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Post by Buckeye on Jan 5, 2007 9:19:10 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK Friday, January 05, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A new line
Right winger Dan Fritsche will skate on the No. 1 line with left winger Rick Nash and center Sergei Fedorov tonight.
David Vyborny, who had been with Nash and Fedorov, will play on the No. 2 line with left winger Fredrik Modin and center Alexander Svitov.
Right winger Nikolai Zherdev was dropped to the No. 3 line with left winger Jason Chimera and center Manny Malhotra.
"Without (injured right winger Anson Carter), we’re looking for some balance," Hitchcock said. "The balance between skill and work is what we’re trying to create.
"What we find out here (on the road) is that the opposition has all been focused on one line. If they’re able to close off the one line — Nash, Fedorov, Vyborny — then they’re able to close us off. We need more balance."
The Blue Jackets were shut out Wednesday 3-0 by the Los Angeles Kings in Staples Center, the ninth time this season Columbus has been held without a goal. Seven of the nine shutouts have been on the road.
"It’s no secret," Hithcock said.
After a stoppage of play in the NHL, the home team gets to put its players on the ice after the visitors, allowing for better matchups.
On Wednesday, the Kings made sure their line of center Derek Armstrong and wingers Mike Cammalleri and Alexander Frolov were on the ice, along with defensemen Mattias Norstrom and Rob Blake, as much as possible whenever the Blue Jackets played the Fedorov line.
Slap shots
Carter (sprained shoulder) will not join the Blue Jackets on the road as was the hope. Carter has not had a setback, Hitchcock said, but he’s "just not ready to play." … Defenseman Rostislav Klesla returned Wednesday after missing two games because of a bruised left foot. He played 22 minutes, 16 seconds. "It felt fine for the first two periods, but then it hurt pretty good in the third," Klesla said. "I think the pain-killers must have worn off. (Tonight) I’ll have to take another one before the third period."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 8, 2007 11:37:02 GMT -5
Jackets still fuming at refs’ botched call Monday, January 08, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Blue Jackets packed their bags quickly and stormed out of HP Pavilion on Saturday.
Part of the rush was the latenight flying restrictions out of San Jose’s airport.
But the Blue Jackets also wanted to leave the scene of a crime as soon as possible.
An egregious error by NHL officials Brad Watson and Craig Spada helped the Sharks beat the Blue Jackets 5-2.
"It’s a shame," Blue Jackets defenseman Rostislav Klesla said. "It’s terrible. They need to read the (rule) book more. How could they do that?
"I mean, if they don’t know the rules … ."
Here was the situation:
At 2:39 of the first period, Blue Jackets center Manny Malhotra (slashing) and Sharks winger Ryane Clowe (roughing) were whistled for coincidental penalties, leading to four-on- four play.
At 3:12, Klesla was called for high-sticking, giving the Sharks a four-on-three advantage.
When the Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 4:22, Klesla should have been removed from the box, the game going back to four-onfour play for 17 seconds.
Inexplicably, the officials took Malhotra out of the box, kept Clowe’s penalty at 17 seconds and Klesla’s at 49 seconds.
The Jackets complained from the bench, and front-office personnel went bonkers in the press box, to no avail.
Witnesses near the ice said the time-keeper alerted officials of the error but was ignored. The Blue Jackets pleaded their case until they were warned to get Klesla back in the box or risk a delay-of-game penalty.
"We were told on the bench that it was a new rule," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said afterward, still incredulous.
Clowe hopped out of the box and scored a power-play goal at 5:00 to put the Sharks up 2-0, with Klesla still sitting in the penalty box.
"That’s a pretty big swing in the game," Hitchcock said. "In all my years coaching, I’ve never seen anything like it.
"And to be told that it’s a new rule … ."
The NHL, through director of officials Stephen Walkom, issued an apology before the second period started.
Walkom also phoned Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean with a personal apology, as did NHL senior vice president Mike Murphy.
The NHL could fine or suspend Watson and Spada for botching a basic rule.
Watson, 45, has been working NHL games since 1996, including 49 playoff games; Spada, 35, has called NHL games since 2002.
Off-ice officials in San Jose were unable to provide a box score until long after the game ended Saturday night.
The issue? They couldn’t get the computer to accept two power-play goals on one power play. For the first two periods, the box was written out by hand, just like in the minor leagues.
"It’s a joke," said MacLean, who confronted off-ice officials after the game, seeking an explanation.
The Sharks weren’t asking too many questions.
"After they came over and explained it, I thought I’d better go back and read the rule book myself, because I was kind of surprised at that situation," San Jose coach Ron Wilson said. "It was a mistake. We took advantage. We’re not going to give it back."
The Blue Jackets allowed five power-play goals, matching a record set twice previously.
Yet another reason the Jackets couldn’t board the plane quick enough.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 8, 2007 11:38:53 GMT -5
Jackets look to even things out Monday, January 08, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
SAN JOSE, Calif. — If the Blue Jackets could make a wish for the second half of the 2006-07 season, it would be for consistency. The first 41 (plus one) games have been a tilt-awhirl.
They fired a first-time coach (Gerard Gallant) and replaced him with a legend (Ken Hitchcock).
They suffered an eight-game losing streak and enjoyed a five-game winning streak as part of a 9-5-2 December that was the best month in club history.
They lost franchise goaltender Pascal Leclaire to a knee injury but stumbled upon a great success story, goaltender Fredrik Norrena.
What follows are the highlight, lowlights and some observations as the Blue Jackets make the turn on their sixth NHL season:
Armed robbery Kudos to president and general manager Doug MacLean for the offseason trade of goaltender Marc Denis to Tampa Bay for two guys named Fred — Modin and Norrena.
Norrena has tended goal in 10 of the Blue Jackets’ past 16 games. Modin has been solid but not spectacular.
Meanwhile, in Tampa, Denis has struggled like never before, with a .878 save percentage, one of the worst in the NHL.
It’s still early, but this looks like a steal.
Tied to the Hitchin ’ post The Blue Jackets lost a good man when Gallant was fired, but the hiring of Hitchcock has signaled a new dawn.
Hitchcock is one of the top five coaches in the NHL. His impact on the Blue Jackets has been more dramatic — and quicker — than anybody could have guessed.
Playoffs ? That’s right, the Blue Jackets are still talking postseason, and it’s one week into January.
Is it a reach? Oh, yeah. By our count, the Jackets need to go 26-12-2 to steal that No. 8 seed with 90 points.
Columbus is 5-6-2 since Dec. 14, without winning consecutive games. That won’t cut it.
Burning question Assuming the Blue Jackets do keep the playoffs within six or eight or 10 points by early March, how do they handle the trade deadline?
They’ve got plenty of cap room ($5 million to $6 million, by our calculations), but how much higher is owner John H. McConnell willing to go? Keep in mind, they added $1.2 million when the hired Hitchcock.
If they add a body, our guess is a defenseman. Just a guess.
Who’d have thunk it ? We had winger Nikolai Zherdev as a potential 100-point guy. Uh, maybe next season.
Zherdev has seven goals and 17 points, leaving him below the likes of Ron Hainsey, Dan Fritsche and Jason Chimera on the stat sheet. Hard to believe.
