Bleacher Report - Articles by Light the Lamp

It Get's Tricky With Niki

Light the Lamp — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:07:01 -0400

The Jackets are riding high right now. They have matched their best start in franchise history (2003-2004) going 3-1 in their first four games. Back in those days the Jackets were pretending as they dropped their next six games... Now-a-days it's all about contending as the Jackets look to make a repeat trip into the playoffs.

This post however isn't about terrific start for the team, but the slow start for an individual. That individual being rookie blue chip sniper Nikita Filatov. No individual should be bigger than the team and the most important thing are notches in the win column. Of course there is the rub. The Jackets find themselves in an interesting position really for the first time in their nine year history. How do you balance winning with grooming young blue chip talent? It's tricky.

It's Tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that's right on time It's Tricky...it's Tricky (Tricky) Tricky (Tricky) It's Tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that's right on time It's Tricky...Tr-tr-tr-tricky (Tricky) Trrrrrrrrrrricky

We knew from last year's rookie crop of fellow blue chippers Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek that earning ice early in the season was going to be difficult for Filatov. This team no longer hands out ice time like candy on Halloween to high draft picks. Players have to earn it regardless of their draft standing.

On top of that this is the deepest Jackets roster to date. Still, even with that in mind, you look at Filatov's ice time through four games and regardless of the wins one has to ask themselves, what gives? Game One: 9:18 Game Two: 7:41 Game Three: 6:14 Game Four: 4:49 Compare that to the first four games from Brassard and Voracek last season: Brassard Game One: 12:23 Game Two: 15:39 Game Three: 16:46 Game Four: 11:36 Voracek Game One: 9:09 Game Two: 12:03 Game Three: 14:05 Game Four: 8:54

Voracek is probably the better comparable as he is closer to Filatov in age but even he saw his ice time increase before decreasing in his first four games. Filatov has seen his ice time dwindle to a minuscule 4:49 seconds. What's more interesting than that is when you take a look at the TOI in the eight games Filatov played last season: Game One: 9:10 Game Two: 8:38 Game Three: 4:51 Game Four: 2:54 Game Five: 8:53 Game Six: 9:59 Game Seven: 7:42 Game Eight: 12:53 When Filatov played last year he got more ice time than he did so far this season. Now how can that be when he's a year older with more development time under his belt? It's tricky.

Last year injuries played a big part in his ice time, especially when he was recalled in January. This year circumstance has played a big factor. The four games that have been played sans the San Jose game were tightly contested affairs. Filatov's playing time has been dictated by the sheer intensity of these games.

I also don't think it's a huge coincidence that Filatov saw the most ice during the Jackets home opener as Hitch had more control over who to line the young Russian up against. He also came off his strongest preseason games leading up to that game which gave the coach more confidence in him. Once they hit the road the games were close and Hitch road the veterans. Result: 3-1 Still though... 4:59? Hey, it's tricky!

Howson has stated that Steve Stamkos started off similar to Filatov last season. Let's take a look: StamkosGame One: 8:25 Game Two: 14:53 Game Three: 6:05 Game Four: 9:22 Indeed Stamkos didn't storm out of the NHL gates with guns'a blazin (in fact he went scoreless through his first seven games) but he certainly saw more time than Filatov thus far. Also keep in mind it took a coaching change before he saw his time ratchet up. To me Filatov's leash seems unfairly short at this point.

That was evident the moment Hitch benched him after a penalty in the 3rd period of opening night. Yes it was a bad penalty to take at a key point of the game but if a veteran commits that penalty he doesn't miss a shift. Filatov, on the other hand, didn't see the ice after his.

To that point I ask myself aren't rookies expected to make mistakes and shouldn't veterans be held accountable for the same ones? Shouldn't their leashes be shorter as they are the experienced players who should know better? Klesla has had his share of bad penalties and in fact leads the team in that category with five minors. Brassard's four minute minor could have cost the Jackets the game in Phoenix. Yet back on the ice they went. You guessed it.. it's tricky.

Hitch leans heavily on his veterans. Especially in situations where games are tight and mistakes have to be few. I guess it's kind of like eating out.. do you pick the brand new flashy restaurant that has the potential to blow your sucks off but could under-perform or do you go with what's familiar and minimize the unknown?

Win, lose or draw Filatov's situation is shaping up to be an interesting one to watch. This isn't just an average rookie here. He was voted the No. 1 prospect not in the NHL last season. He's a skill player... he's not a banger and shouldn't be judged as one. Think Paul Kariya when you think Nikita Filatov. Yes, he needs to be responsible defensively.. Yes, he needs to compete for the puck.. but he is also a rookie and there will be mistakes and there will be a learning curve.

At some point he's going to have to learn how to play in these tough games right? If not now then when? If not now then why is he here? If you aren't going to dress him only to bench him then that also means you're running the risk of overplaying someone else. There are already rumblings that Filatov may be scratched tomorrow against Calgary because they are a "heavy team".

At some point he's either good enough to play in the NHL or he's not. Enough with the excuses. Honestly, has he been that bad to warrant riding the pine this much? If so then I haven't seen it. I don't think he needs to be playing 12 mins a game but certainly more than five. ..at a minimum why isn't he out on he PP more often? He is 12th on the team in PP time averaging 44 seconds a game. This is an area he can be protected and he can contribute.

I would argue he has the best one time shot on the team right now—why not utilize it in these situations? I've watched him closely and I don't think he's been much worse defensively or competitively than say a guy like Huselius. True he doesn't have the experience that Juice brings but if the team can compete with him they can certainly make room for Filatov. It's only four games but from my cheap seats I'm not convinced they really know what to do with him or where he fits. Perhaps Howson and Hitch are finding this.....dare I say...... tricky?

My biggest issue in this whole thing is his confidence and how it is fairing early on. No way to know that answer unless your in Filatov's head. After considering all of this I find myself falling back on this point. Hitch has shown he knows what he's doing with these young players. I remember questioning why he wasn't playing Brassard and Voracek much early last season and both went on to have very successful rookie years.

Brassard scored 25 points in 31 games before going down with a season ending shoulder injury and Voracek went on to score one less point (38) than Rick Nash did in his rookie season. So perhaps we just need to sit back and let the experts who get paid a lot of money sort this thing out. Filatov is playing the good solider for now. I give it about 20 games and if his ice time hasn't increased to at/near double digits things could get.....all together now...tricky. So tricky in fact that words like KHL and trade might start popping up in conversations.

Thanks for the assist Run DMC (and whoever that kid is in this clip). -LTL

Columbus Blue Jackets, Ohio State, and Syracuse Crunch: Game Reactions

Light the Lamp — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:57:00 -0400

Lost in all this goal-inconclusive-so-let's-reverse-it mumbo jumbo, was a decent road game by most of the Jackets.

I'll spare everyone the spotlight today and just throw a few thoughts out there and see what you all think:

•Leclaire held the Jackets in there during the first period and played very well—especially on the extended five on three. There wasn't much he could do on either Wild goal, but unfortunately he left the game injured (again). If this guy could ever stay healthy...sigh.

•Have the Jackets gotten a five on three PP yet this season?

•Chimera-Brassard-Voracek created the most chances by far...again. It was nice to see Hitch increase Voracek's ice time to just under 15 minutes. That's more like it.

These two kids are playing wonderful hockey and look to be the real deal. I hope Hitch keeps playing them because I still believe that they are the difference between us being contenders and pretenders.

•I tell ya, Brass got really lucky out there catching that skate blade on his chin and not on his throat. There were some anxious moments there and I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that thankfully he's okay. It was great to see him come back out and make a nice rush with the puck to set up Nash's goal.

•The good news is that he's creating some fantastic chances for himself. The bad news is that he's 0-7 on those seven breakaways. C'mon law of averages!

•The Jackets had their moments last night, controlling long stretches of the play. Unfortunately, so did the Wild. Overall, it was a decent road game minus the climax.

•I loved Brass' reaction after that game ended when he broke his stick in frustration. These new faces aren't used to losing and that's a good thing.

•I thought Manny looked better than Umberger between Nash and Huselius, but that's not saying a whole lot. I really like his ability to win some offensive zone faceoffs, even though by his standards he had a below average night in the circle, winning 10 and losing 12.

•I thought the top four defensemen played better than they have recently. Klesla got a goal, but just as importantly, I thought both he and Tyutin managed the puck better.

As I mentioned in the comments of a previous post, Hitch has his work cut out for him to pull this team back together after such a back-breaking loss. You hate to say it, but at 3-5 they've got to find a way to get some points tomorrow night off a struggling Anaheim squad.

Ohio State and Syracuse fared better this weekend. Ohio State lost versus No. 2 Denver on Friday, but rebounded on Saturday night with an exciting come from behind 4-3 win which was capped off by Sophomore Peter Boyd. Zac Dalpe, Chris Reed, and Corey Elkins all scored for the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes now sit at 2-3-1.

The Crunch won both of their games over the weekend to move to 5-1. (What's that like?) They won 4-3 over Binghamton Friday with goals from Wilson, Sigalet, MacDonald, and Pineault. Plekhanov had a couple of helpers and Mayorov picked up one as well.

Speaking of Mayorov, he added two goals and another assist the following night as the Crunch rocked a very poor Rochester team 6-1. Wilson also got three points, with a goal and two helpers.

Plekanov added another two assists, Vigalante had a goal and a helper, and Starkov added a goal. John "Nasty" Mirasty also added a few fights to the mix. (I read that he won both against a guy a foot taller.)

Mayorov has 3G 4A in six games thus far, and from all reports has looked very good early on. He's tied with Plekhanov and Wilson for the team lead in scoring.

Dan LaCosta won both games and it's expected that Steve Mason will get his first game action next weekend.

Puck-rakers also reported this afternoon that Jared Boll is expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow night. No word yet on if he's "fight eligible."

Oh and about that reversal—here is the Wild's own beat writer's view on the goal:

"The Wild owes the NHL's video war room a bouquet of roses and bottle of Pinot noir."

-LTL

NHL: It gets better...

Light the Lamp — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:50:00 -0400

Here is NHL.com's official statement from the game review article:

The NHL had all 30 teams in action Saturday, so the video review room in Toronto was overworked. According to a blog post on the league's official Web site, off-ice officials deemed the evidence inconclusive.

The decision was sent back to Minnesota, and the referee who made the initial call was overruled by his three colleagues.

"Overworked" and now the refs get the final judgement on reviewed goals? Are you kidding me? Do they just make this crap up as they go?

Lets see, you have how many months to plan for these games and you can't staff accordingly?

Mickey Mouse, meet the NHL.

-LTL

Week 1 Power Rankings: Its a start

Light the Lamp — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0400

The Jackets power rankings meta-score is back again this season. Some of the rankings have yet to be released and I will update this post when they become available.

Without further adu here we go:

CBSSports.com
Rank: 23rd (-1)
Nice debuts for the kids Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek. Brassard had goals in each of the Jackets' first two games while Voracek had a goal and an assist.

ColumbusDispatch.com
Rank: 14th (new)
Two good periods, two bad periods and two so-so periods. Chemistry is a big issue right now.

Yahoo.com
Rank: 20th (new)
The Blue Jackets will have to survive without veteran Michael Peca, who was suspended indefinitely for making contact with a ref.

THN.com
Rank: 23 (new)
Rookie Jakub Voracek gives hope for the secondary scoring with a goal and two points in two games.

FoxSports.com
Rank: 18 (+5)
(.500) The new-look Blue-Jackets blew two leads in their first game of the season, but an old face — Rick Nash — bailed the team out in the end. Nash potted the game-winner 4:39 into overtime against the Dallas Stars. But no one came to the team's rescue during Saturday's 3-1 loss to Phoenix.

Sportsnet.ca
Rank: 19 (new)
Coach Ken Hitchcock firmly believes his team will make the playoffs this season. It's going to be nip and tuck.

CBC.ca
Rank: 22 (+3)
Scoring goals has been a problem.

CNNSI.com
Rank: TBD

ESPN.com
Rank: TBD

TheFourthPeriod.com
Rank: TBD

Meta-score: 19.85 (last week N/A)

23+-LTL

Honda Signs Sponsorship Deal with NHL

Light the Lamp — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:42:00 -0400

If you follow the business side of the NHL at all, then you definitely want to catch this article from The Sports Business Journal about NHL sponsorships (courtesy of Puck-daddy).

The biggest tidbit of news is that the NHL has ended its 13-year partnership with Dodge and has signed a new three-year agreement with Honda worth $4 million per season. What's even more interesting is that this is Honda's first foray into stick-and-ball sports:

“We really like the NHL profile,” said Tom Peyton, senior manager for advertising at American Honda in Torrance, Calif., about 30 miles from Anaheim, where Honda has held naming rights to the home rink of the NHL Ducks since October 2006.

