 90s.

Our thoughts are with his family in this time of loss.

Edit: The Dispatch has put up a tribute that really shows his connections to hockey and the Columbus community. He will be missed.

The Cannon Prospect List- Updated 16 July 2010

2009-06-04T01:48:51Z

1) LW Nikita Filatov (CSKA Moscow, KHL)

2) C Ryan Johansen (Portland Winterhawks, WHL)

3) D John Moore (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

4) RW Matt Calvert (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

5) D Cody Goloubef (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

6) D David Savard (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

7) RW Maksim Mayorov (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

8) D Grant Clitsome (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

9) D Teddy Ruth (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

10) D Brent Regner (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

11) RW Cam Atkinson (Boston College Eagles, NCAA)

12) D Nick Holden (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

13) D Will Weber (Miami (Ohio) Redhawks, NCAA)

14) LW Tom Sestito (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

15) G Mathieu Corbeil (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL)

16) D Brandon Archibald (Soo Greyhounds, OHL)

17) RW Tomas Kubalik (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

18) LW Tomas Kana (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

19) RW Petr Straka (Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL)

20) C Kevin Lynch (Michigan Wolverines, NCAA)

21) LW Jake Hansen (Minnesota Golden Gophers, NCAA)

22) D Anton Blomqvist (Malmo, Allsvenskan)

23) G Allen York (RPI Engineers, NCAA)

24) D Thomas Larkin (Colgate Red Raiders, NCAA)

25) C Matt Rust (Michigan Wolverines, NCAA)

26) LW Dalton Smith (Ottawa 67s, OHL)

27) D Steve Delisle (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

28) D Austin Madaisky (Kamloops Blazers, WHL)

29) RW Mike Ratchuk (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

30) LW Kyle Neuber (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

31) C Sean Collins (Cornell Big Red, NCAA)

32) D Drew Olson (Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, NCAA)

33) RW Trent Vogelhuber (Miami (Ohio) Redhawks, NCAA)

34) D Dalton Prout (Barrie Colts, OHL)

35) G Martin Ouellette (Maine Black Bears, NCAA)

Friday Followup: A Loud Quiet Week

2010-07-16T19:16:33Z

For a week where the Jackets did fairly little officially, we had quite a bit of activity. Maybe we're all getting a case of summer fever, longing for the cool atmosphere of a hockey rink.

Here at The Cannon, we had our Players to Watch series, featuring Jake Voracek, Antoine Vermette, Mike Commodore, and Steve Mason. Agree? Disagree? We'd love to hear from you.

We took you inside the Q&A at Nationwide arena, and The View From 210 helped to fill in the picture.

Dark Blue Jacket gives some tips on how to see the CBJ Summer Special and Mike Commodore's offseason plans.

Ten Minute Misconduct isn't thrilled by the Jared Boll extension.

The Jackets Blog has a look at some 3rd Jersey Concepts, what Anton Stralman might be looking for in Arbitration, and gives his own opinion on some of this week's news.

Please don't forget that the Jacket Backers have a blood drive this Saturday. All it takes is 10 donors to be a success. You can win prizes, and there's going to be free food. Do you really need another reason to come out?

Portzline takes a look at why the Hjalmarsson offer sheet might affect Stralman's contract demands.

Last but not least as CBJ blogs go, Light The Lamp takes a look at the success of Ohio Grass-roots hockey and Top 10 prospects in the organziation.

Around the NHL, CBC's Elliot Friedman gives us the last edition of 30 Thoughts for this summer, looking at the Draft and Free Agency.

Copper & Blue has a pair of articles on one soon-to-be Jacket and one former Jacket.

Speaking of winning Prizes, Nucks Misconduct is giving away Shop.NHL.com gift cards if you can guess Where Kevin Bieksa will end up.

THN says the Dallas Stars will finally be sold.

Mikku Koivu's new contract isn't quite as insane as it looks.

Finally, congrats to Kukla's Korner for their fifth birthday. Congratulations, Paul!