Other shockers: Jody Shelley is fourth on the club in penalty minutes, and Alexander Svitov has blossomed into a two-way force under Hitchcock after a pitifully slow start to his career.
Say the word , kid On Dec. 22, goaltender Pascal Leclaire tried to play through a knee that kept locking up during pregame warm-ups.
Did he do more damage by playing 22 minutes that night? We may never know.
Maybe he was trying to shake his reputation for being injury-prone. Maybe he was looking over his shoulder, feeling a little heat from Norrena.
Either way, not very bright.
Best win A 4-3 come-from-behind win Friday in Anaheim, thanks to goals from Rostislav Klesla, Fredrik Modin and Manny Malhotra during the final three minutes.
Worst loss On Oct. 14, the 2-0-1 Blue Jackets walked into Minnesota and absorbed a 5-0 beatdown. So began a 3-13-1 stretch that led to Gallant’s firing. Bold prediction
The Blue Jackets will pull to four points of the eighth playoff spot before the end of the season. Yes, this season. Bolder prediction
Playoffs, 2007-08.
Injury update Left winger Rick Nash (back spasms), center Sergei Fedorov (left elbow) and defenseman Duvie Westcott (upper body) will all have magnetic resonance imagings this morning before the Blue Jackets practice.
Nash was cross-checked late in the 4-3 win over Anaheim on Friday and was scratched from the game Saturday after experiencing back spasms in the pregame skate.
Fedorov hyperextended his left elbow when he slammed awkwardly into the boards with Josh Gorges of the Sharks in the first period. He did not return.
Westcott did not play in the third period.
"I don’t think we’re dealing with long-term injuries on any of the three," Hitchcock said.
Slap shots Rookie center Gilbert Brule had a goal and an assist Saturday, his first points since Dec. 9. … Winger Nikolai Zherdev ended a 15-game scoring slump by scoring his first goal since Nov. 25. … The Blue Jackets arrived home in the wee hours Sunday and did not practice yesterday.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 10, 2007 9:04:56 GMT -5
Jackets back at home, minus key personnel Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Michael Arace THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The Blue Jackets patched together a lineup for their game against the St. Louis Blues last night in Nationwide Arena. Three of their workhorses — center Sergei Fedorov, winger Rick Nash and defenseman Duvie Westcott — did not play.
Nash developed back spasms after he was cross-checked in Anaheim on Friday night. Fedorov (elbow) and Westcott (upper-body injury) were injured in San Jose on Saturday.
Westcott’s injury remains undisclosed, which might point to a concussion.
"I don’t think we’ll know (the definitive status) on the three for a couple of days yet," coach Ken Hitchcock said after the morning skate. "All three are day to day, and we’ll just see where it goes. We’re not dealing with any broken bones, so we can’t tell (what the time frame is for recovery)."
The team, in need of a forward, recalled sprightly Geoff Platt from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. Platt centered the fourth line with Jody Shelley and Joe Motzko.
The other lines: Fredrik Modin-Alexander Svitov-Gilbert Brule; Nikolai Zherdev-Dan Fritsche-David Vyborny; Jason Chimera-Manny Malhotra-Anson Carter.
Carter missed the previous seven games because of a shoulder injury.
"Every team goes through it," Hitchcock said of the injuries. "It’s another chance to take a look at the young guys, give them big minutes and significant roles and see how they do."
Nash and Fedorov are two of the team’s three leading scorers. They each average around 19 minutes of ice time. Westcott averages 22 minutes.
Hitchcock said two or three other players will take over their minutes. He mentioned Zherdev, Fritsche and Brule among the forwards.
"This is not long term," Hitchcock said. "This is one, two or three games. Plus, having Carter back, that will help."
Stickups
The Blue Jackets had their sticks up during the recent three-game California trip. They were shorthanded 26 times, allowed seven power-play goals and lost two of three games. Stick discipline was a major topic when they returned home to prepare for the Blues.
"We talked about it," captain Adam Foote said. "We’ve got to stay out of the (penalty) box and help ourselves, especially on the road. (Killing penalties) is a lot of work for the guys doing the killing. It takes momentum right out of the rotation."
Modin picked up the thread from there.
"There’s so many penalties, you don’t get to play a whole lot of fiveon-five," he said. "There is no flow. That’s the worst thing about it, it’s messing up the flow of the game."
Hitchcock divided the penalties into two categories.
"They are a combination of positioning and emotional control," he said. "Our (problem) is more emotional control. The penalties we are taking (are coming) when we’re overworking, trying to do someone else’s job, and we’re just taking ourselves out of position."
Then, he introduced a third category.
"The other area I’m not happy about are the careless penalties with the high stick," Hitchcock said. "Those are the ones that bother me."
On the first shift last night, just 31 seconds into the game, defenseman Rostislav Klesla was called for hooking. The Blues had three power plays, and scored once short-handed, in the first period.
Strong old man
Foote was asked whether all the penalty-killing is wearing him out. He is, after all, 35 years old.
"Ever see the strongman competitions?" Foote replied. "They’re all old guys. It takes a long time to get strong. Look at (the Detroit Red Wings’ Chris) Chelios. I’m just a puppy."
Chelios, a future Hall of Famer, will turn 45 this month.
marace@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 11, 2007 9:47:29 GMT -5
Injury update
The Blue Jackets again practiced without a full complement. Wingers Rick Nash (back spasms) and Jody Shelley (eyelid contusion) were not on the ice, nor was defenseman Duvie Westcott (upper body). Veterans Adam Foote, Fredrik Modin and Anders Eriksson took a maintenance day along with Norrena. They rode the bike.
Center Sergei Fedorov (elbow) skated for 25 minutes and, at one point, crashed into the boards. Apparently, Fedorov did not tweak his injury.
"Feels pretty good," he said as he got off the ice. "I’m shooting for Friday."
Nash, Westcott and Fedorov did not play Tuesday night, when the Jackets lost 4-3, in a shootout, to the St. Louis Blues in Nationwide Arena.
"There’s a potential for all of them to be back at practice (today), depending on how things work out," Hitchcock said. "We’ll have a better look at the lineup then. I hope to get some guys back in and get rolling."
The Jackets play two against the Predators this weekend: at Nashville on Friday night, in Nationwide on Saturday night.
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 15, 2007 10:01:02 GMT -5
Injury situation looks a bit brighter Monday, January 15, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The Blue Jackets were off yesterday, but that’s a relative phrase.
The club’s injured players still went to Nationwide Arena to seek treatment for their sprains and strains.
There was good news amid all the ACE bandages.
Centers Sergei Fedorov (hyperextended elbow) and Alexander Svitov (bruised foot), defenseman Adam Foote (flu) and left winger Jody Shelley (eye) have all been cleared to resume practicing today.
"If they get through practice and they’re fine, then, yeah, I don’t see why (they won’t play Tuesday in Chicago)," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "But we have to see how they feel first."
For the Blue Jackets, losers of four straight, a return to health — even partial — can’t come soon enough. On Saturday, with a Syracuse Crunch-like lineup, they lost 4-1 to the Nashville Predators in Nationwide Arena.