“The [NHL] demos of young, affluent suburbanites match well with our target, and when we did our research, we found that for Honda buyers, watching and attending NHL games indexed higher than for any of the other stick-and-ball sports.”

As most of you are probably aware Honda, has a big presence in central Ohio with its plants in Marysville. I wonder if this new partnership will see an increased local sponsorship with the Jackets? Of course, they would have to replace Hay-Hay-Haydocy!

I tell ya though, I'm going to miss all of those Dodge commercials that air during the Versus games. I mean let's be honest, if you watched a "national" NHL game last year, you were likely to get four commercials: Dodge (especially the one with the life-size plastic boxers), Bud Light, XM, and Verizon Wireless.

Honda makes some pretty creative ads, so let's see where they go with this.

The article lists all the major sponsorship deals with the NHL as well.

The NHL Network to have a nightly "pre-game" show? That was another nugget from this article:

This comes while the league takes over production responsibilities for its NHL Network and seeks to add programming, including a nightly national pregame show.

Great. Just what I need: another reason to watch more hockey!

Check out this read for all the new uni's in the NHL this season. The Jackets get a mention:

The Blue Jackets are wearing a "JHM" memorial patch in honor of team founder John H. McConnell. Further details and a closer look at the patch design are available here.

And those new Thrasher digs? Well, they aren't receiving the warmest of receptions from what I'm reading.

According to the Globe & Mail, the Columbus Blue Jackets are tied for the ninth (with the Lightning) most affordable NHL ticket, averaging $78 per ticket. Vancouver clocks in at the highest with a whopping $301 per ticket! Yikes.

In fact, the top five teams are Canadian. All six Canadian teams are in the top 10. Think they love their hockey?

-LTL

More NHL Season Previews

Light the Lamp — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:37:00 -0400

ESPN has their NHL season preivew up. Here are some snippets:

Question: Are the changes to the Blue Jackets' lineup enough to get them in the playoffs for the first time?

Answer: Sorry, but not quite. Howson has taken important steps to change the makeup of the team, but he still lacks a proven point producer on the back end and might not have the No. 1 center he needs to get maximum production from Nash. There is also a concern about the lack of secondary scoring. Close, but no cigar, in the ultracompetitive Western Conference.

There is a lot more in this preview, and they—unlike many of the other previews we've read—actually get most of their facts straight on the Jackets.

ESPN also makes their predictions for individual trophies, division, conference, and Cup champs. Not to worry, no Jackets to be found in any of these lists.

The hockey Buckeyes rolled over York 9-3 on Saturday in an exhibition match. Sophomore co-captain Zach Pelletier had a hat trick. Many Buckeye forwards attributed to the scoring including highly touted freshman Zac Dalpe who added a goal.

They'll play their first-regular season game at home versus Miami this Friday. If you follow college hockey and would like to see what the latest is with the Miami Redhawks, be sure to check out this blog as the auther does a fantastic job with it.

The Lightning owners contine to boost their fantasy team. They shipped their toughest D-man in Shane O'Brien with winger Michel Ouelet to Vancouver for Lukas Krajicek and a minor league forward Juraj Simek. This as the Rangers took two games from the Lightning this past weekend in Europe.

Sounds pretty knee-jerk to me. O'Brien should make the Canucks top six that much tougher, while Krajicek should help out the Lightning owners' fantasy league.

-LTL

Columbus Blue Jackets Wrap Up Preseason with Come-From-Behind Win

Light the Lamp — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:47:00 -0400

I didn't get to catch all of this one (thanks for the comments!) so I won't have an in-depth break down. I did catch the first, some of second on radio, and the last few minutes of the third, overtime, and the shootout

The Leafs one-upped Columbus on the blowing a lead category, giving up two goals in 14 seconds late in the third period. Unfortunately for them, they were not able to recover, and the Jackets, off Nikita Filatov's shootout goal, were able to pull it out and finish the preseason an even .500.

Some general thoughts on the game:

* This Filatov kid is the real deal, folks. He scored his first goal and made the shootout goal look easy. The Jackets have a real decision on their hands with this kid—and as of now, it doesn't appear juniors is an option.

* Jakub Vorack continues to put up points. Just when you think he's having a quiet game, he flashes some skill—and the next thing you know, he's got a goal and an assist. He's really going to help the secondary scoring this season. He finished with two goals and six assists for eight points in seven games.

* The Jackets are putting themselves in way to many two-men down situations. If they continue that into the regular season, teams will make them pay.

* The PK is another negative trend the Jackets need to correct in a hurry. According to the radio guys heading into this game tonight they were killing at less than 80 percent—ouch. They gave up two more power-play goals in this game.

* The fourth line played really well, especially Dorsett (who had a fight) and Picard (who had a goal).

* Still not sold on Backman, but he's better than I thought he'd be. In contrast, I am definitely sold on Russell.

* How about that open-ice hit by Tollefsen? Clean, too!

* Nice to see the boys not give up, and come back from that two-goal deficit. I'm not a believer that things in the preseason don't matter, be they negative (like blowing that three-goal lead on Friday) or positive (like scoring two goals in 14 seconds to steal one on the road). All can contribute to the confidence of a team, and I am happy to say I think there were many more positives this preseason than negatives!

* Norrena stopped all but three of 17 shots, and LaCosta stopped fifteen of 16, plus three shootout attemps. Norrena has certainly been up and down this preseason. How about that stop LaCosta made on Blake with 30 seconds remaining? Clutch!

* Didn't hear or see a lot from Modin or Peca. Modin strikes me as still shaking off the rust, but he's one guy I'm not worried about—he'll get it going.

* Most importantly, the Jackets got out of this game with no injuries.

* While Filatov looked real good, so did the Leafs' Luke Schenn. He's going to be a real solid player. Gonna be a long year for them though, but a necessary one I think.

So that's that. The Jackets get a week to build up in Miami, as they prepare for the season opener in Dallas this Friday.

Final cuts are made Wednesday by 3 p.m. and the Jackets' brass certainly have some decisions on their hands.

Fire away - what were your impressions from tonight?

-LTL

Pregame Thoughts: Nikita Filatov To Make North American Debut!

Light the Lamp — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:07:00 -0400

The 2-3 Jackets take on a 1-3 Buffalo Sabres.

I wouldn't count on the Sabres dressing a bunch of scrubs, as teams are trimming down their rosters, and what's left are mostly guys with legitimate chances to make the club or see some quality playing time as callups as the year progresses.

(Although just as I typed that, I read from Puck-rakers that Buffalo is dressing Andrew Peters, who is their hulking enforcer.)

For the Jackets, their starting lineup looks as follows:

F1: Fredrik Modin, R.J. Umberger, Jake Voracek
F2: Rick Nash, Manny Malhotra, Kristian Huselius
F3: Nikita Filatov, Michael Peca, Andrew Murray
F4: Tom Sestito/Alexandre Picard, Jiri Novotny, Derek Dorsett

D1: Marc Methot, Rostislav Klesla
D2: Grant Clitsome, Mike Commdore
D3: Clay Wilson, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen

G1: Fredrik Norrena
G2: Pascal Leclaire

So quick thoughts on tonight's game:

* The story of this game is without question the debut of the young Russian Nikita Filatov. He'll be on a line with Peca and Murray, so let's see what this kid's got.

* Sestito will probably go now that Peters is dressing. Peters is a tough customer and at this point, I think Sestito is a bit over-matched, but I'm sure he'll have a go...Only way to get better right?

* Manny moves to the top line with Brass out for what appears to be until the home opener Oct. 10th. Me personally, I'm not at all thrilled, but who else do we have to put there? Manny needs to win a lot of faceoffs, play strong D, and get Huselius the puck—he does that, and I'll consider it a decent game for him.

* The battle for the seventh/eighth defensemen continues tonight, with four of the six playing looking to grab one of those spots. I think Tollefsen definitely has a leg up on one of those spots, based on experience, toughness, and the fact none of the guys expected to make a push really have. Keep your eye on Clitsome, as he's really climbing the depth chart.

* The line of Modin-Umberger-Voracek is kept together tonight (which may be a record for Hitch!), so let's continue to watch the chemistry of this line grow. Voracek leads all preseason players with five points.

* PP. Not expecting a lot out of it tonight, with both Russell and Backman out of the lineup. Perhaps the forwards can get some good things going and this really gives Clitsome an opportunity to man the point with some top forwards to work with.

* Commdore is having a "steady-as-she-goes" type of preseason. He's going to do just fine filling Foote's shutdown shoes. He knows the East and should be very familiar with this Buffalo squad.

* My boy Dorsett is back in the lineup. I think this kid has got a real chance. I look for him to dance and to agitate as he continues to make his impression.

GAME SPOTLIGHT

Pretty easy one tonight. How will the rookie look? We have to keep in mind, it's his first game in North America on small ice against the best players in the world, so let's temper our expectations.

What I will be looking for are the raw skills...the skating, the speed, the agility, the hockey sense, the hands, the three-zone responsibility, the excitement in his game, and, of course, the offensive flair...I expect mistakes just like you get from any young player.

Honorable mention goes to Clitsome. I'm just about as excited to see him for the first time in game action as I am the young Russian!

7 o'clock start. See ya there!!

GO JACKETS!

-LTL

St. Louis Blues Think Out of the Box; Michael York on Waivers

Light the Lamp — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:52:00 -0400

A friend of mine sent me this email that he received from the St. Louis Blues yesterday:

Ticketmaster Name Your Price Sale Starts Today!

Want Blues season tickets but not sure you can fit them in your budget? Now you can.

For one week only, fans can name their own price in select sections on full season tickets, 10 game plans and single game tickets for all October home games during the Ticketmaster Name Your Price Sale.

The sale, which is a first in the sports industry, begins Monday, Sept. 29 and continues through Sunday, Oct. 5.

During the week, you can "Name Your Price" on any of the following tickets:
*Full Season Tickets
*10-Game Packages (a premium game plan or weekend plan)
*Single Game Tickets in October, including Opening Night vs. Nashville

The Blues know there's nothing better than a sold out Scottrade Center with exciting, pulse-pounding Blues action. Name Your Price today before it's too late.

If your price is accepted, your order will be processed immediately.

Hurry. This once-in-a-lifetime offer ends Sunday, Oct. 5.

I know this is bit gimmicky, but it's also an interesting and creative way to try to fill their building.

It's a tough and competitive environment out there, and I get the sense that the Jackets' marketing staff is living and dying by this "if we win they'll come" strategy. That may be true for a while, but keeping arenas full is a living and breathing thing and the Jackets have to continue to get creative in finding new ways to attract new fans to games every game every season..

We've seen in Detroit that even if you ice a great product, you still may not be able to fill your arena every night.

Michael York has been put on waivers by the Jackets, according to the very reliable Andy Strickland on hockeybuzz.com. Remember that York signed a two-way deal, which essentially means he'll earn a much higher salary in the NHL than if he plays in the AHL. Like any veteran, he'll have to pass through waivers before being assigned to the Syracuse Crunch.

York quite frankly just hasn't had a strong camp—and as of now doesn't appear to be in the fold for anything more than a year in Syracuse. Should he go unclaimed (which I think he will) and the injury bug really strikes the Jackets, he may be a depth call-up, but that appears to be it at this point.

Check out this great read over on NHL.com with Rick Nash. Nash has some more juicy quotes for us to eat:

"I think last season was the first season teams actually started taking us serious," Nash said. "We weren't as consistent as we wanted to be, but you could sense that teams were taking us serious. We're the only team to not make the playoffs (in the NHL), but with Ken Hitchcock as our coach, now teams are watching us and that puts us on the map.

"We're lucky for how patient our fans are already, but we have to show them a good product and start winning to get the whole city excited."

"I think I'm responsible to take this team to the next level," Nash said. "They have invested a lot in me and they have made me the captain to lead this team to the next level."

Those are words I love to read from our captain. Read more from Nash here.

Looks like Columbus has invited another enforcer to Crunch camp. According to Lindsay Kramer, former Crunch enforcer Mike Sgroi is slated to join the Crunch for camp.

This is the part that interests me the most though. Kramer speculates on why, with John Mirasty in the fold, would the Crunch invite another enforcer:

Maybe this is how it shakes out now - Mirasty impressed the Blue Jackets during the preseason and will be on-call as Columbus' tough guy. Sgroi is signed to play in Johnstown again, which is now Columbus' ECHL affiliate. When Mirasty is called to pinch-hit for the Blue Jackets, Sgroi can pop up to Syracuse for those three-in-threes.