Players to Watch Part 4: Steve Mason

2010-07-15T14:00:32Z

More photos » Terry Gilliam - AP

4 months ago: Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason (1) knocks the puck away from Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 25, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. Blue Jackets' Kris Russell, center, look on. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

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Continuing the Players to Watch series, next up is Steve Mason, who will be beginning his 3rd year in the league this season.

His struggles last season have been well documented. And although there was marginal improvement -- probably mostly between the ears -- after Claude Noel took over, we didn't see a strong case that he was back on track like Jake Voracek or Kris Russell. He collected back-to-back shut outs in February against Buffalo and San Jose, but as late as March 23, with only eight games left, Mason gave up six goals in a game to New Jersey. Finally, he finished the season with four straight losses, sealing the fate of our fourth overall draft pick (hello Ryan Johansen).

Feeling bad enough with our franchise goalie yet? Don't worry, better days are ahead.

Goalies take the longest of any position to develop. Meanwhile, Mase just turned 22. Many goalies, including Tomas Vokoun, Evgeni Nabokov, and yes, even Martin Brodeur didn't truly hit their stride until they spent a few years in the league.

In the OHL, playing for the London Knights, Mason was not good his first season. He saw only a handful of games and finished with a 5-3-0 record. It was his second season under coach Dave Rook that he blossomed, securing 45 wins in 62 starts. This will be his second season reunited with Dave Rook as the Blue Jackets goaltending coach, and he knows just how to elevate Mason's game.

He had a great rookie campaign, like many do, but when the realities of professional hockey catch up to these players that are so gifted at lower levels, it becomes a question of how they respond. 33 wins in 61 games played in his rookie season proves he can put up great numbers in the NHL. Soon, we'll see if his conditioning, mental toughness, and ability to improve is up to par this season. Personally, I believe he will be ready.

I'm not going to predict actual numbers, but I see Mason having a very strong year. I believe he can return to his first-year form and put up numbers that ranks him among the top 5-8 goaltenders in the NHL.

Poll

Where will Steve Mason rank among NHL goalies next season?

Filatov to return to Columbus beginning of August

2010-07-15T13:14:17Z

Filatov to return to Columbus beginning of August

Rest easy, fans, Nikita has informed Columbus GM Scott Howson that he will in fact return in August. It will be about a month before training camp starts up - enough time for him to get settled back in town. Join me in welcoming back the Filatov Cocktail!

Craig Custance Interviews Coach Scott Arniel

2010-07-15T00:51:21Z

Craig Custance Interviews Coach Scott Arniel

Pretty short, but good interview by Custance. I love what Arnie has to say about Brass.

Players To Watch Part Three - Mike Commodore

2010-07-14T12:00:29Z

More photos » Terry Gilliam - AP

6 months ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' Mike Commodore (22) punches Nashville Predators' Patric Hornqvist (27) in the face as Blue Jackets' R.J. Umberger (18) looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets won 3-2. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

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A little surprised to see "Deuces" up here as a player to watch for next season? Someone we have high expectations for?

It's not that strange, if you think about it.

Pick a player on the Blue Jackets with more reasons to succeed this year that Commodore. Show me someone with a greater need to redeem himself, both in the eyes of his team and the fans. Commodore hasn't shied away from criticism of last year, saying that he didn't handle his injuries or his recovery well, and recognizing that his attempt to use an unorthodox offseason workout last year backfired badly.

He's been the brunt of criticism from the National Media, local media, and everyone else on down since coming to Columbus, particularly over the size of his contract (5 years at $3.75 million - not exactly Wayne Redden money, but he still was (and is) the highest paid defenseman on the team) and a certain ill-timed photograph getting leaked on the internet, but after his first year in Columbus, where he put up numbers that nearly matched his career highs with Carolina in 2006-2007, it seemed like he might have a chance to silence his critics.

2006-2007	82GP	7G	22A	+/- 0	113PIMs	19:53 ATOI
2008-2009	81GP	5G	19A	+11	100PIMs	22:54 ATOI

Then came 2009-2010, where nothing seemed to go right - from dealing with a bout of Swine Flu during training camp to a charley horse in late November, to a knee injury that kept him off the ice for much of the first half of the season, Commodore attempted to come back on several occasions early on, clearly struggling, only to aggravate his injuries and before long, then head coach Ken Hitchcock ordered Commodore to stay off the ice and concentrate on rehab, telling him that he would not play until Hitch and the coaching staff were satisfied with Commodore's conditioning and recovery.