"We can start looking at getting some real significant rewards for the work we’re putting in," Hitchcock said. "We’re battling. We’ve got a good spirit. But we’re making mistakes in our end that are ending up in our net, and we’re not taking advantage of mistakes on the other end. We’re not finishing.
"We have to find a way to get more offensive. We can’t just keep working hard. We have to find a way to score."
Left winger Rick Nash (back spasms) and defenseman Duvie Westcott (concussion) are not expected to practice today or play Tuesday, Hitchcock said.
Heavy workload
Goaltender Fredrik Norrena has played in 20 of the past 21 games, a workload he couldn’t have imagined when he joined the Blue Jackets via trade in June, presumably to back up Pascal Leclaire.
On Saturday, Norrena was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots in the first period.
"You’re not going to make me say (fatigue) is an excuse," Norrena said after the game. "I’m not going to do it.
"I feel fine, I really do. Not tired at all. I felt good (before the) game, I really did. Some nights it’s just tough."
Norrena faced heavy pressure from the Predators. The only goal he said he could have played better was scored by Paul Kariya at 18:06 of the first period, giving Nashville a 3-0 lead.
"But it was a good shot," Norrena said. "He’s Paul Kariya."
Still, Hitchcock hinted after the game that the Blue Jackets will start relying more on backup Ty Conklin. Leclaire is out another month after knee surgery.
"(Norrena’s fatigue) is something we need to address," Hitchcock said.
Not going to take it
With 6:44 left Saturday, Nashville right winger Scott Hartnell jumped Blue Jackets center Dan Fritsche near center ice.
Hartnell was hit with 19 penalty minutes — 10 for instigating, five for fighting, two for instigating and two for instigating a player wearing a face shield.
"I got him a couple of times pretty good," Fritsche said. "I hit him once in the corner and then I hit him again. He got frustrated and jumped me.
"I was just trying to get something going. It so happened I hit him twice and he didn’t like it."
In the mirror
During the four-game swoon, two of the Blue Jackets’ top offensive players, David Vyborny and Fredrik Modin, have accounted for no goals and one assist, by Vyborny.
"First, I can’t look anywhere but at myself," Modin said, when asked how the depleted Blue Jackets will get out of their slump. "I need to score goals.
"It’d be a huge difference if I put some of my chances in (the last two games). It’s tough when they’re not going in for you. I can’t do a whole lot more than that. Chances are, nobody can."
Roster moves
The Blue Jackets yesterday assigned defenseman Derrick Walser and forward Joakim Lindstrom to Syracuse.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 16, 2007 11:21:54 GMT -5
Jackets receive boost at practice Having Nash on ice with Fedorov, Svitov, Foote cheers mood Tuesday, January 16, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Even on a rainy, dreary day, the sun started coming up yesterday for the Blue Jackets.
Left winger Rick Nash, out the past four games because of a strained back, was a surprise participant in practice and could be on the verge of a return.
Center Sergei Fedorov (hyperextended elbow), center Alexander Svitov (bruised foot) and defenseman Adam Foote (flu) took the ice, too, and they all, along with Nash, packed their bags for a trip to Chicago, where at 7:30 tonight the Blue Jackets will play the Blackhawks in United Center.
"We looked like a completely different team on the ice today than we have the past three games," coach Ken Hitchcock said, smiling.
"We’ve gone from such a high (a Jan. 5 comeback win over Anaheim) to such difficult times in the span of only a few days. It was nice to see guys get back out and practice again."
Nash and Fedorov aren’t locks to play tonight, but they appear to be 50-50, maybe better.
Hitchcock said he expected Foote and Svitov to be able to play, as the Blue Jackets look to snap a four-game losing streak.
Fedorov’s weakened elbow has made shooting the puck and winning faceoffs difficult, but he returned to practice late last week.
But Nash wasn’t expected to take part so soon.
"I didn’t feel 100 percent out there, but it felt good today," Nash said. "We’ll just have to wait and see if it feels worse in the morning.
"It’s getting there. But game speed is a totally different thing."
Nash was hurt late in the Anaheim win, his back clutching up on him in the closing minute as he twisted to clear the puck.
It was thought to be a day-today injury, but it has lingered. Slowly now, he’s coming along.
"(Nash) started out tentatively, for obvious reasons," Hitchcock said. "But then he really got going as practice moved along. He got more and more competitive, as did Fedorov."
The rest of the Blue Jackets seemed to follow Nash and Fedorov yesterday.
A somber start to practice ended on an up note, almost like a bad mood had lifted.
"We were a little bit down on each other because of what has transpired," Hitchcock said, referring to the four-game losing streak. "But as we got going, it got a lot more competitive and we started to have fun. It was nice to see that we rebounded during a practice, and I think we feel better about ourselves heading into (tonight).
"Getting the guys back is a big lift. And it’s good timing for us, too."
This is a key week for the Blue Jackets if they hope to salvage a meaningful final three months of the season.
The Blue Jackets face Chicago tonight, Nashville on Thursday and Detroit on Friday before a six-day break for the All-Star Game.
The Jackets haven’t won consecutive games since Dec. 12, a span of 16 games. The swoon has dropped them to last place in the Western Conference, 14 points behind eighth-place Minnesota, an almost insurmountable number with only 37 games left to play.
Hitchcock no doubt has done the math. He would rather his players keep their heads down and keep playing hard.
"I told the guys today before practice: ‘Nobody in the NHL can question our work ethic. It’s been tremendous. But what we need to see is better execution.’
"It’s frustrating because we’re pouring a lot in and not getting a lot out. If you’re not working hard or battling out there, that’s a whole different ball of wax. But that’s not the case with us.
"Now it’s time for us to get rewarded. If we keep working hard and we execute a little better, we’ll get rewarded."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 17, 2007 11:50:55 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK
Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Michael Arace THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Check leaves Hainsey with apparent shoulder injury
CHICAGO — A stiff check knocked Blue Jackets defenseman Ron Hainsey out of last night’s game in the second period.
The Jackets went on to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in overtime in the United Center.
Hainsey apparently suffered an injury to his left shoulder when he was hit by Blackhawks forward Tuomo Ruutu.
Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said Hainsey would return to Columbus for evaluation rather than accompany the team to Nashville. The Jackets play the Predators in the Gaylord Entertainment Center on Thursday night.
"We’re not exactly sure, but there’s some type of strain and we’re hoping it’s not serious," Hitchcock said.
Nash near ready
Left winger Rick Nash (back spasms) has been out since Jan. 6. He won’t be out much longer. "It has come a long way the last couple of days," Nash said.
Nash practiced with the team Monday, traveled to Chicago and went through a morning skate yesterday. He even withstood some contact.
It was 50-50 whether he’d play against the Blackhawks. The decision was to just give his back a wee bit more time.
"Thursday’s what I’m looking at," said Nash, who is second on the team in goals (13), assists (17) and points.
They’re back
A number of Nash’s injured brethren managed to get back into the lineup last night.
Center Sergei Fedorov (elbow, three games missed), defenseman Adam Foote (back, flu, two games), left winger Jody Shelley (eye, two games) and center Alexander Svitov (bruised foot, one game) were able to play against the Blackhawks.