Honestly, that was my first thought as well. I thought Mirasty showed he's competent enough for spot "tough guy" duty at the NHL level. But its also important to have someone patrolling the Crunch ice in his absence—especially with the kids we have down there.

We'll see how this plays out, as Mirasty would have to be signed to a two-way contract before the Jackets could even think about calling him up.

-LTL

Need a hockey fix?

Light the Lamp — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:06:00 -0400

A little birdie told me that allegedly you can go to this link and stream either the Leafs-Sabres or Flyers-Devils game (it shows Rangers-Sens for some reason). The quality certainly isn't HD, but it's servicable.

Bummer about the Rangers game, as I wanted to check out Z—but hey, any game is better than no game. What would be really sweet is if the Jackets game showed up tomorrow!

Edit: A buddy just sent me the link to the Rangers game—check it out here.

Also, the interface for Jacket TV has been completely revamped and improved. Definitely check it out here.

Filatov Meets WWE, Mike Commodore to Punch Adam Foote in Face

Light the Lamp — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:49:00 -0400

Nikita Filatov has a new blog entry up

A very entertaining read about his training and adjustment to his new surroundings.

I particularly liked this part (translation courtesy of Google and Skaut):

In terms of leisure, this is yesterday with friends visited restling. Went there with Maxim Mayorovym, Andrei Plekhanov and Kirill Starkovym. Kirill—Danish national team player, but he has Russian roots. Restling—a show which was shown on television in Russia. Represent approximately 10 thousand people came to see! Хотя While it is understandable because that scene does not fighters, but rather acrobats. In addition, went into a big store, a 15-minute drive from the city. Some clothes I bought myself, the phone.

Be sure to check out the rest here where he talks about rooming with Derick Brassard (who is trying to learn some Russian), his impressions of Columbus, and the skill level at camp.

This kid really does seem to be wired correctly, and it's pretty cool to read a blog entry of experiences. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this kid can do on the ice, though, which sounds like something that could come as early as Friday.

Mike Commodore interview

If you haven't heard this interview yet from Mike Commodore, go out right now and listen to it here (scroll down to "interviews"). He talks about how this whole robe thing started, his fight will Boll, and many other things.

Although for some stupid reason Torggy dogs our new logo at the beginning—idiot. Then again Ricordoti ends it on a high note asking Commodore to do one thing for him—punch Adam Foote in the face.

Mike Commodore may quite possibly be the best interview I've ever heard from a pro hockey player. Dude just gets it.

—LTL

Mathieu Schneider: Don't Expect Him to Land with Columbus Unless....

Light the Lamp — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:31:00 -0400

Kevin Allen on USAToday.com just reported that Mathieu Schneider has been put on waivers by the Anaheim Ducks. This was a move so the Ducks could get under the cap and re-sign Teemu Selanne.

Schneider is 39 and has one year left on his deal at 5.75 million dollars.

Forecaster.ca has this to say about Schneider:

ASSETS: Has a great point shot and adds an offensive dimension to any team he plays for. Skates well laterally. Is especially productive on the power play.
FLAWS: Injuries have become a major issue over time, as he appears incapable of staying healthy for the entire season. Can get caught out of position.
CAREER POTENTIAL: Power play quarterback.

Next question, would the Jackets be interested?

The Jackets have the cap room and could certainly use some more PP QB help, but don't exepct them to claim the 39-year-old at that price. They'll roll with what they have for now.

Where it could get really interesting is if nobody claims him and Anaheim runs him back through the waiver wire where teams could get him at half that price. If I'm the Jackets I think pretty hard about that one as Schneider, while older and injury prone, would add some nice offensive pop to the blueline and you're only on the hook for 2.875 million dollars for one year.

Of course adding another d-man to an already crowded blueline would certainly mean Howson would have to move one or two guys out.

-LTL

First impressions

Light the Lamp — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:06:00 -0400

As I mentioned in the previous post I was only able to catch the first period of the Jackets propsect game against the Dallas Stars yesterday, so I wouldn't put a whole lot of stock into my first impressions.

..but its what we do here!

From what I understand the first period was the Jackets best of the night so I probably saw most of the guys at their best during the game.

Jakub Voracek

No question he has the size to be an NHLer. I was actually most impressed with his defensive awareness than I was his offense. He isn't going to be a super flashy player who tries to zig and zag through opponents often losing the puck in the process. Voracek is a guy who sees the ice incredibly well, can carry the puck at high speeds, but is patient and makes accurate tape to tape passes to open players.

He started off a little rocky mis-firing on some plays but later flashed some of that high end skill - especially on the Jackets 3rd goal where he made a nifty cross ice pass to John Hughes that created a nice tic tac toe goal that McGuirk eventually finished off.

Grant Clitsome

My personal favorite from the first period. Dude is just solid as a rock making smart plays all over the ice. Absolutely no panic in his game and I loved his hockey smarts at both ends of the rink. I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the big boys camp.

John Hughes

He certainly stood out offensively making some nifty plays with some quick passes that directly resulted in goals for (he also scored one of his own in the 3rd). This guy completely reminds me of Geoff Platt. He's quick yet undersized guy who went undrafted but certainly has some nice offensive flair to his game. Defensively nothing stood out however. Jackets may have a decision on their hands with him. If the Jackets pass I certainly don't see him sitting "home alone" as someone will scoop him up at least on an AHL deal.

Nik Holden

I'm pretty sure he was paired with Clitsome and I can see why there is some excitement with this guy. Great size, moves pretty well and just has the tools where you think maybe this kid can grow into an NHLer with a year or two of seasoning.

Maksim Mayorov

Looked much better than I thought he would. Made some nice plays but its just the raw talent that really gets you excited about this kid. He's got an NHL body right now and can really move well for a big man. There was one play where he really impressed me with this stamina going real hard at the end of a shift and creating a nice offensive chance.

I think there is quite a bit of work to do in terms of defensive play but this kid is a talent and now that he's here Howson is looking pretty astute in giving up those three 5th round picks to move up and grab this kid in the 4th. He's a bit of a project but brought along the right way look out -- we could have something here.

Matt Calvert

At prospect camp I thought...ehhhh...nothing special. Then again, that was only practices and a scrimmage. What the first period showed me is that this kid excels in game action. Sure he's undersized at 5'9" but he makes an impact out there. He's certainly a few years away but keep your eye out for this kid. He threw up 64 points in 72 games in his first year in the rough and tumble WHL last year so he should only build on that.

Devin Didiomete

Of course one cannot blog about the first period of yesterday's game without mentioned the haymaker delivered by Didiomete on Luke Gazdic one minute into yesterday's contest. I'm not sure Gazdic still knows what planet he's on. Unfortunately Didiomete got tossed for removing his elbow pads.

That's about all I can remember from the contest—well other than the whistle happy stripes calling the game.

Remember the Jackets prospects play their final round robin game today at 2:30 versus the St. Louis Blues. You can view the game preview here and the box score should be available off of this link.

The Blues have some nice prospects on their squad in Berglund, Petriangelo and Oshie. Should be a solid matchup.

I believe the Jackets have to win to advance to a podium game.

Fire away - for those that had a chance to watch did anybody stand out in particular to you?

-LTL

Hitch on NHL Network

Light the Lamp — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:49:00 -0400

I grabbed this off a post from HFBoards but wanted to share here as well to make sure it reached as many eyes as possible.

Hitch was interviewed during the 3rd period of the Jackets-Stars prospect game last night and here is a great summary by a poster named "Iron Mike":

Announcer: Welcome, Hitch, how are you?
Hitch: It's fun watching hockey again.
Ann: Recap your summer.
Hitch: Not so much golf anymore, part marketer, part coach.
Ann: How so
Hitch: Needed to talk with season ticket holders, explain our plan. Believe we have genuine support. Fans in Columbus are a lot like Canadian fans, they like to analyze and critique, very much are football thing. General feeling is that fans are excited for this year.
Ann: How do you deal with tough questions about making the playoffs?
Hitch: Fans want value for their dollar, be honest with them. We weren't deep enough. Needed to change players and change culture.

Ann: Voracek, top six?
Hitch: Hopefully, unsure about durability. Put on 25 lbs from September to September, lost 2% body fat in the same time.
Ideal situation is both Voracek and Brassard in the top six. Voracek has great talent, skill and patience. Looks and plays like a man.

Ann: Highly skilled team on the ice right now, can we except the same in Columbus?
Hitch: Weren't sure what we had here (Traverse City) since we left Filatov (didn't mention injury), mason and first year AHLers (mentioned Dorsett, Sestito and Brassard specifically). So far have been pleasantly surprised by John Hughes, Blair Yaworsky and Matt Calvert ( I have Calvert underlined in my notes and don't remember specifics but Hitch definitely singled him out as someone who has played well).

Ann: LW has been dominant in this game (references the fight that spoon mentioned, Devon Didiomete was ejected for removing his elbow pad before the fight was the given explanation, although he looked to not have had his jersey tied down either, and I didn't see him remove the elbow pad) any other thoughts on Voracek?
Hitch: Very efficient player, understands the nuances of the game.
Ann: He (Voracek) plays a very North-South game.
Hitch: Agreed, he understands speed through the neutral zone, carry the puck and play with speed through the neutral zone. Sets himself up well to pass across the ice or drive the net. Backs the defense off with his speed.

Ann: Thoughts on Dallas prospect James Neal?
Hitch: Not the first time seeing him, he played on a line with Sestito and Boll in juniors (Plymouth). He impressed at Traverse City last year. Dallas has a good future in Neal and Fabian Bruunstrom.

Ann: Spend time with prospects over the summer? (development camp) What direction do you given them?
Hitch: Howson asked the coaches to be on the ice during the development camp. Help them "play the way we want to play, high tempo, all out, whistle-to-whistle. When you play Detroit 8 times, you have a choice, if you don't at least play with the puck a little, you won't have success. We talk to them (prospects) about making plays through the neutral zone, can't always chip or dump the puck. When you play Detroit it's always a challenge and that's how you beat them."

*Voracek to Hughes for a goal*
Ann: Impressions of Voracek so far?
Hitch: Playing well, controlling tempo and the puck, not panicking. Voracek and Brassard give us scorers, something we haven't had, save for Nash, for the last couple years, especially with Modin being out last year. Couldn't come back in games, with Voracek and Brassard believe we have a fighting chance.
Ann: Comebacks are more commonplace these days, than say, 5-10 years ago.
Hitch: no hold-up rule has been effective. If you work, you can go get the puck and there is more play in either the offensive zone or defensive zone, the puck has been taken out of the middle of the ice.

Ann: Playoffs? How much more competitive will the division be compared to last year?
Hitch: Chicago has made big strides last year and in the off season. Nashville will always be competitive with their talented young defense. Detroit is in a class of its own.

Ann: How does the schedule affect your approach?
Hitch: Last year we couldn't beat Nashville, that kept us out of the playoffs, only took 2 points from them all year. only 6 games this year (down from 8 last year) takes some pressure off but division games are still very important. This is a key for this season, "we know we have to be better in our division."

Ann: Shootouts? Will coaches ever be comfortable going into a season, knowing they can score, or is it hit or miss (no one foresaw Edmonton last year).
Hitch: You have to know you have players who can score, we have that now with Nash, Voracek and Brassard. Shootout was not the problem last year, overtime was. Not good 4 on 4, lost too much in OT, must improve in this area.

Ann: What players are you counting on this year?
Hitch: Modin, getting him back is like getting a free player. Excited and curious to see the team with Tyutin, Umberger and Huselius firing on all cylinders. They bring a lot to the team, this is the first time the team is 4 lines deep.

Ann: Talking about first round picks, thoughts on Nash?
Hitch: "He has another gear and I believe he will find it." He's great now, with a chance to be unbelievable, had a great summer, got even bigger and stronger. Klesla is also impressive, found a role as a shut down defenseman who plays against the other teams top players and will only get better.
Ann: How do the new players fit in, Tyutin, Backman and Commodore?
Hitch: Needed Commodore as a player and a personality. Feel Tyutin has great offensive upside, didn't play much on NYR PP, they used Straka at the left point. He will play more in Columbus. Backman plays the right point as a left shot, never had someone to play there. That is one reason he was traded for, we always had to set up on one the left side because we didn't have someone to play the right point.

Ann: Thoughts on Mayorov?
Hitch: He's getting better and more confident, plays a very low lever of hockey last year, lower than Tier II juniors. Has been in Columbus for 5 weeks, benefited greatly, really improved last 2-3 weeks.
Ann: He's a force, fending off defenseman and driving to the net.
Hitch: Has good speed, one step on the defender and he can get to the net. European ice caused him to play outside a lot, but he is learning the North American game.

Ann: Thoughts on fatigue in Traverse City?
Hitch: Lots of special teams play, some players end up playing 25 minutes and some play 7. Tough playing back to backs the first weekend back, barely 24 hours between games.