For a player with a reputation as someone who left it all on the ice, it had to be a painful and embarrassing conversation. For a player who has built his career on being a shutdown defenseman, the -9 rating he ended the year with must have been equally galling.

Despite that, though, when looking at his stats...outside of the -9 rating, it wasn't such a bad year, despite the fact that most of the fanbase was baying for his head and demanding he be traded out of town.

2009-2010

57GP

-9

62PIM

19:00

Don't get me wrong - I'm not going to claim that -9 rating is anything to be proud of, and 11 points in a season is the lowest total of his career in a season where he played at least 40 games at the NHL level, but consider what Commodore's game is - he's a big, sizable defender who blocks shots, hits, and plays a very physical game. He isn't there to be a quick puck mover or a powerplay quarterback. Outside of his two "career" years in Carolina and Columbus, Commie generally averages 3 goals and 11 assists a year, a -2 rating, and 100PIMs. Even his 22:54 ATOI average in 2008-2009 was a bit unusual - all things considered it's usually closer to 19-20:00.

Let's also be honest - as much as the entire defense's struggles made life worse for Steve Mason, Steve Mason also made life worse for the defense. How many stats, Commodore's included, were skewed this year by far too many losses that looked more like baseball scores than hockey games? How likely is it that in a better year for Mason, Commodore would have finished a more reasonable -2, or even possibly in positive numbers? It seems likely that in that case, we'd likely be talking about Commodore as the guy who wanted to play for this team so badly that he kept pushing himself back out onto the ice despite his injuries and illness.

So, what to expect in 2010-2011?

Beyond mere psychological or monetary motivations for Commodore to improve, I actually see a few reasons to expect a better season out of the big guy.

Going Back To What Works: Commodore has stated in several radio interviews and his own Twitter page that he's ditched the workout routine from last offseason that got him in so much trouble. He'll be working out with the same trainers and routines that powered him to such a stellar season in 2008-2009.
Coaching Changes: Everyone's been talking about how big a deal it is that Arniel will be instituing a more up-tempo and aggressive style of hockey (and with good reason), but something which flew under the radar was the fact that new assistant Brad Berry coached Commodore at UND during his college career (in addition to regularly working with Commodore in the offseason during his NHL career). Berry knows how to get good performances out of the big guy, and there's every reason to think that he can help him return to form.
No Man Is An Island - Commodore's struggles didn't occur in a vacuum. As mentioned above, goalie Steve Mason had a wretched year, while Commodore's normal defensive pairing, Jan Hejda, struggled with his own injuries, including a knee injury that would end up shelving him for almost as many games as Commodore. Rusty Klesla went down, and Fedor Tyutin had difficulty dealing with the increased pressure of suddenly going from the second pairing to the top line. There's every reason to believe that the rest of the team will also be working to rebound coming into 2010-2011, and little improvements from each player can have a big effect on the team as a whole.
Lead From the Front - Commodore was brought in to be a leader for the team both on and off the ice. Off the ice, he's clearly settling into that role, being voted in as the team's NHLPA rep after Jason Chimera's departure to Washington, and later being named by his peers to the NHLPA's competition committee. On the ice, Commodore frequently has spoken about wanting to set an example for the younger players on the team, and has always tried to be the first guy out on the ice for practices, and the last guy to leave at the end of the day. He knows that those same players are now watching him to see how he responds to last year, and that the example he sets in training camp and beyond will matter a great deal.
Momentum - The end of the season seemed to be a return to the 2008-2009 form for Commodore. By his own admission, he didn't really get back to 100% until the Olympic break, and in those 18 games from March 6th on, he went back to averaging 20:00 minutes a game, scored the two goals he'd record this season, and finished with an even or positive +/- in 15 of those 8 games, and no worse than a -1, even in notable drubbings like a 6-3 loss to the Devils and the 6-0 loss to LA. (Would it shock you if I told you Commodore played 19:38 in the LA game, and finished with a clean +/- and only 2 PIMs? It certainly did me.) What I think we're going to see by the end of next year is that a healthy Commie is a very good player, and an unhealthy Commie is not.
The Twitter Factor - Commodore is one of several NHL players to maintain an official Twitter account. Unlike many of them, Commie seems to actually carry his blackberry around and tweet quite regularly, including talking back and forth to fans during the offseason. While he does discuss quite a few non-hockey topics, Commodore has also used his twitter account to communicate with members of the media (including the Dispatch's Aaron Portzline and TSN's Bob MacKenzie) and fans at large, following local events in Columbus, showing a great deal of interest in the team's offseason moves, discussing his training plans, and excitement at working with Scott Arniel. He's shown clear signs that he's invested into both the city and the team and dedicated to taking them back to the playoffs.
Last But Not Least - One last thing to consider is that even in "good" years, Commodore can be a bit of an up and down player - in Carolina, he seemed to follow up an average year with a very good year, and after a very poor half-season following his trade to Ottawa, he really turned in a great year in Columbus. I think Commodore tends to take poor or average seasons as motivations to improve himself, and uses them to help fuel his performance. I don't think anyone will question that he's got quite a bit of fuel banked up this offseason.