The forward lines, at least at the start of the game, went as follows: Nikolai Zherdev-Fedorov-Anson Carter; Fredrik Modin-Gilbert Brule-David Vyborny; Jason Chimera-Svitov-Dan Fritsche; and Shelley-Manny Malhotra-Joe Motzko.
The six defensemen were Rostislav Klesla, Aaron Johnson, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Anders Eriksson, Foote and Hainsey.
He’s not back
Defenseman Duvie Westcott (concussion) has missed five games. There’s no chance he’ll be back before the All-Star break, which begins for the Jackets on Sunday. Westcott is still experiencing headaches. Until his headaches subside, he can’t have a base-line concussion test. Under these conditions, there’s no timetable for a return. So, he’s listed as being out "indefinitely." … To make room for Fedorov, winger Alexandre Picard was reassigned to Syracuse yesterday. … Blackhawks defenseman Cam Barker, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2004 draft, played in his third NHL game last night. He was called up from Norfolk earlier in the week to take the place of Adrian Aucoin (ankle). The Blackhawks were also missing winger Peter Bondra (shoulder) and defenseman Jassen Cullimore (rotator cuff).
marace@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 18, 2007 9:15:23 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK [/u
Thursday, January 18, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Nash will play tonight after missing five games
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Blue Jackets left winger Rick Nash will be in the lineup tonight against the Nashville Predators in the Gaylord Entertainment Center.
Nash has missed the past five games because of a back strain.
"I feel a lot better," he said. "It’s gotten better every day, and now I’m ready to go. It feels good."
Nash returned to skating Monday but wasn’t cleared to play Tuesday in a 5-4 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
"I’m excited to get back out there," Nash said. "We’ve got the (All-Star Game) break coming up, and it’d be nice to go in the break with a couple of wins."
Nash, who is on pace to score just 23 goals this season, has missed three of the previous five games against the Predators. The injury occurred Jan. 5 against Anaheim, when Nash spun around with the puck to clear the zone.
Hainsey out
Defenseman Ron Hainsey, who suffered a shoulder injury against Chicago, flew from Nashville to Columbus for further evaluation.
"He was in quite a bit of pain," Hitchcock said.
Hainsey will not play tonight or Friday, when the Blue Jackets play host to the Detroit Red Wings in Nationwide Arena.
Six minutes into the second period, Hainsey was sent sailing on an open-ice hit by Chicago forward Tuomo Ruutu. Hainsey went directly to the dressing room and did not return.
Defenseman Filip Novak was called up from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. Novak has three goals, 20 assists and 64 penalty minutes for Syracuse this season. He has been named an AHL All-Star.
Still alive?
The victory over the Blackhawks kept alive the Blue Jackets’ goal of finishing three games better than .500 each month under Hitchcock. After a 9-5-2 December, the Jackets are 2-3-1 in January with six games remaining, including tonight’s.
"That win (Tuesday) puts it back in focus," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "This game (tonight) is a big, big game for us, because after that our next three games are at home. We’re going to have to play our best game of the season. Nashville is on a real high."
The Blue Jackets’ next six games are a brutal stretch, starting with a back-toback tonight (Nashville) and Friday (Detroit). All six clubs have winning records, including the top team in the East, the Buffalo Sabres.
Slot shots
Goaltender Ty Conklin, who relieved Fredrik Norrena and posted his first win with the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, will make his second start of the season tonight, Hitchcock said. If all goes well, Conklin could start Friday against the Red Wings, too. … Center Sergei Fedorov did not skate yesterday but is expected to play tonight. Hitchcock said Fedorov’s left shoulder, which was hyperextended in a crash into the boards Jan. 6 against San Jose, will be an "ongoing issue for the balance of the season."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 18, 2007 9:16:06 GMT -5
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McKinley
1st Liner
Leafs Nation
Posts: 640
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Post by McKinley on Jan 18, 2007 10:16:16 GMT -5
Zherdev is scoring, why the heck would you move him to the 3rd line where he's don nothing before? Holy geez!
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Post by Coffee on Jan 19, 2007 7:20:05 GMT -5
Oh come on now! What?
I've been holding him on my bench waiting for him to produce, and when he does they go back to the same lines where they lose?
Sorry Zherdev, but for the sake of my team, I have to jettison you.
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McKinley
1st Liner
Leafs Nation
Posts: 640
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Post by McKinley on Jan 19, 2007 11:52:39 GMT -5
I just dumped him...couldn;t take the inconsistency...and the fact he was pulled off the line that was scoring, nope, couldn't hold on.
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 22, 2007 8:55:12 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK Hitchcock tries to light a fire under Zherdev Saturday, January 20, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Blue Jackets right winger Nikolai Zherdev was a healthy scratch last night against the Detroit Red Wings.
Coach Ken Hitchcock, a night after a closed-door meeting in Nashville, was sending a message to the 22-year-old.
"Accountability is accountability," Hitchcock said. "I didn’t invent the game, but I know what I know as far as playing the game the right way. The key point here is to play the game the right way."
Zherdev was one of several Blue Jackets who struggled Thursday in a 4-0 loss to the Predators. But he has been perhaps the slowest player to buy into Hitchcock’s style, which demands hard checking, hard skating and solid play in the defensive zone.
Zherdev has never been accused of being a two-way player.
"It’s about playing the game the right way," Hitchcock said. "I expect everybody to adhere to that. … Everybody has a different (skill) level. But when the other team has the puck, we all need to look the same. All of us."
Right winger Joe Motzko, who has spent most of the past three seasons with the Blue Jackets’ minor-league club in Syracuse, took Zherdev’s spot in the lineup.
Hainsey improved
Defenseman Ron Hainsey, who suffered a strained left shoulder Tuesday in a win in Chicago, could be back in the lineup when the Blue Jackets return from the All-Star break Friday.
"I guess it’s a 10- to 14-day type of injury," Hainsey said. "And it feels a lot better already."
Hainsey is part of a group of Blue Jackets that is headed to Florida for the break.
"We’ve got a place set up down in Florida where I can get treatment for a couple of days," Hainsey said. "After that, it’s just a matter of letting it rest. I’d say I got a little lucky, yeah. When I came off the ice, I had a feeling it could have been much, much worse."
Hainsey could miss only two games. He leads Blue Jackets defensemen with five goals and 21 points. Only captain Adam Foote (25:10) draws more ice time than Hainsey (23:37).
One - way conversation
After the loss in Nashville, Hitchcock kept the dressing room doors closed for an air-itout meeting with the players-.Voices weren’t raised, but points were made and feelings weren’t spared.
"Sometimes you have to hear it in ways that aren’t very nice," goaltender Fredrik Norrena said. "We weren’t playing as a team. We were playing like individuals, which is not good."
The Blue Jackets responded last night with a 3-1 win over the Red Wings.
"Everything (Hitchcock) said was true," Norrena said. "We had a day to think about it, and then we went out there and everybody responded on the ice."
On the path to infamy
Blanked in Nashville, the Blue Jackets are on pace to challenge a dubious record.
They have been shut out 11 times in 48 games, a pace that would result in, roughly, 19 shutouts. The NHL record for shutouts in a season is 20, by the 1928-29 Chicago Blackhawks.