Ann: Can Leclaire pick up where he left off?
Hitch: Think so, no question he is one of the top goalies in the league. Has the ability to steal games, something we need.

Hitch: We are the unknown team in the West, we have 4 lines who have never played together. Need to work out chemistry. Much depth added, players who played on the 2nd line last year will be on the 4th line this year.

Ann: Was there a point last year where you thought you had a chance to make the playoffs?
Hitch: Yes, (after beating Ottawa, Feb 21, and Montreal, Feb 23) we were three points out but then we traded Fedorov and Foote. Didn't foresee trading Foote, didn't want to trade Foote. Felt the team started to play its best hockey after the trades but weren't deep enough to beat better teams.

Ann: Final thoughts, describe the team in one word.
Hitch: Tempo. We are 4 lines deep with 3 quality defensive pairs. Want to wear teams out and earn wins.

I was able to catch the 1st period over at a buddy's house last night (b/c unfortunately I'm still without power) and will post some of my thoughts a little later today and hope to get some of yours as well.

-LTL

Stars-Blue Jackets: Columbus Loses in Penalty-Filled Nightmare

Light the Lamp — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:07:00 -0400

14 power plays for the Dallas Stars prospects?

I certainly wasn't at the game but I can see the Jackets coaching staff overheating from here. I have a real hard time believe the Jackets prospects were guilty of that many infractions.

The good news is that some of us—well those who still have power, which unfortunately I'm not one of—will get to see this game tonight on NHL Network to assess with their own eyes.

It was depressing to see that even in a prospect tourney, the Jackets PP continued to struggle, converting on just one of eight chances.

The good news though is that by all accounts Jakub Voracek continued to shine, notching two assists. Matt Calvert, the Jackets fifth-round pick this past draft, continued his strong tournament by tallying another goal.

Super Dave over on NHL.com has a nice blog going about the tournament, so definitely check that out.

The Jackets are 1-0-1 in the tourney, and have one more game against St. Louis (who is 0-2) on Tuesday at 2:30. It looks like that loss yesterday all but eliminates them from a chance to win the tournament. With a win over St. Louis it looks like they could still qualify for the third-place game.

Current standings
TEAM W-L-OTL PTS GF GA
Dallas 2-0-0 4 9 7
Minnesota 1-0-1 3 6 6
Columbus 1-1-0 2 8 8
St. Louis 0-2-0 0 5 7

The full box score from yesterday can be found here.

Puck-rakers had an interesting bit about the Jackets medical staff.

Former Columbus defenseman Bryan Berard told the Boston Globe that he required two surgeries on his back while playing in Columbus (2005-07) because doctors “overlooked” a damaged disc during the first operation.

Berard, who’s trying out with the Flyers, played just 55 games during his two seasons with the Jackets.

"I had surgery on the one disk my first year there," Berard told the Globe. "And then when I came back, after the rehab, all the same symptoms came back. Doctors had overlooked the fact two of the disks were injured. So I needed the surgery again, and ended up missing the whole year [save for 11 games] for basically nothing.”

Last season, forward Fredrik Modin struggled with back problems for several months before Los Angeles-based specialist Dr. Robert Watkins determined Modin’s spasms were the result of two fractures.

The fractures were discovered through bone and CT scans.

I know medicine isn't an exact science, but that is certainly some concerning news. At this level, the Jackets can't afford misdiagnosis. Imagine where the Jackets might have been if Modin was healthy last season? 15 more goals in a lot of those close one-goal games could have made a big difference.

Let's hope that ship is righted.

Judging by the poll response, it looks like the NHL has some work to do in getting more subscribers. Only 33 percent (25 votes) say they get the NHL network while 66 percent (50 votes) say they do not get it.

I would assume those who don't get it either don't have it offered to them or are not willing to shell out the extra dough which is completely understandable.

The question is how does the NHL Network up its subscriber count? The obvious answer is to lower the price, or perhaps get in on basic tier. Another is to make sure all providers out there have the ability to offer it.

I can't see the NHL demanding or cable companies offering to put it on basic tiers so I think for now the NHL needs to focus on increasing their footprint and producing better content that will increase demand for the product.

I hope everyone made it through the wind storms okay. My updates on this blog will be less frequent until I get my power back, so please bear with me.

Nikita Filatov Columbus Bound Today?

Light the Lamp — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:50:00 -0400

Nikita Filatov has a new blog entry up. Unfortunately my Russian translation skills aren't quite up to par, but a poster over on HF used Babblefish to get a rough translation and it appears that he will arrive in Toronto, change planes, and then arrive in Columbus later today.

Another poster on HF mentioned that he spoke with Tyler Wright at one of the Chillers and he said that he will be picking up Filatov from the airport.

All I know is that we can all breathe a little easier once this kid touches down in Port Columbus.

I know we all think of him as a young potential superstar who should be excited to get here and start his pro career. However, we need to remind ourselves that he's only 18 and is leaving the familiar surroundings and faces of his native country for the unfamiliar US and Columbus, Ohio. It's certainly not an easy thing to do.

Still, I'll be pumped to get him here, and I can't wait to see him in action. A big question I think everyone has is just how good is this kid and where does he play this coming season?

Looks like we'll find out soon!

As a reader pointed out, Puck-rakers has just posted the following regarding Filatov's travel plans. He's expected to arrive in Toronto tonight between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. After a night in TO, he'll fly to Columbus tomorrow afternoon, arriving around 3:30 pm.

Apparently he is flying solo and his mom will meet him in Columbus in a month's time.

Welcome to Columbus, Nikita! Hope you didn't forget your skates!

A reader also pointed out this article from Terry Frei over on ESPN regarding NHL ticket prices and how they are quickly spinning out of control.

As an individual, you're a bad hockey fan if you now can't justify paying $7,000 for two decent season tickets? As a company, you're miserly if you cut back from eight tickets to two? No. You're prioritizing.

The stunning thing about all this is not that there are many empty seats at NHL games, but that there aren't more. Fans maintain interest, but instead watch more games in front of the big-screen sets.

Winning still creates demand, but the price of tickets lessens the margin for error. Exoduses have a way of gaining momentum. The fewer season-ticket holders, the less incentive there is to buy season tickets, even for decent teams. And the slide is difficult to stop.

Ticket prices keep going up, in part to keep up with the payroll demands created by the rising cap, which includes a floor and also pressures to at least get in a "competitive" payroll realm. And the cap goes up in part due to the additional revenue generated by the increased ticket prices. And...

Or is it the other way around?

The following is a grab bag of apples (dollar figures) and oranges (percentages), but it gives you an idea. The Los Angeles Kings raised prices roughly five to 16 percent. Colorado's prices went up roughly $3 per ticket. For example, a corner loge seat went from $91 to $94.

A similar seat costs about 15 percent less at Columbus, but Blue Jackets fans are up in arms over an increase.

Unless the NHL becomes a very TV friendly sport in the US and attracts those hefty network dollars, the NHL is and will always be a gate driven league.

Frei makes some good points though, asking when enough is enough. At what point are you pricing your heart-and-soul fans out of seeing your product live—which most people will tell you is the real beauty and hook of this game.

I'm not sure how they can do it, but the league must somehow find a way to cap ticket prices and start focusing on new revenue streams. Games have to be affordable in this league—no ifs ands or butts—it's a must.

For me, what will be really interesting is to see what happens to the cap and ticket prices once the Canadian dollar starts to level off or even declines in value.

I think, like many others out there, that this is a huge reason why the league has seen the bottom line growth that it has. And this, I think, has somewhat camouflaged these big jumps in the upper cap limits these past few seasons.

-LTL

Columbus Blue Jackets Notes: Is Nikita Filatov Finally Coming to North America?

Light the Lamp — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:53:00 -0400

First up a reader pointed out in the comments of another post that according to Nikita Filatov's blog he is planning on arriving in North America between September 7-9 to prepare for camp.

I think I express the thoughts of many out there when I say I'll believe it when I see it. I know this kid's story about his commitment to the NHL has stayed the same since the draft—but color me skeptical until his butt is firmly planted in central Ohio.

It just seems this date keeps getting pushed and pushed. At first it was August, then it was as soon as he got his visa, and now its just a few days before rookie camp begins.

I want to believe in this kid—I really do—but with all that's going on with the KHL and hockey in Russia, and the sting that remains from guys like Svitov, bolting I'm going to wait until he shows before breathing a sigh of relief.

In other CBJ related news, Lindsay Kramer has done a fantastic job of covering the dispute between the Crunch and Onondaga County Legislature on a $9.1 million package to refurbish the War Memorial—the oldest arena in the AHL. Unfortunately the crowning jewel of the package—a new $750,000 scoreboard—was left out.

Crunch owner Howard Dolgon's response: "I think it's another band-aid,'' he said. "It's more duct tape. It's business as usual.''

"We've been good soldiers,'' Dolgon said. "What more can we do to show them we are here to stay long term? But it's been a one-way commitment for too long.''

When asked about the possibility of moving the team:

"I don't think we need to make inquiries,'' he said. "People follow this. There are a lot of empty buildings in bigger markets that would throw a party to get us.''

Kramer goes on to speculate that markets like Florida, Brooklyn, Oklahoma City and Kansas City could come calling.

Kramer has a follow up entry here with even more quotes.

From the perspective of an outsider looking in, the Crunch have played in Syracuse since 1994. Their owner seems genuine and is not asking for the world.

Furthermore, it appears the scoreboard has been in the works since the last lease was signed—and although it was not "guaranteed" in the lease's verbiage, it sure appears that it was the way all parties were steering.

It will be interesting to follow how this story develops. Dolgon may be forced to use the only hammer he's got, and that's to listen to other offers from interested cities. With only a year to go on the lease, I'm sure there will be some folks out there willing to finance the Crunch breaking it.

At the end of the day, this whole thing doesn't seem to be on the owner or the fans, as both have supported one another. The problem is the facilities, and the commitment by the city to improving them.

I've got to feel for the Crunch, as no matter what sport you choose to support, nobody wants their team to move.

Let hops both parties can get something worked out.

Be sure to check out NHL.com's preview of the Jackets here. A teaser:

The key word in Columbus this season is depth, which is something the Blue Jackets have never really had until now.

They have depth up front with the potential of 15 or more NHL-ready forwards. They have depth on the back end with eight or nine NHL-ready defenseman. They have depth in goal with a true No. 1 backed by a veteran and an up-and-comer.

Will it translate into the organization's first playoff berth? That's still unknown, but coach Ken Hitchcock believes Columbus is closer than it's ever been and it's finally fair to put some lofty expectations on his revamped club.

"As coaches we all get excited because it's a new year, but the players know when you're legitimately competitive or not, and the players we have coming back know exactly what we have done and they are really jacked up," Hitchcock told NHL.com. "They see this as the best team in the existence of the franchise and they are excited because they see this as a legit opportunity to get to the dance."

There are also new articles on Filatov and Goloubef.

10 Questions for the Columbus Blue Jackets Heading into Camp

Light the Lamp — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:44:00 -0400

With September upon us and camp less than 11 days away, I figured it was a good time to list a few burning questions that I have headed into camp:

1. Can Derick Brassard hold down a top-six center position, and make an impact?

2. With Christian Backman likely to be our No. 1 power-play quarterback—at least until Russell is ready for that role—will he be able to get the job done, and help improve last year's bottom-ranked power play?

3. Will the other Kristian (Huselius) find chemistry with Rick Nash, and live up to his big UFA contract?

4. Can RJ Umberger become the No. 1 center the Jackets desperately need?

5. Have enough changes been made to the Jackets offense—both in forwards and on defense—to propel the team to a playoff-caliber goal total?

6. Can Pascal Leclaire stay healthy, and maintain his early 2007-08 form?

7. What about the other two blue-chip rookie talents, Voracek and Filatov? How will they do in camp, and where do they end up come opening night?

8. Can Freddy Modin bounce back from an injury-riddled 2007-08 season? Same with Raffi Torres.

9. How quickly can Hitch find chemistry, with so many new faces in the lineup?

10. Can the Jackets make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history?

Many of these we'll have to wait until the season unfolds to find out—but I like these questions and the names that need to answer them much more than the questions and names of year's past.

What questions do you have heading into camp?

John McConnell: "No Guarantees" on Blue Jackets Staying in Columbus

Light the Lamp — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:11:00 -0400

In case you missed, it the Dispatch had a Q&A session with the Jackets' new majority owner, John P. McConnell.

There were the typical break-the-ice questions on how the team is progressing, what kind of owner he will be, and how he has been dealing with the loss of his dad and business pioneer John H. McConnell.