2010 / 2011 Prediction: 81G, 4G, 20A, +6, 98PIMS, 20:45 ATOI.

Not much of a stretch here - in normal years, Commodore usually dresses for 79+ games. I think we'll see "Sniper" account for a couple of more goals next year with Berry and Arniel's help, but I doubt he'll match his career high of 7. Likewise, I'm expecting we'll see him account for a decent level of assists, but not quite breaking his personal record. A +6 similarly seems a more reasonable expectation than thinking he'll leap back up into positive double digits.

As for the PIMs, Commie may not be a Derek Dorsett or Jared Boll, but he is a guy who will get into a scrap to stand up for his teammates, and it's not unusual to see him take two or three fighting majors in the course of a season. Frankly, I'd almost be more concerned if he -doesn't- bring in a fair bit of penalties - some of his best seasons have seen his PIMs in triple digits, including Carolina's Stanley Cup run. Finally, in the time on ice, I still expect Deuces to be asked to log quite a few minutes every game, but with the emergence of Kris Russell as a solid top-4 player, and the shift in defensive philosophies, I think it's likely that we'll see Commodore's ice time shift down a bit as they attempt to spread the load a bit more evenly.

The real question for me is who will Commodore end up pairing with on defense? Will he be reunited with Jan Hejda, or will Berry and Arniel experiment with pairing him with a partner who can move the puck up ice to help round out the pairing? At one point, the team experimented with pairing Commodore and Kris Russell, but nothing much came out of it. Is it an idea whose time has come?

At the end of the day, Commodore had his name dragged through the mud last season. Some of it was deserved, some of it really wasn't. But nobody knows better than he does that the best way to fix that damage is to go out, compete hard, and show that the 2008-2009 Mike Commodore is the new standard, and the 2009-2010 model was a fluke.

An Evening At Nationwide

2010-07-14T04:24:33Z

As a season ticket holder, I was very interested to get an invitation to come down to Nationwide and attend a Q&A with Scott Howson, Scott Arniel, & Mike Priest. There was a reasonably sized crowd for a Tuesday night with horrible traffic and a fair bit of rain, and everyone was encouraged to ask questions from a pair of microphones set about midway up section 114, where the fans were seated.

First, a disclaimer: I did NOT attend this as a credentialed member of the media. I was not recording the session, and I did not attempt to ask any questions privately. I attended as a season ticket holder, and as a fan.