Since the NHL began growing from six teams in 1967, the record is 14 shutouts, set by both the 1969-70 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2000-01 Minnesota Wild.
Slap shots
Center Sergei Fedorov is still bothered by his left elbow, which was hyperextended in a game Jan. 6. In three games since his return, Fedorov , the Blue Jackets’ second-best faceoff guy (52.8 percent), has taken only one faceoff. … The Blue Jackets sent Motzko and defenseman Filip Novak to Syracuse after the game.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 22, 2007 8:56:17 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK After break for fun in sun, Jackets will feel the heat Sunday, January 21, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH By yesterday afternoon, the Blue Jackets had dispersed all over North America, most of them heading south to bask in sunshine during the NHL All-Star break.
They left Nationwide Arena after a 3-1 win Friday over the Detroit Red Wings with some advice from coach Ken Hitchcock.
Use sunscreen.
Take a deep breath.
When the Blue Jackets return to practice Thursday — they play host to the Buffalo Sabres the next night — the heat will be turned up like never before, in the faint hopes that the final 34 games of the season might include a miracle run into a playoff race.
"It’s a good time to get away," Hitchcock said.
Then, he turned his thoughts to the final 2½ months of the season.
"The technical stuff is over," Hitchcock said. "We know how to play. We’ll make little adjustments, sure, but as far as accountability, that’s where we’ve turned up the temperature. The players know what they’re coming back to.
"We expect our team to really make a run. With all these home games, we’ve got a chance to go on a run. But we have to play better."
The Blue Jackets play eight of their next 11 games in Nationwide Arena, where they are 10-10-3 this season but 7-3-1 since Hitchcock took over Nov. 24.
Also, the Blue Jackets expect defensemen Ron Hainsey (shoulder), Duvie Westcott (concussion) and Bryan Berard (back surgery) to return soon after the break.
"That’s three significant defensemen," Hitchcock said. "And then we’ll get (goaltender Pascal Leclaire) within a few weeks of that."
The key, of course, is for the Blue Jackets to play better on the road. So far, Columbus is 8-15-2, including 6-9-2 under Hitchcock.
"That’s not good enough," Hitchcock said. "That’s not good enough if you’re going to get into the playoffs. You’ve got to be at least .500 on the road, so we’ve got some catching up to do."
The Blue Jackets, heading into last night, trailed Minnesota by 12 points for eighth place in the Western Conference. Best guess is, they will have to win 24 or 25 of their last 34 games to even sniff the playoffs.
The simple life
A slew of players were headed to Florida, with eight or 10 off to Miami’s South Beach and another group set for Tampa.
But goaltender Fredrik Norrena will have diapers in his hands, not sand between his toes. Norrena plans to stay in Columbus and revel in fatherhood. His parents are visiting from Finland.
"I’m going to take care of my wife for a change, let her get some sleep," Norrena said. "She has four kids to take care of during hockey season. Now it’s my turn."
Four kids?
"Well, we have three," Norrena said, chuckling at his own joke. "But she takes care of me during the hockey season, so I’m sure it seems like four."
Road trips
The Blue Jackets have been shut out 11 times this season, with nine of the 11 on the road. That’s nine road games out of 25 (36 percent) the Blue Jackets never had a chance to win.
The latest came Thursday, a 4-0 loss in Nashville that was followed by a spirited closed-door meeting.
"When you get shut out that many times, it’s not about scoring goals," Hitchcock said. "It’s about a bunch of things: commitment to each other, accountability. It’s about a willingness to sacrifice and pay the price to win a game in a tough environment."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 22, 2007 8:59:00 GMT -5
Season has featured many highs and lows Monday, January 22, 2007 Michael Arace THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The All-Star break is upon the Blue Jackets, and it provides a natural pause for reflection. Ask any of the players to describe the season to date and the same two words resound.
"Roller coaster " forward Dan Fritsche said.
"Roller coaster," goaltender Fredrik Norrena said.
And so on.
There are roller coasters, and then there’s the Millennium Force, which is what the Blue Jackets have been riding. They’re pulling 3 to 4 Gs in the turns.
Left turn: A 4-0 loss in Nashville on Thursday night was devastating. It marked the 11 th time the Blue Jackets have been shut out this season, matching a franchise record, and the 10 th time they’ve been shut out on the road. It dropped them to within one point of last place in the Western Conference.
Right turn: A 3-1 victory over Detroit at Nationwide on Friday night was uplifting. It raised the Blue Jackets’ January record to 3-5-1 with four games remaining. They still have a reasonable chance to post a better-than-.500 record for the second month in a row.
"Our confidence is going to be up when we get back," Fritsche said. "This (beating Detroit) is exactly what we needed to do."
The victory over the Red Wings was important, because the alternative would have been like a fork in the back. Coach Ken Hitchcock gave the team an accountability speech; they took it to heart and beat one of the best teams in the league. It set them up for whatever comes next.
"This was more than just two points, because it shows what it takes to win," Norrena said. "It doesn’t matter if it’s the Red Wings or L.A. or whoever. You have to start building from the ground, and that’s hard work. We had what it took once, but for some reason we lost it. If we want to get anywhere with this team, we have to play like this, use our strength."
What is their strength?
"If we play good defense, our forwards will give us a good chance to win," Norrena said. "We’re heavy to play against when we’re on top of our game."
Looking back on the rollercoaster ride: The Blue Jackets got off to another awful start. They were 5-9-1 in the second week of November when coach Gerard Gallant was fired. They were 5-13-2 when Hitchcock stepped behind the bench in the third week of November.
On Dec. 12, the Blue Jackets beat Dallas in Dallas, which was a first. It was their fifth victory in a row. At that point, they were 6-3 under Hitchcock, five games under .500 and seven points out of a playoff spot. Since, they’ve been hurt by injuries and inconsistency. They’ve also been awful on the road, 2-6-0 before Hitchcock and 6-9-2 since.
"When you get shut out 10 times on the road, it’s not about scoring more goals — there’s a lot more in it, and these are the things we’ve needed to address," Hitchcock said. "The road record is not good enough. We’ve been pretty solid at home, but our road record has to be .500 or better if we want to be a playoff team."
When it comes right down to it, the Blue Jackets don’t have a realistic chance to make the playoffs. They have but 18 victories through 48 games. They might need 22 victories in their final 34 games to have a shot. Is it possible? Yes, but so is world peace, in theory.
Even still, the Blue Jackets aren’t preparing to tank the last three months to improve their draft position. (Tanking has never been needed to improve their draft position.) What the Jackets are gearing up to do through the middle of winter and on into spring is win as much as they can and see where it puts them. They seem to think they can win quite a few.
"It’s our season starting tonight," Hitchcock said after the Detroit game. "If we’re going to do something, we’ve got to do it now."
Earlier this month, the Blue Jackets had eight regulars out of the lineup. After the break, defenseman Bryan Berard (back) will return, then goaltender Pascal Leclaire (knee) and, eventually, defenseman Duvie Westcott (concussion). There is a chance they’ll soon have a full complement, or close to it. Eight of their next 11 games will be within the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena.