After that, though, Portzline hits the good stuff—is he going to sell this franchise or not?

Q: What assurances can you offer fans that the club won't be moved or sold?

A: I can tell them that we bought the team to have it here in Columbus. We're dedicated to keeping it in Columbus. But I can't offer guarantees. I am reasonably comfortable that we'll be here for a long time. Certainly, every fiber of what we try to do is to fulfill that original thought. My father worked on various sports commissions for probably 35 years to get a pro team for this town. It was one of his dreams. Now, sometimes in life you have to do what you have to do, but I would consider it a personal defeat if we ended up in that situation.

Q: Did you make any promises to your father that the club wouldn't be moved?

A: No. For one, he would never do such a thing. Over the last year, we never got into any discussion with the club other than "what do we do to get this team to the other level?"

I give John P. a lot of credit for being frank and not blowing smoke. As a fan, it's not exactly what I wanted to hear—but I do appreciate the honesty.

From an outside point of view, I think the big difference here is going to be that John H. viewed this team as a gift to the city of Columbus—a way to give back to a city that had given so much to him. John P., on the other hand, is going to view this team as a business—and if the team continues to hemorrhage millions, then he may get out.

Whether or not that means he and the other owners would just sell it to an investor(s) who would keep the team here or relocate it is a very good question.

The bottom line right now though is I think everyone, including the owners, want to see what kind of support a winning hockey team generates in this market. I don't care if you're the Ohio State Buckeyes football team—if you have seven straight losing seasons, fan interest is going to collapse.

As I've stated before, if this team starts winning and fans support continues to dwindle, then that is the point I really begin to worry about the viability of pro hockey in this market.

That was another fantastic read by the boys at the Dispatch though. Nice work again fellas!

CNNSI.com's Allan Muir thinks Mike Commodore will be one of the UFAs most likely to bust this offseason:

4. Mike Commodore (five years, $18.75 million)

Go ahead. Roll those numbers around a bit, see if you can figure out exactly what the Blue Jackets hope to get from a deal that essentially makes a No. 1 blueliner out a guy who's better known for a wheels-off hairdo and wearing housecoats than for anything he's done on the ice. It's not just the nearly $4 million per year -- the fourth-highest salary on the team -- but the term. This is the sort of deal that will hamstring Columbus GM Scott Howson when he gets serious about building a playoff-worthy defense.

We get it Allan—the Jackets overpaid for Commodore. Oddly enough, four out of his top five selections are D-men. Translation—there is a huge premium that is paid for D-men in unrestricted free agency.

The Jackets did overpay—I don't think anyone questions that. Heck, Commodore has even admitted he got a very nice contract.

If he's looking for Commodore to put up great offensive numbers, QB a power play and eat 30 minutes playing in all situations—then yes, he will be a bust in his eyes.

However, if you're looking for Commodore to be a shutdown D-man, play tough minutes against the opponent's best players, chip in a little offensively, be a leader on and off the ice, and stand up for teammates—which exactly the role I see Hitch using him i—then the Jackets will get what they expected when they dished out that contract.

For the record, both Ron Hainsey and the Jackets No. 1 target Wade Redden were ranked higher than Commodore.

And where in the heck is Jeff Finger? Are you kidding me? This guy has played one year of pro hockey and doesn't make this list with the contract he got? Erroneous!

I love Nikita's blog (I mean, who doesn't like bloggers *har har*) but I think the latest development of Howson pulling the plug on him playing exhibition games for CSKA-2 was a direct result of the Jackets' blue chipper posting that he was playing on his blog.

"We knew (Filatov) was working out with the (Russian) team, but we were not aware he was playing," Howson said. "When we became aware of it (last week), we asked him to stop and he said he would."

If you recall last season the news that Alexander Svitov was "working out" with a Russian team also came out around this time. Unfortunately for the Jackets he ended up staying in Russia despite signing a two year contract extension with the team.

The good news is that Filatov didn't seem to have a problem with the request.

I know we've all heard time and time again that Filatov has every intention of coming stateside—but until his butt is over here I will continue to have some doubt. Burn me once...

USAToday's Kevin Allen picks his preseason top 16 in his blog—and unfortunately, the Jackets aren't in it. His West picks are led by the usual suspects in Detroit, San Jose, Dallas, and Anaheim. He's also got Calgary and Chicago in the mix.

The good news is that eight teams go to the playoffs in each conference and he only ranked six in his top 16. That tells me one thing—after the top three or four teams in the west, it's going to be a dogfight the entire year for those remaining spots/ I think both Calgary and Chicago are far from locks this season.

Eric over at Hockeybuzz.com has a great Q&A session with Jackets Vice President of Marketing Marc Gregory.

A couple of interesting tidbits here. He learned that the Jackets would retain the "Carry the Flag," and that there would be no third jersey introduced this season, as the Jackets would like their new jersey to continue to build in identification—which makes sense.

He also had this to say about a Mr. Mac tribute:

"Yes, we will. We will be having a tribute on opening night before the start of the game. There will also be a commemorative patch that will be worn on the jersey this year as well as the same design of the patch will be put into the ice this year. We are doing the patch and the design in the ice to honor Mr. McConnell all year long."

Something else he learned was that the cannon would be featured on the season tickets this year.

Columbus Blue Jackets Quick Hits

Light the Lamp — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:10:00 -0400

Just a quickie today, but there is a short interview up over at THN.com with Rick Nash:

THN.com: It has been a busy offseason for the Jackets, adding players such as Kristian Huselius and R.J. Umberger. What’s your take on your team’s moves this summer?

RN: It’s been good. We added a lot of depth to our team and a lot of strength. It should be good, we got some scoring up front. I guess you’ll never really know until the season starts and you see how guys gel together, but on paper it looks pretty good.

Also, a buddy of mine sent me over this link to a preview of NHL2K9 with our boy on the cover. Check it out here.

For me I'll be buying the NHL2K9 game on the Wii, and then the EA game on the Xbox. That should cover all my bases.

Crunch blogger Lindsay Kramer talks about Shane Willis, who is invited to camp on a PTO:

One of the forwards invited on a tryout deal is Shane Willis, 31. He's a legit, proven AHL scorer, posting 20 goals and 23 assists in just 43 games for Albany two seasons ago. He's also played 174 NHL games. With the team's depth at center, he'd look pretty sweet at wing.

There's a couple of catches, though. He missed all but one game last season with a neck injury. And there's no guarantee if he doesn't make Columbus that the Blue Jackets would sign him for the Crunch.

"He's a proven AHL commodity. We're going to have a look and see how he does,'' said Columbus assistant GM Chris MacFarland. "It's simply an opportunity for us to see Shane and see where he is. Where it goes from there is wide open.''

Hey, the more depth, the merrier!

Also, I guess the Jackets have an ECHL affiliate change. According to Puck-rakers, the Elmira Jackals are out and the Johnstown Chiefs are in.

Cool logo!

-LTL

Columbus Blue Jackets Fantasy Predictions for 2008-09

Light the Lamp — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:07:00 -0400

Well, I gave you my predictions a while back, but ESPN has just released their fantasty predictions and it's a definitely worth a read.

Here is what they had to say about a few prominant Jackets:

Rick Nash
2008 Statistics 38 31 2 10 95 329 20:29
2009 Projections 34 30 1 10 83 278 20:55
2009 Outlook: His skill evident by just watching one highlight from last season (“the goal”), the question with Nash will be whether the team is finally getting the right puzzle pieces to put next to him. With David Vyborny, Sergei Fedorov and Nikolai Zherdev all gone, Kristian Huselius, R.J. Umberger and one of three possible rookies will try to find chemistry with Nash. The uncertainty of his new cohorts aside, what makes Nash a top fantasy player now is that the days of being minus-35 in Columbus are gone. Nash will shoot the puck like a madman and score a lot of the time regardless of who plays next to him, and the intriguing possibility of his finding chemistry with a new linemate gives him upside to boot.

Kristian Huselius
2008 Statistics 25 41 10 6 40 202 18:42
2009 Projections 25 37 -1 8 37 178 17:12
2009 Outlook: Huselius was pretty darn impressive the last two seasons as Jarome Iginla's partner in crime, but what of the switch to Columbus? Well, the first problem is that Huselius and Rick Nash are both natural left wingers. Chemistry with Nash and Iginla is also a very different story. Both play physical, but Iginla can adapt his game to suit those around him, whereas Nash is a one-man show who just needs a couple spotters. Huselius could fare well as a Blue Jacket, but were not comfortable with putting him as a lock for 60 points.

Nikita Filatov
2008 Statistics -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2009 Projections 21 24 -6 7 64 241 14:00
2009 Outlook: We have Filatov projected for 21 goals and 24 assists but, frankly, he has the skill to double that. By next season he should be a fantasy staple, but for this year he should be approached with nothing more than a hopeful eye. Filatov, if he even makes the team out of camp, will have to jostle with fellow rookies Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek for significant minutes and it could be well after midseason before any of them find consistency. In fact, Brassard and Voracek would have better fantasy value this season if Filatov is sent to the junior ranks or the AHL to hone his game.

R.J. Umberger
2008 Statistics 13 37 0 4 19 173 18:52
2009 Projections 20 33 -7 5 24 214 16:18
2009 Outlook: If nothing else, Umberger showed us last season that he has something against the Montreal Canadiens. Actually, his eight goals in their five-game playoff series showed us and the Blue Jackets a little more than that. Columbus traded for him to be an option as their No. 1 center. That means a chance to play with Rick Nash. That means he needs to be drafted in most formats as a No. 4 fantasy center.

Kris Russell
2008 Statistics 2 8 -12 1 14 90 15:47
2009 Projections 9 34 -7 6 35 175 15:47
2009 Outlook: You are taking a risk with Russell, but the prolific WHL scorer has the opportunity and talent to put together a season worthy of a No. 2 defenseman, even though you draft him as a bench pick. His rookie season was quite ho-hum, as he posted just 10 points in 67 games, but in his last season with Medicine Hat, Russell logged 32 goals and 69 points. He was the CHL’s player of the year in 2007 and the WHL’s defenseman of the year in 2006 and 2007. The sleeper potential with Russell as power-play quarterback for the Blue Jackets, is enormous.

Its really interesting to me to read, from folks who follow the team from a distance, the confidence they have in Filatov. I know everyone likes the newest toy—but Voracek and Brassard seem to be afterthoughts to some of these folks. Perhaps Filatov is that good?

Other than that, though, a very good read . I love writers who actually justify why they have chosen, even though I may not agree with all of it.

For more breakdowns on Leclaire, Mason, Peca, Voracek, Brassard, and Modin, follow this link.

-LTL

Richard Matvichuk Invited to Columbus Blue Jackets' Training Camp

Light the Lamp — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:12:00 -0400

Apparently Scott Howson still isn't satisfied with his defensive depth.

According to Puck-rakers, he's signed 35-year-old defensemen Ricahrd Matvichuk to a pro try-out contract.

As Puck-rakers mentions, Matvichuk is no stranger to coach Ken Hitchcock. He played under him in Dallas from '98 to 2000, which included his Cup-winning year.

Matvichuk is your classic, slow-prodding, stay-at-home D-man who will sacrafice any part of his body to keep the puck out of his net. The Devils didn't see a fit for him, so they let him play out his contract in the minors. If he couldn't cut it at this point in his career in that defensive system, why would he be able to under Hitch?

According to some Devils fans, head coach Brent Sutter was hoping to change to a more uptempo style and decided Matvichuk wouldn't compliment it. After mixed results Sutter, quickly reverted back to the dump-and-chase—but Matvichuk was still on the outside looking in, due to the amount of defensemen ahead of him.

But at this point, why not, right? Similar to Joel Bouchard last season, if Matvichuk can step in and earn a spot, so be it. It won't be easy though—not with all of the defensemen in the mix now. It will be interesting to see if Matvichuk will be willing to accept a two-way if he doesn't make the team in camp.

Hey the more competition the better—it should raise everyone's level of play.

Lets do another quick run down of what our defensive depth looks like:

Locks: Commodore, Tyutin, Hejda, Klesla, Backman

Likely: Russell, Tollefsen

In the mix: Matvichuk, Rome, Methot, Clitsome, Sigalet, Holden, Wilson

Puck-rakers also has this interesting nugget on Tollefsen:

Brennan spoke earlier this week to Jackets defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, who remains in Norway. Tollefsen said he is “100 percent” healthy and ready to go for camp after having surgery in April to repair a cracked vertebra in his neck. Tollefsen sustained a neck injury last preseason when he was hit from behind in an exhibition game. Tollefsen tried to gut it out, playing 51 regular-season games, but acknowledged the injury affected feeling in his arms and hands.