The questions and tone of the crowd were an interesting mix - while everyone tended to wish Scott Arniel a warm welcome to Columbus, and Mike Priest was generally given a respectful line, mostly with how the team would be marketed this year and the state of season ticket & suite renewals, more than a few had a hostile tone when addressing issues to Scott Howson, with several season ticket holders bringing prepared questions and a laundry list of grievances against him, ranging from the obvious (why no big free agent signings) to the surprising (one STH used his time at the mic to ask why the team wasn't bringing Danny Gare back, then went on to criticize the team for making a patch to celebrate the 10th anniversary when the team "hadn't done anything worth celebrating in that time!")

If there was a central theme to the fan reaction, and the comments from the men who now drive the team, it was a need to see the team improve next year. In the words of team president Mike Priest: "We disappointed. We underachieved. We took a step back. Everything we do around the business side comes down to one thing: We need to put butts in seats, and the only thing that puts butts in seats is winning."

To the question of if the team had any limits financially, there were several questions put to both Mssrs. Priest and Howson - here's a few of their answers.

Howson:

We have committed to building our team through the draft, and finding players through trades or free agency when the right opportunities come up. We pursued several free agents in 2008...that process lead us to Mike Commodore and Kristian Huselius. This offseason, when you ask about that (a top line center), there were only two real candidates...(Patrick) Marleau and (Tomas) Plekanec, and for what we needed, Marleau was the only player who we were interested in trying to add if he became available. Unfortunately, he resigned in San Jose.
Right now, we're comfortable with the team, but I am continuing to pursue a few teams...nothing is imminent, but things can happen.

Priest:

I won't deny that we have to always look at the financial situation for the team - it's a business. But one of the things which drive that business is for the team to succeed. If Scott (Howson) comes to us, and wants to add salary to acquire a player that can put us over the top for the playoffs, we'll say yes. We said yes each time he's asked to add salary through trades or free agency, and that will continue.

Howson also took some "questions" (ie: abuse) on not resigning some fan favorites like Jody Shelley, Manny Malhotra, and Curtis Glencross, especially after answering a question about how the team is being built by explaining that they are (like most of the NHL) trying to use the Detroit model, and using veteran character players to help develop the younger players.

I'm incredibly happy for Jody and Manny. We didn't "dump" Jody Shelley. We traded him to give him the opportunity to play for a winning team after he wasn't getting ice time in Columbus. He went to San Jose and got to experience a lot of success - to learn about winning, and I think that the leadership he showed in New York, which helped him to earn his new contract for Philadelphia, came from that. Jody used it as a chance to unlock his potential...and I know it's my goal, and his (Mike Priest)'s that once Jody chooses to end his playing career, we can bring him back to the Blue Jackets and keep him as a big part of our organization.

In Manny's case, he had a hard decision to make, and I'm really impressed - he went to San Jose, took a lot less money that we had originally offered him, and worked his (tail) off. He played very well and earned a very impressive contract from the Canucks. But in both their cases, I don't think either of them could have been the leaders we needed in the dressing room without getting a chance to experience the success they did in San Jose and New York, respectively.

Another topic addressed early was the arena issue. Here's what Mike Priest had to say:

I'm actually very pleased to say that there's good news on this front - we have had some great results from our partnership with Ohio State. I can't give any specifics yet - maybe not for another 10-20 days - but there's been some significant progress on the issue that came out of that partnership, and showing that we were willing to work with the community by partnering with them. That opened up some new avenues and by working more with OSU, we made some big inroads with the public side of the issue, including the local government...there have been some really exciting new ideas to bring this to a solution, and I expect you'll be seeing them very soon. The Blue Jackets aren't going anywhere. (Emphasis mine)

Reading between the lines, it seems like the rumor that Light The Lamp reported last weekend has some legs, at least in regards to the arena situation. I think the "10-20" days comment was a slip, too. That makes me think that solution is at the point where all parties are working to hammer down their final changes, and making sure the agreement is acceptable between them. Wouldn't it be nice if we never have to hear the phrase "arena lease" again?

So he won't feel left out if he's reading this, I should mention that new head coach Scott Arniel did get several questions about how he intends to change the team's defensive style, and how he expects the team to play.