"We aren’t where we want to be right now, that’s for sure," Rick Nash said. "But we still have a chance to go on a streak and finish this thing off with some wins.
"Hitch and (president and general manager) Doug Mac-Lean are giving us every opportunity off the ice. It’s coming down to doing it on the ice."
marace@dispatch.com
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Post by HockeyEdge on Jan 23, 2007 9:40:39 GMT -5
Is Columbus in talks with Fredrik Modin and Anson Carter? I know many teams are interested in them as they are UFA at the end of the season.
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 23, 2007 13:18:19 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK
MacLean working to keep Modin, Carter Friday, January 19, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The NHL trade deadline is Feb. 27, almost two weeks earlier than in recent seasons.
With that date in mind, Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean had preliminary contract extension talks Wednesday with agents representing left winger Fredrik Modin and right winger Anson Carter.
Modin and Carter are set to be unrestricted free agents if they aren’t signed by July 1.
"We’re just starting the process," MacLean said yesterday. "These are preliminary talks, just ballpark figures going back and forth. But I’m hopeful, very hopeful, we can get something done before the deadline."
Modin, 32, has 11 goals and 21 points in 43 games. He was acquired last summer in a trade that sent goaltender Marc Denis to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Carter, 32, has seven goals and 21 points in 39 games. He was signed to a one-year deal on the eve of training camp.
If the Blue Jackets can’t reach terms on a contract extension with Modin or Carter, they wouldn’t have much trouble trading either player close to the trade deadline.
"Some (general managers ) use the deadline as a threat," MacLean said. "I don’t like to do that. All I want to know is whether a guy really wants to be here. And you get a sense real quick if people are playing games or if they really want to get a deal done.
"I didn’t trade David Vyborny (a pending unrestricted in 2006) last season because I knew he wanted to be in Columbus. We were able to get a deal done right after the season."
In addition to Modin and Carter, goaltenders Fredrik Norrena and Ty Conklin, and defensemen Anders Eriksson and Bryan Berard can become unrestricted free agents July 1.
Rumor mill
Like the jet stream, rumors tend to blow out of Vancouver without relent.
One of the favorites this season is that rookie center Gilbert Brule will be returning to the Vancouver Giants, his junior club, to finish the season with a run for the Memorial Cup, the championship of junior hockey.
MacLean shot that rumor down, yet again.
"It’s total (nonsense)," MacLean said. "I have not had one discussion with the Vancouver Giants, with Gilbert Brule or with Gilbert Brule’s agent. It’s totally false. It’s not going to happen."
Brule entered the game last night in Nashville with four goals, four assists and a clubworst minus-20 rating.
MacLean has told coach Ken Hitchcock to get Brule more ice time the rest of the season.
"I need him playing," MacLean said. "I need him becoming an important player and I need him getting ready for next season. That’s our objective."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 26, 2007 14:26:51 GMT -5
Carter glad to hear long-term contract might be in works Friday, January 26, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Blue Jackets right winger Anson Carter has played for seven teams during an 11-year NHL career. He’s ready to remove the "journeyman" tag from his name.
So Carter was pleased last week when Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean contacted his agent, Pat Brisson, to discuss a long-term contract.
Carter could become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
"With (coach Ken Hitchcock) and the coaching staff and with the guys we have in the (locker) room, I certainly want to stay," Carter said. "If it’s something that can be worked out, I’d definitely be interested. My wife loves it here. My daughter loves it. Even my dog loves it. And that’s key."
So far, neither Brisson nor MacLean has exchanged dollar figures.
That will go a long way to determining whether Carter is moved at the trade deadline for the fourth time in his career. This year’s deadline is Feb. 27.
"It’s always a strange time of the season," Carter said. "I know as well as anybody."
Carter had a career-high 33 goals last season with the Vancouver Canucks, then signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Blue Jackets on the eve of training camp.
"The one-year deal gives both sides a chance to see if it’s working," Carter said. "I’ve bounced around a lot in my career, but I’ve made it a positive. I’ve had a chance to live in a lot of different cities, see how a lot of organizations work.
"Having said that, I like what Columbus has to offer. It’s a great spot to play. Hopefully we can get something worked out."
‘ Z ’ a grinder ?
Right winger Nikolai Zherdev, a healthy scratch in a 3-1 win over Detroit before the All-Star break, will be back in the lineup tonight against Buffalo. But he won’t be in his usual spot, among the Blue Jackets’ top six forwards.
Zherdev will open on the fourth line, with left winger Jody Shelley and center Gilbert Brule.
"It’s like any other player who’s been taken out of the lineup," Hitchcock said. "He’s going to have to work his way back. I’m sure he’s not happy, and I’m sure he’ll work his way back. I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.
"And as soon as he does, he’s going to be just like any other player. If you work, you play."
Zherdev, who had 27 goals and 54 points last season, has only seven goals and 20 points in 41 games this season. His minus-17 rating is among the worst in the NHL.
Since Hitchcock took over Nov. 24, Zherdev has two goals and eight assists in 23 games.
Nash returns
Left winger Rick Nash was the second star Wednesday in the NHL All-Star Game, with two goals and two assists in the Western Conference’s 12-9 win.
Nash spent most of the night on a line with center Joe Sakic (Colorado) and right winger Martin Havlat (Chicago).
"They weren’t bad," he said. "Just getting a chance to play with two All-Stars, that was impressive. But I get spoiled here, playing with Fedorov and (David) Vyborny."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 30, 2007 12:03:24 GMT -5
Carter more focused on win than milestone Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Blue Jackets right winger Anson Carter is on the verge of a milestone, and he couldn’t think of a better place than General Motors Place to score his 200 th career goal.
Carter was surprised to learn he’s parked at 199 heading into a game tonight against the Vancouver Canucks.
"I guess I haven’t read the stat sheet for a while," he said.
Carter spent last season with the Canucks, scoring a career-high 33 goals. In September, on the eve of training camp, he signed as a free agent with the Blue Jackets.
"It would be nice to get it here, as long as it comes in a win," he said. "That’s all that really matters this time of year."
Last time the Blue Jackets played in Vancouver, Carter was booed every time he touched the puck.
"The toughest game is always the first game back," Carter said. "After that, it’s pretty much business as usual."
Wild week
Blue Jackets goaltender Fredrik Norrena was named the NHL’s No. 2 star of the week for his performance in back-to-back wins over Buffalo and Minnesota. He was 2-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average and .949 save percentage, stopping 56 of 59 shots.
He left Saturday’s 3-2 win over Minnesota after suffering a pulled groin with four minutes left in the second period.
Pittsburgh’s Mark Recchi was named the No. 1 star, and Edmonton’s Ryan Smyth earned No. 3 honors.