Thinking back to last season, it's hard to imagine that Tolly played with those injuries. I mean he still fought, he hit, he took sucker punches—remember those games against Phoenix?—and he battled every game every shift. He's one tough dude.

The Dispatch steps up yet again. Today Tom Reed has an absolutely fantastic read on Steve Mason and the challenges that he and his family have faced this offseason.

Did you know that that there have been 24 buyouts this summer? In fact, the Jackets have the lowest one on the books—Filip Novak at $83,000 dollars. I didn't even know Novak was bought out.

TheHockeyNews.com thinks Gilbert Brule could be a next "Olli Jokinen"—a guy that was labeled a bust early on but later went on to develop into a star after threee NHL stops:

The sky was the limit for Brule after he was taken sixth overall by Columbus in 2005. He made the Blue Jackets out of training camp, but then sustained two serious injuries that limited him to just 34 games (seven in the NHL).

Brule had no business being in the NHL at 18 years old and his fast-tracking clearly stalled his development. Columbus kept him again as a 19-year-old and he didn’t even play 11 minutes a game en route to a 19-point season. Things got even worse in 2007-08 and this summer he was traded to Edmonton.

Still just 21, Brule is eager for a fresh start in a new environment. He unquestionably has the speed and skill to develop into a producer who can play on the top two lines. It might not happen this season, but it’s far too early to throw him out with the bath water.

Certainly Brule could be one of those guys and there is aboslutely no question the likes of MacLean and co. rushed him into the lineup. It certainly wasn't going to happen in Columbus—but who's to say it will it happen in Edmonton?

Their top six—heck, their top 9nine—looks pretty set with the likes of Horcoff, Hemsky, Penner, Cole, Cogliano, Gagner, Nilsson, Pouliot and Mareau.

Brule could easily find himself with fourth line minutes again as an Oiler—or he could use the change of scenery as a fresh start and play himself right up into the top nine of that team. It's in his hands and he'll have some good young players to work with.

I wish him luck, just not against Columbus.

No third jerseys for the Columbus Blue Jackets?

Light the Lamp — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:53:00 -0400

Just read an interesting article over on Hockeybuzz from Howard Berger. He lists all the teams that he knows will introduce third jerseys next season—and surprise, the Jackets are not on the list.

Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, the New York Islanders, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Toronto, and Vancouver are all confirmed to be introducing a third jersey this coming season

That is 18 of the league's 30 teams.

Perhaps Columbus won't introduce one this year—which would surprise me, given the success of their previous third jersey and the extra revenue it would generate.

Perhaps they want to wait a year to give their new design and logo more time to "brand." Perhaps they are keeping their third-jersey plans closely guarded.

If and when they do introduce a new third jerset, it's going to be real hard to top the new design they introduced last year—which to me, was equivalent to knocking it out of the par

If they were to introduce one, using their civil war hat shoulder logo as a primary on the third wouldn't be a bad way to go. Or they just may come up with a new design alogether—cannon anyone?

Here is a concept logo design I found from this site:

Discuss: Do you think the Jackets should introduce a third jersey this season?

NHL Cap Casualties Part II, and What It Could Mean For The Jackets

Light the Lamp — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:33:00 -0400

A couple of days ago we looked at teams at or above the cap. Today lets take a look at team right below it.

What's different here of course is that these teams may be very comfortable where they are at salary wise and don't have to make any moves. Still with injuries and call ups there isn't a whole lot of wiggle room to play with here.

When things may get real interesting for these teams is actually when the season starts and if one of em stumbles they won't have a whole lot of room to make any moves thus salary dumps may be needed to shake things up.

San Jose Sharks - 55.326 mil
Situation:
Interesting that the Sharks were one of the three teams last year to make the post-season who weren't in the top half of the league in spending. With the additions of Dan Boyle at 6 mil and Rob Blake at 5 mil which add to guys like Thornton (7.2), Marleau (6.3) and Nabokov (5.5) that has certainly changed.

Marleau of course was rumored to be on the move before his NTC (no trade clause) kicked in as it wasn't expected that the Sharks would spend this high. After the loss of Brian Campbell that did not happen and apparently ownership gave them the green light to spend more this summer. Should the Sharks need to cut back salary there are a player or two that could be moved.

Players who may get dumped:
Kyle McLaren seems to be a name that is tossed around most in San Jose circles. McLaren is a 31 year old defensemen slated to make 2.5 mil this season before becoming a UFA. He's a big rugged defensemen who can level some bone jarring hits (think Trevor Letowski a few years back) but isn't going to give you much offensively.

He's also been battling some injuries the last couple of season only getting in 61 and 67 games. He's a guy who would have some value on the market and with the additions of Boyle/Blake/Lukowich could find himself the odd man out in SJ.

Jonathan Cheechoo. After signing his big sweetheart deal that concluded his 93 point rocket richard winning season Cheechoo has seen his production dip the past two seasons. He scored 67 points two years ago and just 37 this past year.

He's on the books for 3 more years at 3, 3.5 & 3.5. If his game doesn't pick back up this season Sharks GM Doug Wilson may look to dump him but if he's only putting up 37 points playing next to guys like Marleau and Thornton then what will he do elsewhere?

Partrick Marleau. Yes I know he's got an NTC but hear me out. If things continue to sour for him in SJ (unlikely now that they brought in a new coach) it may be in both the team and the player's interest to pursue a change of scenery. I certainly don't see this playing out this offseason but I wouldn't rule it out mid-season should the team or Marleau struggle.

Jackets interest:
Unfortunately in both McLaren and Cheechoo the Jackets have enough of those kinds of players. They have shutdown d-men and they have wingers who need centers to get them the puck. Should Marleau become available depending on how Brassard is coming along I could most certainly see the Jackets jumping back into those discussions.

The difference this time however would be that Marleau would have to waive his NTC to come here? Depending on how the Jackets are fairing in the standings who knows how that could play out.

New Jersey Devils - 55.056 mil
Situation:
Looking over the numbers this one surprised me a bit. I know Elias and Brodeur eat up quite a bit of salary and Brian Rolston was signed to a nice deal this offseason but off the top of my head I couldn't place where all the rest of the dough was going.

Looking over their numbers its because there is a just a big group of guys in that 2 to 4 million ranges -- Gionta, Zubrus, Parise, Madden, Langenbrunner, Holik, Pandolfo, Martin, White and Salvador and all make 2.5 mil or more. Lou is certainly spreading the wealth.

Players that may get dumped:
Brian Gionta's name seems to pop up the most here. The 29 year old right wing is scheduled to make 4 mil this season and will then be a UFA. Similar to Cheechoo, Gionta had a monster season a couple of years ago scoring 48g for 89p and then signed a nice 3 year 12 million dollar deal. Since then his point totals have slipped to 45 and 53. If the Devils need to create some elbow room under the cap Gionta may be the devil domino to fall.

John Madden is really the only other guy on this roster I could see the Devils parting with. Problem with Madden is that he put up his best season last year notching 20g for 43 points. He's 35 and will be unrestricted next season.

Its hard to see the Devils parting with Madden who has been there seemingly forever but if they don't see him in their future plans because of money, age or whatever then they could opt to move him.

Jackets interest:
Is there much more of a "Hitch" type player than John Madden? Hard nosed, gives100% every night, a leader, a playoff performer, good in all 3 zones and can chip on the score sheet? This guy plays the game the right way every night. Problem is he's an ideal 3rd line checking center and we have those.

He's the kind of guy you find a place for. Gionta is an undersized winger who is feisty and has a nose for the net. Tough call on him but given the fact Howson is building a team to be big and competitive I don't think he'd make a play for Gionta even if the Jackets find their offense struggling -- he just doesn't fit the mold of the team they are trying to build.

Edmonton Oilers - 54.313 mil
Situation:
Ah remember the good ole days when the Oilers were considered small market and couldn't afford to keep their star players (a.k.a Weight, Arnott, Marchant, Guerin) -- my how those days have changed. With the Canadian dollar soaring, hockey still and always the dominate sport north of the boarder and new ownership very willing to open the pocketbook the Oil have seemingly struck Oil in their payroll.

They've got 16.75 mil locked up in 3 defensemen named Visnovsky, Souray & Gilbert. They've got 15.45 mil locked up in 4 forwards named Penner, Hemsky, Cole & Horcoff. In fact Horcoff is scheduled to make 7 mil alone next season under the terms of his new contract. Times are good in Alberta. I think Lowe is happy with his roster and payroll but should the Oil stumble however who may be chopped?

Players who may get dumped:
Eric Cole is a guy whose just got traded and is slated to make 4 mil before he becomes a UFA. If he struggles to find chemistry and shows he's unhappy as an Oiler he's a guy that could easily be moved. In fact I will go out on a limb and say that I would be very surprised if Cole finished this season as an Oiler -- I just don't see a very good fit.

I know they just signed him last year but Sheldon Souray at 6.25 million this year and then 5.5, 4.5 and 4.5 the next 3 years really stands out. If the Oil struggle I would have to think Souray is a guy they'd try to move. The problem is that Souray's contract is damn near immovable.

Jackets interest:
I think there would be a lot of people who would want an Eric Cole - especially for a playoff run. With Howson's relationship with Edmonton (he's made two trades already) anything could happen. Again though Cole is a winger who needs someone to get him the puck - something we have a lot of. If injuries occur then who knows. As far a Souray -- nothing to see here -- not with that albatross contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins - 54.061
Situation:
Two words: Crosby Malkin. Although the good news for Pittsburgh is that Malkin's big payday won't kick in til next season which at that point the Pens will have 18 million tied up in 2 franchise centers. For now though Crosby is the high man on the totem pole making 9 mil next season. Gonchar is at 6 mil while Fleury is at 5.

They have a couple of other d-men and a forward in Whitney, Oprik and Satan who are at 3+ and a few other players in that 2+ range. With missing out on Hossa the Pens added wingers Satan and Fedotenko and locked up Orpik. They are pretty comfortable with the salary situation especially given that they have a new stadium and all its new revenues coming next season. If they did want to trim back some salary there are a couple of options.

Players who may get dumped:
Daryl Sydor. Former Jacket Sydor is a 36 year old d-man slated to make 2.5 mil this season. He's seen his playing time decrease significantly and cap or no cap I think the Pens would love to shed this guy and his salary.

At this point he carries almost negative value on the trade market due that contract and level of play. It wouldn't surprise me if he's waived at some point but the Pens may also hold onto him for depth or try to dump him at the deadline.

Hal Gill. I actually thought he played really well in the playoffs and I don't think the Pens would move him. Still he's 33 with only 1 year left on his deal at 2.1 mil. If he struggles or a young d-man steps up for cheaper he could be trade bait.

Jackets interest:
Hitch has experience with Sydor and I know they tried to land him last offseason but he chose Pittsburgh. At this point in his career I doubt the Jackets would have much interest. Gill is a hulking shutdown d-man - again a guy we have lots of. I see both of these guys more as trade deadline additions than early season salary dumps if they get moved at all with the Jackets as unlikely destinations.

There you have it. With this group there is a lot less pressure to move anyone as they are under the cap. The pressure would come from slow starts, injuries or management rolling back their budgets. I wouldn't expect any of these teams to make any major moves to trim salary until camp or into the regular season.

Discuss - anything of interest here?

-LTL

Five NHL Teams that Could Become Salary Cap Casualties

Light the Lamp — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:33:00 -0400

With all the talk about adding another top-six forward to the CBJ coffers, at the suggestion of a reader I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the teams that are just at or above the cap. These are teams that perhaps the Jackets could take advantage of in terms of adding another roster player to their group.

Before getting to the teams, one must keep in mind that even though the Jackets are some $8 to $9 million below the cap limit—assuming Lelclaire gets signed for around $4 million a year—it does not mean the Jackets will spend that much.

Of course teams above the salary cap will be looking to dump salary, probably older players who no longer fit their short or long term plans. Thus, the Jackets would have to be willing to not only take on even more salary but do so with an older player.

Lets take a look at the teams above or at the cap and just who may come available in a salary dump. I've taken these numbers from nhlnumbers.com.

Please keep in mind this is not a 100 percent accurate picture of each team. As I was glancing over some of their numbers for some of these cap teams, they haven't taken into consideration some buyouts, for instance. Still its a good source to generate some discussion.

As we discuss each team remember the following:

Upper limit: $56.7 million
Lower limit: $40.7 million
Teams can be over the cap until the start of the season

Teams above the cap

Philadelphia Flyers: $60.592 million

The Flyers continue to spend, spend, spend. They have two players making $8 million this year in Briere and Timonen. They have three making over $5 million in Richards, Carter, and Gagne. They have three more making over $3.5 million—Hather, Rathje, and Biron.