Here's a summary of some of his answers:

Well, first, yes, we're going to be looking at conditioning. That's part of the changes we've made going into this season. Everyone at prospect camp had to perform a skating test - and I made sure that some of the guys who attended camp from the team - Dorsett, Boll, Brassard - I made sure they knew, and that all the players knew, that they'd be expected to do the same things coming into camp. I even offered to print them out some cheat sheets!

I'm not going to push them so hard that we risk an injury, but it's part of how we need to address this - everything starts at your conditioning. It used to be that guys would be asked to ride a bike or run on a track to show that they were in good shape for hockey. That doesn't make sense, really! This test, and some of the other changes we'll be making, are to make sure players are in the right shape for the demands of playing games, especially late in the third period or in games that go into overtime or the shooutout.

In terms of defense...I can't say that we're going to be a 100% puck possession team - because sometimes you just can't play that way. If you're trying to move the puck across the blue line and some 6' 5" 200 lb. defensemen is charging right at you - you need to chip the puck in deep behind him, get around him, and go get that puck back! Puck pursuit is really what we're going to be about, in both zones. It's all about constantly pursuing the puck, and taking away the other team's time and space around it. Part of how we make sure we don't get in situations where we give up an early lead is that we take away their time with the puck.

When it comes to guys who are...more defensive d-men than puck movers like Russell, it's going to be a lot of repetition - a lot of teaching. Sometimes it's hard to think to make the pass or change the direction of the play when a couple of forwards are charging at you at 100 miles per hour - it's going to be a lot of going over things in practice, going over video, showing them the alternatives, and helping them get to where they think about it naturally. I've got some great guys - Brad Berry, and Bob Boughner - who were both defensemen in the NHL who did a lot of this. They're going to work with our D to help make them better.

...I've talked to pretty much all of the players now by phone, except for one...ah..European player that I've had some trouble reaching, but I'm hoping to get with him soon. Pretty much everyone is excited - it's funny, I was really excited to come here to work with them, but it turns out that most of them are even more excited to get to work with me! I think the biggest thing, though, is that pretty much all of them have talked about how they want to get better. I think a lot of our guys feel like they let the team down - they let the fans down, and they let themselves down. Everyone's been working really hard this off season to keep it from happening again.

So, who's the mysterious European who isn't picking up his phone? Before you say "Filatov" - I actually suspect it's Anton Stralman. It's not unusual for an agent to tell a player going into salary arbitration to put his head down and lay low. I wouldn't be surprised if he's been told not to communicate with anyone on the team, including Arniel, unless it's through his agent. If that is the case, assuming he's still with the team either via an agreement or the team accepting an arbiter's decision, coach Arniel should probably be expecting to hear his phone ring sometime around the end of next week.

Oh - speaking of Filatov, and another European player...

Howson: Tyler Wright just got back from visiting Nikita in Russia - he had quite an interesting four days really getting into the culture there, seeing Moscow, and working with Nikita at the rink. He was very positive - he was really excited about how Nikki's working this offseason - he says that he's put on some weight - up to 187 pounds! Nikki's very excited about coming to Columbus in August, and we're really looking forward to seeing him here.

On a similar note, I have some good news about Rusty (Klesla) - he's flying back and forth this summer to work with a clinic in Vancouver where they did his surgery, and he's been doing week-long sessions of physical therapy with them to help get himself ready. He's skating again, and he described himself as "95 percent." He said that if training camp or the regular season started next week, he'd be able to go. He was really frustrated by his injury last year, and the fact that he wasn't anywhere near being able to come back after the eight weeks they originally projected when he saw a specialist near Columbus. We're all glad that he was able to get the proper treatment, and that he'll be ready for this season.

Last but not least, there were also a couple questions about the draft, and Ryan Johansen.

Going into the draft...Friday, Ryan was at #1 on our board, but there was another player, a defenseman, who was coming up again and again. We decided to have them both in for one last interview that afternoon, and we decided after some soul-searching that Ryan really was the right guy - that he was what we were looking for. Originally, I planned to explore trading back a bit - 7, 8, maybe 9 - and taking him there, but it became clear after talking to other GMs that if we traded back - if we waited - both the players we were interested in would have been gone. With that in mind, Ryan was our #1 guy, and we made the decision to take him.