Slap shots
Right winger Nikolai Zherdev (flu) left practice yesterday to return to the team hotel. If he’s well enough to practice today, he might play tonight. Otherwise, Zenon Kenopka will stay in the lineup. … President and general manager Doug MacLean offered a sort of tongue-incheek response when asked if he has had trade talks regarding Zherdev: "I don’t divulge trade talks to the media," MacLean said. … Defenseman Duvie Westcott (concussion) is said to be feeling better. Before he can return to play, though, he’ll have to pass a "base line" test and increase his heart rate without developing a headache. … The Canucks are 10-1-2 in their past 13 games, despite being outshot in every game.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Jan 30, 2007 12:04:13 GMT -5
Conklin eager to deliver in pinch Backup goaltender hopes to help extend win streak to four Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Blue Jackets signed goaltender Ty Conklin as a free agent last summer, figuring he would be a reliable veteran for the minor-league club in Syracuse, or, worse-case scenario, an emergency fill-in at the NHL level.
Welcome to the worse-case scenario.
With Pascal Leclaire recovering from surgery to fix torn knee cartilage and Fredrik Norrena nursing a groin injury, the Blue Jackets will turn to Conklin when they play the Vancouver Canucks tonight in General Motors Place.
Conklin also will play Wednesday in Edmonton and, quite possibly, Friday in Calgary.
"You hate to get playing time at the expense of other guys getting hurt," Conklin said. "But it’ll be good to play some games. It’ll give me a chance to contribute a bit more.
"These are big games. Every game, every point is a necessity. There’s not much leeway if we’re going to get into the playoff race. But that’s good. It makes the games exciting."
Leclaire likely is out until the middle of February. Norrena, reportedly feeling much better yesterday, could be summoned to hop a plane and meet the club in Calgary on Thursday, a day ahead of the game.
Until then, the Blue Jackets, who have won three in a row for only the second time all season, say they can keep the W’s coming with Conklin.
The worse-case scenario, they say, isn’t that bad.
"Conklin has played in all of these buildings before," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He’s an experienced NHL goaltender, and that’s huge for us right now.
"It was a tough situation losing Norrena like that because we’ve already lost Leclaire. But it would have been even worse if we didn’t have a guy like Ty Conklin to put in there. He’s been through this a few times."
Conklin, 30, played in 67 games the past two seasons with Edmonton, making 50 starts and putting up a 25-19-4-1 record and a .904 save percentage.
With the Blue Jackets, he has made only two starts.
"It’s important for us to get off to a good start (tonight), because Conks hasn’t played as much as (Norrena) did," right winger Anson Carter said. "If we can do that, it’ll get his confidence level up where it should be.
"Having said that, we have a lot of confidence in him as a guy who can make a big save for us. Look what he did late in (Saturday’s 3-2 win over Minnesota, after Norrena’s injury). He made a lot of big saves and really helped us earn those two points. That’s all you can ask out of a guy, especially coming into a game like that, under pretty tough circumstances."
Conklin has been with the Blue Jackets since Dec. 23, a day after Leclaire was injured.
He has played all of 210 minutes. As of yesterday, though, he wasn’t complaining of rust.
"I felt pretty good (against Minnesota)," Conklin said. "It’s always different starting a game having to get back into that routine of being the starter again.
"But I’m getting back into it pretty quickly."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Feb 2, 2007 10:08:03 GMT -5
Year layoff from injury shows in Berard’s timing Friday, February 02, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CALGARY, Alberta — In the fastpaced world of the NHL, even two weeks out of the lineup is enough to mess up a player’s reads and anticipation.
So imagine what Blue Jackets defenseman Bryan Berard was going through Wednesday in Edmonton, when he returned from a one-year layoff that included two back surgeries.
"My body felt fine," said Berard, who played nearly 23 minutes in the Jackets’ 5-2 loss. "But my timing was off. Some decisions were made too fast, some were made too slow.
"I thought it was especially true shooting the puck. I had a lot of shots blocked tonight, and that doesn’t usually happen to me."
Berard told coaches yesterday that he felt fine, so he’ll be in the lineup tonight when the Blue Jackets play in Calgary.
If Berard is productive and stays healthy for the next few weeks, he could join wingers Anson Carter and Fredrik Modin as players who will generate lots of interest at the trade deadline, Feb. 27.
All are in the final year of their contracts, and they’d be unrestricted free agents July 1.
"A lot of teams are looking for a puck-moving defenseman," Berard said. "That’s not a secret around the league. And I know I’m a free agent as of July 1. But I’d like nothing more than to help this club now the rest of the season and see if we can make something special happen."
Less tender
The Blue Jackets had hoped goaltender Fredrik Norrena (pulled groin) would have healed enough to start tonight.
But Norrena, though feeling better, was still sore yesterday. His probable return was pushed back to Tuesday against Phoenix.
Ty Conklin will make his third straight start tonight.
As for goaltender Pascal Leclaire (torn knee cartilage), he has resumed skating on his own and could start facing pucks in the next couple of days. There’s an outside chance Leclaire could return Thursday, when the Jackets play host to the Flames, said president and general manager Doug MacLean.
Slap shots
Blue Jackets right winger Nikolai Zherdev has been felled again by a flulike illness. "He woke up this morning and felt awful, so he went back to his room," coach Ken Hitchcock said. Look for Zenon Konopka to take Zherdev’s spot in the lineup. … Hitchcock plans to tweak his forward lines for tonight. Dan Fritsche, who has been among the Jackets’ most energetic players of late, is likely to join the No. 1 forward line.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Feb 6, 2007 16:35:41 GMT -5
Hitchcock searches for winning combos Tuesday, February 06, 2007 Michael Arace THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock balanced his lines with the hope of finding more-effective combinations.
The Jackets begin a six-game homestand tonight when the Phoenix Coyotes visit Nationwide Arena. Rick Nash moves to right wing, Sergei Fedorov moves from center to left wing and Gilbert Brule moves from wing to center, and gets a promotion.
Nash will be playing with Brule and left winger Fredrik Modin. The thinking is that two big wingers are better than one.
"I think Freddy and I complement each other and maybe we’ll open up more room for Bru to operate," Nash said.
Nash and Fedorov have combined for one goal over the past seven games. A shuffle might be beneficial.
Alexander Svitov will center Fedorov and David Vyborny. This will take the burden of faceoffs away from Fedorov, who is still nursing an elbow injury.
"Feds can’t play center, so we needed to organize things and have others take faceoffs," Hitchcock said. "My feeling is we need to start with the puck a little more. These three guys (Fedorov-Svitov-Vyborny) will play a lot against the other teams’ best players. That’s a major focus. We have a six-game homestand, and it’s like a playoff series. We need to play well, and we need to have a line we can count on to shut down (opposing scorers), start games and end games. We put these three really smart players together and we’ll see where it goes."
The third line, increasingly effective, remains intact: Jason Chimera, Manny Malhotra and Dan Fritsche.
The fourth line gets a boost from right winger Anson Carter. Hitchcock likes feisty center Zenon Konopka, and the line gets even more thump with Jody Shelley on the left.
"Like Anson said, it doesn’t really matter who you play with," Modin said. "You just want to accomplish something, do some damage, create some offense, win some games."