This doesn't even include Lupul's new contract at $4.25 million per year, which kicks in next season. Holmgren must have a plan to shed some salary—and chances are it starts on defense.

Players who may get dumped

Kevin Hatcher is in the final year of his contract, and rumor has it that the Flyers would like to see him retire to free up his $3.5 million—that or put him on the extended IR. I wouldn't count on Hatcher doing any of it, so Holmgren may have no other choice but to put him on waivers, as I don't see teams lining up to take on his age (36) and contract.

Mike Rathje is another guy who, at 34, is a guy the Flyers could try to dump. Unlike Hatcher, he's got two years left on his deal, at $3.5 million per year. I don't see any teams touching that—so again, it may be a case of waivers or looking towards other options.

Simon Gagne is another player who is taking a big piece of that cap up with his $5.25 million. Gagner is a great player when healthy. The problem is his concussions—he only played in 25 games last season. Gagne could generate some interest out there, but with three years left on his deal at $5.25 million a season, he's a big risk for teams to take.

Mike Knuble has one year left on his $2.8 million dollar deal. He's 36 and scored 29 goals for 55 points last year. He's certainly a guy Holmgren shouldn't have much problem moving for a team looking for another scoring winger. Again, though, I don't see him bringing a whole lot in return.

Scottie Upshall is a 24-year-old right winger scheduled to make $1.25 mil next season. Upshall, a sixth-overall pick back in 2002, has never quite lived up to his draft status. He notched 14 goals and 16 assists last season. He's another guy teams would be interested in—but the Flyers are going to have to shed more than $1.25 million to get them under the cap.

Columbus Blue Jackets interest

Hatcher, Rathje, and Gagne I don't see happening due to various reason like salary, age, and injury history. Knuble is a long shot, that I could only see getting if the Jackets lose one of their current top-six wingers to a season-ending injury.

Upshall is a guy who would fit in the corps of the Jackets nicely, but at this point in his career he's more of a bottom-six guy—whom we have plenty of.

Chicago Blackhawks: $59.208 million

When you have $12.375 million tied up in two goaltenders, you're going to have cap problems. Simply put, one is going to have to go—and considering the 'Hawks just inked Huet to a shiny, four-year deal, that odd man out could be Khabibulin, and his $6.75 million salary. The question is, who if anyone is willing to take that contract on, if even for just a year? And if they keep Habby, are there other options?

Players who may get dumped

As mentioned, Khabibulin seems to be the obvious choice here. Howerver there a couple of others..

Martin Havlat is a very dynamic player when healthy. Unfortunately, that almost never occurs. In the past three seasons combined, he's only played in 109 games—the most coming in 2006 when he got in 56. At $6 million a year, that just ain't going to cut it—and if the 'Hawks can cut him lose they almost certainly will.

Robert Lang was signed as a stop-gap until some of their young studs were ready. With both Kane and Toews steamrolling onto the scene last year, Lang's role has been reduced in the Windy City. With only one year left on his deal at $4 million, he could be on the move.

Columbus Blue Jackets interest

None of the above. Columbus is happy with their goaltending. They won't take the chance on Havlat, as I think he falls into that "cheap skill" category of players that Howson will stay away from.

Lang is the only guy who may have an outside shot—but I think Brassard would have to really crash and burn and Howson would have to have a lot of other doors close on him before he looks Lang's way.

Boston Bruins: $58.299 million

With the recent signing of Denis Wideman to a four-year deal worth close to $16 million, the Bruins are over the cap by a couple of million. Looking at the Bruins roster they have three players making over $5 million—Chara, Savard, and Bergeron.

Four players are at or over $4 million—Murray, Fernandez, Ryder, and Wideman.

The biggest problem for the Bruins is injury. Both Bergeron and Fernandez spent the majority of last year on IR. If those two are ready to go, Boston will need to trim some salary.

Players who may get dumped

Glen Murray. He's a 35-year-old right winger who has one year left on his deal at $4.15 million. Murray had a tough year last year with injuries and only notched 17 goals in 63 games. He's had injury problems the last three years.

I can definitely see the Bruins wanting to move in another direction, especially since they signed Ryder to such a rich deal this offseason—but they may find it difficult to do so, even as a salary dump. If they get desperate, waivers is also an option.

Peter Schaefer is a 31-year-old left wing who had a very disappointing year last season for the B's, only notching 9 goals for 26 points. He's got two years left on his deal at $2.3 million per year. If the B's can't move Murray, Schaefer is next in line.

PJ Axelsson is a 33-year-old left winger who has one year left on his deal at $1.85 million. He's a untility guy who won't put up big numbers, but he's reliable and good for about 25 points a season.

A team looking for a good two-way third liner who can kill penalties may have an interest. I think the B's would rather move other players, but if they are forced to lose a couple of million to get under the cap, this guy could be gone.

Columbus Blue Jackets interest

I don't see any interest in Murray or Schaefer at this point. Murray needs a center to get him the puck, and we have enough wingers with that problem. Schaefer's down year and contract is too scary at this point to chance—and besides, he's another winger. The Jackets already have their Axelsson clone in Michael Peca.

Unfortunately, what the Jackets really need is a guy like Marc Savard, and he's not going anywhere.

Calgary Flames: $58.179 million

The Flames have identified their core and locked them down for the foreseeable future. Guys like Iginla, Phaneuf, Kiprusoff, Sarich, Regehr, and Langkow have all been signed to high-dollar, long-term deals. That group of six alone will cost the Flames $35.4 million next season.

Looking over their roster the Flames, may not be as high over the cap as NHLNumbers.com has them, as Anders Eriksson, Rhett Warrener, and Marcus Nilson were all bought out. They still carry a cap hit, but not as much as they have listed.

Players who may get dumped

Calgary has already trimmed a lot of fat with the dumps of Eriksson, Warrener, and Nilson. They made offseason additions in Cammalleri, Bertuzzi, Bourque, Glencross, and Vandermeer. They also re-signed Conroy and, as mentioned, Langkow.

For a team that may be over the cap, that sure is a lot of player personnel added, and you know they won't move any of the new or re-signed blood. If they have to dump someone, I guess it would be:

Adrian Aucoin, who's scheduled to make $4 million this year. Coming to Calgary after a couple of miserable years in Chicago, Aucoin put up solid numbers last season, scoring 10 goals for 35 points. He's in the last year of his deal, but I think him moving is unlikely.

Matthew Lombardi. With Langkow, Conroy, and Cammalleri all capable of playing center, where does that leave the 26-year-old Lombardi? He's signed for two more years at $1.55 and $2.35 million. He had 14 goals for 36 points last season. If Calgary needed some breathing room under the cap, surely there would be a lot of takers for this guy.

Columbus Blue Jackets interest

I'd rather have Aucoin than Backman but that's neither here or there. I think for now the Jackets are okay with their defense, and wouldn't take on Aucoin's $4 million as a straight salary dump.

Matthew Lombardi is completely different story. Kid has speed to kill and playmaking skills. He is exactly the kind of player I could see Howson jumping on if he became available on the cheap.

Anaheim Ducks: $58.013 million

The Ducks are an interesting team to keep an eye on. They've locked up three of their young studs on offense in Perry, Getzlaf and Kunitz for the next four-plus years. However, they have 13 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer, and only $29 million committed on the books.

They've already bought out Bertuzzi to help get under the cap this season, and are going to need to make at least another move to achieve that goal. It's been widely speculated that Burke will head to Toronto after this season, so expect the Ducks to hover right around the cap to make another Cup run.

Players who may get dumped

Mathieu Schneider. Rumor after rumor has Schneider and his $5.75 million being shopped on the cheap. He makes sense to cut loose, given his age (39) and expiring contract. Still that's quite a bit of salary for most teams to swallow, and it wouldn't surprise me if Burke puts him on waivers at some point.

Columbus Blue Jackets interest

Really, when I look down that lineup, Schneider is the only guy it makes sense for the Ducks to dump—especially with Scott Niedermeyer coming back for another year. I think the Jackets may have an interest in a guy like Schneider come the trade deadline—but for now, they can't take take on a $5.75 million salary dump unless they send someone (Backman?) the other way.

Washington Capitals: $56.980 million

It sure didn't take the Capitals long to abandon their build-from-within, watch-the-bottom-line plan, and spend over the cap ceiling, did it?

I guess when you finally hit on a couple of youngsters like Ovechkin, Green, Backstrom, and Semin, your philosophy can change quickly. It sure would be nice to see Brassard/Voracek/Russell/Filatov/Mason do that for the Blue Jackets, but I digress.

Of course with success of younger players comes the need to pay them, which Ovechkin and Green benefited from this season. Throw in the re-signing of Fedorov in for $4 million (have fun with that, one Caps), and they are right up against the cap.

Players who may get dumped

If the Caps have to move someone the biggest rumor out there is 35-year-old center Michael Nylander. Nylander is singed for three more years at $5.5, $5.5, and $3 million. He only played in 40 games last year, but piled up 11 goals and 37 points.

Unfortunately, Nylander suffered a season-ending shoulder injury midway through the season, and the Caps went on their playoff run without him. If the Caps need to dump salary, he'll be a prime candidate.

Columbus Blue Jackets interest

Nylander would be a tempting target should the Jackets struggle out of the gate. If you look at the prior two seasons before his injury, he had 83 and 79 points. He could help jumpstart the Jackets offense should it struggle.

At the end of the day, though, I think Howson passes. Nylander's just too old and too much of a risk, given the three years left on his contract. Acquiring him would be a desperation move, a la Fedorov of a couple seasons ago. Howson doesn't strike me as a guy who will make that kind of deal.

If Nylander had only one year left on his contract, I could see more interest on the Jackets part—and most of the league, for that matter.

Those are the teams at or above the cap. The player I think the Jackets would have the most interest in out of the whole bunch is Matthew Lombardi. Why? Because he's only 26, he's a center, affordable, and plays the type of game Howson and Hitchcock covet. Unfortunately, for all those reasons Calgary wouldn't want to move him.

I just can't see Howson taking a veteran salary dump—especially if they have more than one year left on their deal. Should our defense struggle and guys Schneider and/or Aucoin are still hanging out there, perhaps there may be some interest. But I think the Jackets would stil try to send back some salary in that kind of deal.

Tomorrow I'll take a look at teams that are just under that cap like San Jose, Edmonton, New Jersey, and Detroit, to see if there are any potential dumps amongst them.

Out of these teams mentioned today, are there any players that catch your attention in particular? Discuss.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Saturday Round Up

Light the Lamp — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:17:00 -0400

THN.com takes a look at 10 reasons to get excited about 08-09 and guess what? The Jackets make the list:

Will the Columbus Blue Jackets make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history? If I’m a betting man, I say no. However, if they do, it will all come down to Ken Hitchcock’s coaching.

The Jackets are definitely getting some attention this summer.

Here is another read about the Jackets' moves this offseason (thanks for pointing this out, Skraut) from Dobber Hockey:

The Jackets will be much improved. Does that mean playoffs? Possibly, not in the tough West there are no guarantees (after Detroit and Dallas). Brassard, Huselius, and Jakub Voracek will inject some needed “sting” into the Jackets offence. Their overhauled defence is much deeper, and they have solid role players. Pascal Leclaire is for real; he is a very strong technical goalie. So can captain Nash carry this team to their first playoff birth?

Be sure to check out the rest of it. They have a very sweet picture of Nash—still love those jerseys!

THN takes a look at where Filatov may play next season:

The Sudbury Wolves have drafted Nikita Filatov in this year’s CHA import draft, what do you think the chances of him actually playing for the Wolves in the 08-09 season? Shawn Skiffington, Sudbury, Ont.

Shawn, I’d put the chances at about 50-50. Columbus has a lot of skilled wingers right now—Rick Nash, Freddy Modin, Kristian Huselius—and you can probably pencil in rookie Jakub Voracek as a top-sixer too. Assuming all is well, they may want to ease Filatov in to North American hockey by letting him run up some big numbers in Sudbury. Filatov already speaks excellent English, so there won’t be as much of a culture shock. He’ll also be surrounded by talent on the Wolves—Jared Staal, Eric O’Dell, and incoming rookie John McFarland are all blue-chip prospects. On the other hand, if Filatov comes to Blue Jackets camp in the fall and blows the doors off, coach Ken Hitchcock may just have to find a place for him. – Ryan Kennedy

Personally, I'd give him about a five percent chance to play in Sudbury. I really think Howson will want to keep his options open with Filatov, and have the ability to call him up throughout the season should he not make the team out of camp. This season is just too important, and the Jackets just don't have enough skill to bury him in Juniors for a season. The flip side is that if he were sent to Juniors, that would not burn a year off his contract. With young studs like Brassard, Voracek, and Russell coming up for contract renewals in less than three years, buying that extra year of eligibility would be something to consider. Howson will do what is best for the team. If Filatov comes to camp and clearly isn't ready, then they'll ship him to Juniors. If he shows he has the ability to contribute now or sometime this year, he'll most certainly play in the AHL—if not the NHL—right away. Quite frankly, I can't wait to see what this kid's got in camp.