With that in mind, and knowing that I'm probably missing three or four other tidbits of info that I didn't catch, here's a few quick takeaways:

The arena lease issue is moving forward and appears to be close to resolution.
Brassard is apparently one of the players who has been coming into town to train this off season. (Was this the first time anyone from the organization mentioned that? We knew that Dorsett, Boll, and Moore were all in town, but I think that's the first I heard about Brass.)
Filatov has been working out and bulking up - if he really is up to 187 that means he's added about 15 pounds since last season!
The team will carry an expanded roster for the trip to Sweden, including any younger players and any "AHLers" who perform well enough in camp to warrant being included.
The team is currently discussing if they want to work on contract extensions this offseason with the agents for Steve Mason and Jake Voracek - the decision will probably be made in the next week or two.
When asked who he felt had the biggest motivation to improve for next season, Scott Howson answered "Steve Mason." Scott Arniel answered "Mike Commodore."
When asked how he'd get players to "buy in", Arniel answered: "It's people skills. You need to work with each player - you can't be a dictator. It won't work and you'll start losing guys very quickly. It's about seeing how they see themselves, and how they want to play, and figuring out the best way to work them in."
CBJ ticket sales are down - from an all time high of over 10,000 season ticket equivalents last year (1 full season ticket, 2 20 games, or 4 10 games) to about 7,300 this year. Priest said it's "an area we're under pressure, but we're working on it."
The team is working to improve radio broadcast coverage around Ohio.
After being asked if they'd do a "Meet the Team" luncheon this year due to all the new coaching staff, Mike Priest said he'd look into it and see what kind of feedback they'd get from fans. If you're interested, make sure you contact the team about this!
Suite renewals are down this year due to the local economy, but they expect them to come back around as the economy improves. Interestingly enough, corporate partnerships / sponsorships are actually up - the strongest they've ever been.
The team intends to market themselves based on the team and their players, which Priest called "their greatest strength", but doesn't intend any kind of targeted marketing at the expense of other teams like the Cavaliers. "We don't play those kind of games. We're going to take care of our business - we don't need to get involved with anyone else's."
Players will be subjected to the same heart rate monitoring, skating tests, and skating coaching that our prospects were given in July. Conditioning is going to be the foundation for the team.
Expect to Rick Nash move away from the half boards on the PP, and more in-between the circles and around the crease. "He doesn't need to be right on top of the net, but he's got the talent to be really dangerous out there in front of the goalie."
Arniel expects players like Brassard, Dorsett, and Voracek to all step up this year. "It's not their rookie season or any sophomore stuff. They're NHL players now. They're NHLers and they need to be leaders."
Some of the veteran players Arniel expects to be leaders on the team as it stands included Chris Clark, Rick Nash, Ethan Moreau, and Mike Commodore. "He's won a Stanley Cup! We need to push him to get out there and really show the younger guys what it takes to win."
Though Howson wouldn't comment on any specific trade talks, it would appear he's still keeping talks open with several teams - and I don't think it's a coincidence that when he talked about teams who would be forced to make moves later on in the offseason, Vancouver kept coming up as an example.

I hope that you've found this interesting! If you're a Blue Jackets season ticket holder, they'll be holding another Q&A session Wednesday, July 14th, at 6:30pm at Nationwide Arena. Contact your ticket rep for information on how to attend!

Boll Signs New 2 Year Deal

2010-07-13T16:05:05Z

More photos » Jay LaPrete - AP

8 months ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' Jared Boll celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets defeated the Hurricanes 3-2. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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According to Dispatch Reporter Aaron Portzline's Twitter, and confirmed by the official Blue Jackets twitter feed (Press Release), scrapping Right Winger Jared Boll has agreed to a two year, $1.45 million deal that will pay him $700,000 this year and $745,000 in 2011-12, with a cap hit of $725,000.

It's actually a very slight pay cut from his previous entry level deal, but it's not hard to see why when you look at Lee Auer's excellent breakdown of comparable players over on The JacketsBlog. If anything, it's arguable that Boll's slightly overpaid.

That said, I think this is a good deal for both sides. Boll and his agent had to realize that arbitration was more likely than not going to hurt him, and Howson kept a player who has shown a surprising amount of offensive upside to go with his fisticuffs and agitating play.

In the best possible world, Arniel, Boughner, and perhaps even Dan Hinote work with Boll to help him refine both sides of his game - knowing when to take the gloves off, when to concentrate on clean hits, and how to convert a few more loose pucks into scoring chances - and that $725,000 could end up looking like a steal, particularly if Boll can raise his point production into double-digits.

In the worst case? We have a guy who is willing to fight, but perhaps could show better judgement on -when- to fight, and pops in an unexpected goal now and then. Even if he is a bit overpaid compared to a lot of the NHL "tough guys", he's not nearly as expensive to the team as Jody Shelley or Derek Boogard are to the Flyers and Rangers. Should he truly become expendable, his contract is cap friendly enough that I'd expect Howson to be able to find a trade partner, or to send him down the waiver wire to Springfield without too much distress.

With Boll's deal complete, that leaves Anton Stralman still on the clock. It will be interesting to see if the team can continue their record of never having to go into an Arbitration hearing.

Poll

Was the Jared Boll extension a good deal for the Blue Jackets?

Yes

59 votes

No

9 votes

68 votes | Poll has closed

Players to Watch Part 2: Antoine Vermette

2010-07-13T12:45:18Z

More photos » Graham Hughes - AP

8 months ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' Antoine Vermette, top, celebrates with teammate Kris Russell after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Nov. 24 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

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Part Two: Antoine Vermette

Much like Jake, Antoine was one of the shining stars on the Jackets roster. A staple of the top line sandwiched between Juice and the man himself, Rick Nash, Vermette was the teams second leading scorer in 2009-10.

Aside from being a really really nice guy in person (if you ever run into him, don't be shy) he's always a threat to be involved in the scoring. Another impressive aspect of his game is his toughness. Whats that you say? Toughness? While he's not throwing haymakers a la Dorsett and Boll, he's rarely not playing. He's played 2 full NHL seasons, plus an 81-game campaign, and two others of 77 or more.

He's very dedicated to his game and he plays with great confidence. This speedy center lead the team in faceoff wins last year, players traded, injured, moved to Russia, not withstanding. Remember when he was acquired that magical season? He was battling our-then-own Manny Malhotra for tops in the league in faceoff win percentage. Antoine, in my opinion, is quietly becoming a top player in our organization.

Where he came from:

Vermette started his career in the Q, which is famous for glorified statistics. His first year was uninspiring to say the least - it was his second where things began to take off. Posting 71 points in 71 games is the kind of consistency anyone would like out of a player.

Drafted in 2000, Vermette put up the highest numbers of his pro career (57-62-119) for Victoriaville. The Senators were liking what they had picked 55th overall that year. Whatever the reason, his start in Ottawa didn't turn out as planned.

He moved his way around the Senators lineup, breaking 50 points for the first time in his career in 2007-08. Little did any of us know all it took was 62 more games before he landed in Columbus.

Where he is:

He's not the number one center the franchise needed, but thats not to say he's not holding his own. He made a very good impression on the fans by scoring in 7 of his first 17 games in Union Blue. Coming off a down season of a combined 41 points, he continued to improve last year by setting career highs in goals, assits, and points. I see another big step this upcoming year.

Where he's going:

As I said, I see another big improvement. With the new coaching staff wanting to play an offensive game, everyone will benefit, especially Vermette. Playing along side Nasher and Juice and building chemistry is his key for 2010-11. Still a couple steps away from being spoken about among the elite guys like Sedin, Crosby (ugh, that was painful), Backstrom, Richards etc., Vermette will put up another record setting scoring line.

2010-11 Season Predictions:

GP	G	A	PTS	+/-
82	29	45	74	23

Other Predictions:

Top 8 in faceoff win percentage

Said win percentage will equal or top 58%

Has 900 faceoff wins

"Out there" Prediction:

Finalist for the Selke Trophy

There you have it, now let us hear it in the comments!