The Dispatch continues its phenomenal coverage of the Jackes this offseason today. Porztline is all over this Filatov IIHF suspension stuff. There is a nice spread here and some detailed blog posts here. I won't get into all the nitty-gritty details, but essentially nobody seems to be worried about Filatov making the jump to North America, and the threat of suspension from international competitions won't deter him from chasing his dream to play in the NHL this year.

Not sure who else caught this one but Chicago has named 20-year-old Jonathan Toews captain. I realize that Toews is a great young player and that ultimately Chicago saw this kid as its leader for years to come—but captain already? From an outside point of view, it just seems rushed. The kid only has one year in the NHL, and has plenty of growing in his game to do. Hopefully it works out—but remember, Rick Nash has five years in this league and just now appears ready to shoulder the responsibility of being an NHL captain.

Finally a reader pointed out that Pittsburgh fans seem intent on invading Nationwide when the Penguins come to town on Thursday March 12. Well, Jackets fans, we can certainly return the favor, and travel the three hours east to Pittsburgh on Friday February 6! I know I'm planning on it. -LTL

Columbus Blue Jackets: John's Wednesday Round Up

Light the Lamp — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:40:00 -0400

According to the Jackets web site Marc Methot, Alexandre Picard and Steve Kelly have all been signed to 1 year 2-way contracts.

Both Methot and Picard were restricted free agents. Methot is a 2003 6th round pick while Picard is a 2004 1st round pick. Both should have another year or two of Restricted years.

In signing the 1 year deals it gives the Jackets flexibility in terms of contracts and payrolls and more importantly the players as they will look to have strong years and try to earn that 1-way contract the following season.

NHL.com leaked the Kelly signing yesterday and the Jackets made it official today. Crunch scribe Lindsay Kramer seems to like it:

"...if he winds up playing in Syracuse, this is another major jolt for the Crunch on behalf of the Blue Jackets. Kelly is both a scorer and a grinder, although at age 31 he probably doesn't bang as much any more."

He certainly sounds like the type of player Howson/Hitch covet.

Filatov is now officially signed according the Dispatch. Howson and co. got that technicality corrected quickly and now its time to move on to Filatov's visa and get his butt state side.

A friend of mine had a good point -- it may not be a bad idea to ship Filatov off to Canada where they are less stringent on allowing foreigners into their county and have him train there until his US work visa goes through. Anything to get him away from the Russian "influence".

Regarldess its obvious the Jackets are working dilligently to get Filatov over aqap (as quickly as poss..) and I think its only a matter of time before it happens.

Ohio native (just wouldn't sound right without that preface) Dan Fritsche agreed to a 1 year contract with the NY Rangers yesterday worth 875,000. Quite frankly I thought he'd demand and get a little more dough in the 1 mil+ range.

No word yet on the NHL schedule but they have made one thing official today and that the next site for the "Winter Classic". It will indeed be held at Wrigley Field on New Years Day and the teams will be the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings.

-LTL

KHL challenges Filatov signing

Light the Lamp — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:04:00 -0400

Here we go. You just knew it would get ugly.

Hockeybuzz's Bill Metzer is reporting the following:

"On Friday, Continental Hockey League president Alexander Medvedev said that he believes Salavat Yulaev Ufa's signing of Alexander Radulov and the Columbus Blue Jackets' signing of 2008 first-round pick Nikita Filatov fell beyond the boundry lines of the NHL's verbal agreement with the various European Hockey Federations not to sign contracted players.

"However, with the IIHF investigating the Radulov signing and requesting the KHL void Radulov's contract, the KHL has struck back. It has asked the IIHF to investigate Filatov's contractual status with CSKA Moscow...

"So here's where things stand: Filatov and Columbus insist the player was a free agent, nothing was or is owed to CSKA and his signing was entirely legal. While the NHL has not made a statement specific to Filatov's situation, it's pretty clear the league believes the signing to have been legal under the terms of NHL rules, the no-poaching understanding and KHL rules.

"If the IIHF rules that Filatov's signing was illegal, it will request the NHL to void his deal in lieu of CSKA agreeing to release the player. Otherwise, Filatov faces a ban from playing for Russia at the World Junior Championships. Things will also be extremely messy in getting Filatov cleared to play OHL hockey for Sudbury without an approved transfer. He could also play in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch and accept a suspension from playing for the Russian national team."

Shades of the Zherdev situation right? This time though Filatov made it crystal clear to anyone who would listen he wanted to come over to North America as soon as possible. Unlike Zherdev who fell out of favor with his Russian team and decided to bolt mid-season.

Filatov is clearly being used as a pawn here. I have yet to hear anything on the Russian kid Phoenix drafted 28th overall in Tikhonov—in fact Phoenix has even signed him.

So where to from here? I would imagine this thing is now in the NHL's legal departments hands. There is some obvious head-butting going on between the NHL and the KHL and I don't see that slowing down anytime soon.

The real shame in this whole mess is Filatov. The kid is stuck in this middle of this and all he wants to do is come and play in the best league in the world.

Quite frankly if he's as dedicated as he says to coming over I'm not sure what can stop him. If the NHL (not IIHF) voids his contract that is probably the only thing, but I doubt the threat of not playing in the WJCs will deter him.

This right here is why he fell to 6th overall. If the Jackets can navigate through it and get this kid over by August that will be a major hurdle cleared. If they can't then this picks starts looking a lot riskier. Lots or work and mud sligging to be done before them unfortunately.

Plent of more to come on this story I'm sure. Hey, it will give us plenty of fodder until training camp right?

-LTL

Columbus Blue Jackets: The Fans Strike Back

Light the Lamp — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:02:00 -0400

In case you missed it, a reader of the Dispatch wrote in the following last week: Mr. Stein: You people continue to show your financial interest in the Blue Jackets. Do you really believe the sports masses in central Ohio are interested in names of hockey players, whom most of us could not pronounce, in a two-page spread (last Sunday)? Yawn. Also, there was an inordinate amount of space dedicated to the NHL draft, when not too many folks are interested. During the Ohio State football offseason, I'm sure you can find more compelling material to communicate to your sports readers. Thank God for the Internet and publications such as Buckeye Sports Bulletin, where I can find real entertainment and sporting information.

I understand the desperation to keep hockey relevant in central Ohio, but your constant draft, post-draft, and free-agency material is way overdone. I don't hear chatter about this sport around water coolers, at the grocery store, barbershop, car wash or bank. Guess what is on everyone's mind in Columbus?

— Keith B. Whittington These comments did not surprise me and are typical of some of the "traditional" sports fans in this market.

For some reason, they feel threatened in some strange way by the existence of a professional hockey team instead of recognizing all the benefits a pro sports franchise brings to a city. Wel,l the good news is that many Jacket fans did not let these comments go unnoticed and fired back in this week's Dispatch with eight published rebuttals to Whittington. I liked this one the best: Editor: I hope you guys listen to Whittington and provide more Buckeye coverage during the offseason. I'm confident readers will be at the edge of their seat when reading "Brutus Buckeye to Get New Pants Design" or "Tressel Ready to Give New Synthetic Football a Toss." I've been a Buckeye fan all my life and have taken it to heart when non-Buckeye friends spoke of the "over-the-top" fans. I was having a hard time imagining what they were talking about. Thanks to Mr. Whittington, I now have a clear picture. -- Tony Kopyar, Dublin You can read the rest of the comments here. Way to make some noise, Jackets fans!

Speaking of the Dispatch...Have they done a tremendous job or what in covering the Jackets over the past few weeks? Remember, it never hurts to send a little feedback, and it does not always have to be negative.

So if you've got a few minutes and like their coverage, shoot them an e-mail at the following address: sports@dispatch.com

According to this, Antoinne Vermette has asked to be traded from the Ottawa Senators. Vermette is an RFA looking for a long term deal.

Ottawa may not be willing to give him what he'd like, since the Senators must sign another RFA in Mezzaros and fill some other roster holes. The recent signing of Jason Williams would seem to indicate Vermette's days in Ottawa could be numbered. What is strange to me is, why would Vermette file for arbitration if he wanted a long-term deal? Wouldn't it make sense to keep yourself available to offer sheets? Now, it's no secret how much I love this guy and what a great addition I think he would make to the core of the Jackets' lineup. Vermette is a 25-year-old forward who can line up at any position, including the all-important center position. In 81 games last year, he had 24 goals for 53 points. How would this look? Nash Vermette Huselius Modin Umberger Torres or Nash Vermette Huselius Modin Brassard Umberger Chimera Peca Torres I'm excited about what we've got thus far, but adding a guy like Vermette would have me doing backflips in my living room. The only problem is if Howson is interested, and if so, what do we have to give up? Indications point towards the Sens wanting an inexpensive puck-moving Top Four d-man in return. Aside from the "puck-moving" part, the most obvious player on this roster that meets that description is Rusty Klesla. Klesla is certainly a Top Four d-man, but he hasn't quite rounded out any area of his game. Still, he can log big minutes and is very affordable, signed at $1.65 million this season and $2.25 million the next.

Would Howson consider moving him and create a hole in a relatively solid Top Four at the expense of strengthening the offense? Would Ottawa be interested? If not, I really don't see any other assets we could consider parting with, outside of guys like Rome/Tollefesen/Methot, whom I doubt Ottawa would be interested in. I don't see Howson moving his first- or second-round picks. I'm sure they would consider Backman but his price tag is too big. Also, we have to consider Vermette's price tag. No doubt, he would be looking for something similar to what Umberger signed for. His age and production are similar. Could the Jackets afford that?

Yes, they have plenty of cap space; but as always in this market, it's not about the cap space. It's about the internal budget. Once Leclaire is signed, the Jackets are looking at around $48 million in payroll. At this point, I wouldn't hold your breath for a trade that would bring Vermette to Cow Town. I think Howson would most certainly be interested, but I don't think we have the trade assets or the budget room to make it happen. If there is a deal that makes sense, Howson will make it. -LTL

R.J Umberger Signs New Deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets

Light the Lamp — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:22:00 -0400

Cross another RFA off the list. RJ Umberger has been signed to a four year, $15 million deal ($3.75 mil per year) by the Jackets.

I believe that deal buys up a couple of unrestricted years and will take him to the age of 30. Also, it's one less guy the Jackets have to worry about receiving an offer sheet for.

So the Jackets now have their center. No he's not an ideal No. 1, but he's the most capable guy we've ever had and he's only 26. The hope is that he'll find some chemistry with Nash or Modin. Ideally, he slots in between Nash and Huselius, but chemistry can be a fickle thing. He'll certainly be a fixture within the top six for years to come.

Howson's comments on the signing:

"Acquiring R.J. last month was an important first step in our efforts to improve the hockey club this summer and we are pleased that he will be a part of our organization for the next four years," said GM Scott Howson. "He is a competitive, hard-working player who will add versatility to our top six forwards."

With this signing, it brings the Jackets payroll up to $43.02 million with 20 players expected to make the team. Here is the breakdown:

Nash (6.5) Umberger (3.0) Huselius (4.75)

Modin (3.5) Brassard (.850) Torres (2.4)

Murray (.600) XXX Boll (.570)

Chimera (1.875) Malhotra (1.5) Voracek (.850)

Extra: Novotny (.800)

Commodore (4.3) Hejda (2.0)

Tyutin (2.25) Klesla (1.65)

Russell (.575) Backman (3.4)

Extra: Tollefsen (.750)

Leclaire (?)

Norrena (.900)

Peca is speculated to be a target for that XXX on the third line, but I haven't heard much about him since last week. Of course Howson still needs to get Leclaire under contract and by not filing for arbitration both sides must at least be in the ballpark.

It has also been mentioned on HF that Nikita Filatov has been signed to a rookie contract. I have yet to see an official announcement about that; however, rookie contracts are probably the easiest to complete as the CBA has tight controls over those entry level deals so it wouldn't surprise me in the least. Apparently, he's moving to North America permanently in August.

Update: According to Puck-rakers, Howson has backloaded Umberger's contract so he makes more in the later years ($3.0, $3.5, $4.0, & $4.5). Also, a reader has sent me a link to Commodore's deal. It is actually front loaded at $4.3, $4, $4, $3.75, & $2.7.

If anyone has an update on how Huselius' contract is structured please let me know.

I will adjust the numbers accordingly.

Discuss - Do you like RJ's contract terms?

-LTL