Disa and data
Winger Nikolai Zherdev, dogged by a flu-type illness, hasn’t skated in a week. But he did manage a 50-minute ride on the stationary bicycle yesterday. "He’s not ready to get back on the ice," Hitchcock said. "If he feels OK (today), he’ll ride the bike and skate. We’re bringing him back slowly. The best-case scenario is he’ll play on the weekend." . . . Defenseman Bryan Berard sat for more than half the season after two back surgeries, returned to play two games last week and then sat out of practice Sunday. He was back on the ice yesterday. "It took one game to get over the hump and get the timing back," Berard said. "I’ve still got a way to go, but right now I feel pretty good. I felt real good in Calgary (Friday)." . . . Defensemen Ron Hainsey (head) and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (rib) went through a long practice yesterday and are expected to play tonight. . . . Kevyn Adams, one of many former Blue Jackets who went on to glory, was last month traded from Carolina, where he was an alternate captain, to Phoenix. Adams is coming off hand surgery and remains on injured reserve, but he is expected to travel with the Coyotes with the hope that he’ll play before the end of the team’s fourgame road trip.
marace@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Feb 8, 2007 9:42:11 GMT -5
BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK
Thursday, February 08, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Eriksson was knocked for a loop by Roenick
Blue Jackets defenseman Anders Eriksson has been hit harder, but not in a long time.
With 7:30 left in the first period Tuesday, Eriksson was drilled by Phoenix’s Jeremy Roenick, so hard that Eriksson left the ice, banged his head on the glass and dropped hard to the ice in a daze.
"I was a little woozy, yes," Eriksson said. "I tried to get out of the way, but when I turned he was already there on me. I saw the hit. It wasn’t dirty. It was a little late."
Eriksson lost one tooth on contact. Another is loose and might fall out. Four or five teeth on his bottom row shifted from right to left.
"The one that fell out, we looked for it down in the corner," Eriksson said. "The one that got loosened, we tried to stick it back up in there. That hurts."
The worst part, though, is the inchlong tear of his bottom lip that needed several stitches to close. Eriksson returned to the game after the stitch job was done, at one point trading jabs with Coyotes forward Fredrik Sjostrom in the third period.
"He popped me in the lip," Eriksson said. "But then he apologized."
Fedorov at wing
Sergei Fedorov was moved from center to left wing Tuesday because his injured left elbow prevents him from taking faceoffs.
In his past eight games, Fedorov has no goals and two assists. He wouldn’t say whether the injury has affected his play.
"At this moment, it’s not a good point for me to elaborate about my injuries," Fedorov said.
But, he said, the elbow probably won’t be healed before the end of the season.
"I’m not very optimistic about that," Fedorov said. "I don’t think it’s a surgery situation, but I’m not a doctor."
Wanted man
Center Zenon Konopka is on the Calgary Flames’ hit list after the way he played Friday in Calgary. Konopka laid out several Flames, but it was his hit on right winger Jarome Iginla — in his first game back after knee surgery — that incensed the Calgary bench.
Told that the Flames wanted him dead, Konopka smiled.
"Perfect," Konopka said. "That means I’m doing my job. I’m ready for a battle (tonight). I’m ready to roll. Hopefully, we’ll have some fun."
Konopka defended his check on Iginla.
"I was just finishing my check," he said. "They can think whatever they want. I’m not in this business to worry about what people think. I’m worried about our team winning. I’ll do whatever it takes for us to win."
Slap shots
The Blue Jackets and the NHL announced yesterday that the 2007 entry draft, in Nationwide Arena, will take place over two days. The first round will be at 7 p.m. Friday, June 22; rounds two through seven will start the next day at 10 a.m. … Defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, who missed the game Tuesday because of a rib injury, is expected to play tonight. … Right winger Nikolai Zherdev, who has missed the past three games because of a flulike illness, had plenty of energy yesterday and could be back in the lineup tonight.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Feb 8, 2007 9:43:00 GMT -5
Hitchcock holds summit with leaders of the team Thursday, February 08, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Blue Jackets did not have a full practice yesterday. Fourteen hours after an ugly 3-0 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, just five players skated in a quiet Nationwide Arena.
"I saw no point in going on the ice and having a hockey practice," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We had other issues that needed to be addressed (off the ice)."
The Blue Jackets play host to the Calgary Flames tonight in Nationwide Arena. After a day spent looking in the mirror, the Jackets should be itching to take the ice.
But one never knows with this club.
While the rest of the club skated with goaltending coach Clint Malarchuk or worked out on their own, Hitchcock had a private meeting with seven players. He would not identify them, other than to call them "leaders."
"But you can probably figure out who was in there," Hitchcock said.
A good guess is the audience included captain Adam Foote, Sergei Fedorov, Rick Nash, Fredrik Modin and David Vyborny, among others. This was not a screaming session, Hitchcock said. There was no fire and brimstone, but the plan, clearly, was to light a fire.
"I know what’s going on and I know how to fix it," Hitchcock said. "But it doesn’t happen overnight.
"Your leaders lead and your followers follow. It’s like that with any successful sports team. Your leaders provide leadership with work and commitment. That puts what I call ‘followship’ in place. When those things are in place — when your leaders lead and your followers follow — it builds resiliency, camaraderie and confidence, and it builds a real competitive spirit on your team.
"It’s the area that we really need to come to terms with. We have to take ownership of the situation."
Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean acknowledged he was trying to make a trade, something to rattle the cages and bust through the current malaise.
"I’d like to do something, sure," MacLean said. "But right now I don’t have the right fit (with another team). But Tuesday’s performance … it was a joke."
The Blue Jackets have lost three in a row by a combined score of 14-4. The loss to the Coyotes marked the 12 th time they have been shut out this season.
The players walked around the arena yesterday with muted voices. The stereo, usually thumping in the dressing room after a practice, never was turned on.
"We’re certainly (angry) about the way we played," Fedorov said. "And it needed to be addressed."
Defenseman Anders Eriksson said, "We’re a little too fragile, I think. We give up the first goal, and we get this here-we-goagain attitude."
Hitchcock was mulling some lineup changes for tonight. The Flames beat the Blue Jackets 6-2 last week in Calgary.
But they won’t be major changes, he said.
"Who plays with who is not relevant right now," Hitchcock said. "For us, right now, it’s all about who’s resilient."
The Blue Jackets have been talking the past six weeks about making a run into the playoff picture. That now seems like a not-so-funny joke. Before last night, they were 15 points behind eighth-place Minnesota in the Western Conference. Only two clubs, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, have fewer points than the Blue Jackets’ 47.
"We’ve had two five-week seasons since I got here," Hitchcock said. "When the coaching change was made, there was enthusiasm and work ethic. The players wanted to make a good impression. There was a commitment. Now, that commitment is inconsistent. We’re not getting it from everybody. We’ve tailed off in that respect. Now we’ve got to get it back. And we will. One way or another, we will."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Feb 13, 2007 13:25:39 GMT -5
Zherdev kicked off ice during practice Right winger’s effort found to be lacking in spirited workout Tuesday, February 13, 2007 Aaron Portzline THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A message was sent barely 10 minutes into practice yesterday when Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock kicked right winger Nikolai Zherdev off the ice.
After practice, Hitchcock wouldn’t address the issue other than to confirm it. Zherdev was nowhere to be seen.
The consensus was this: Zherdev, a turnover machine in Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in Nationwide Arena, opened practice the same way he played 16 hours earlier, and Hitchcock didn’t care to keep watching.
So Zherdev, who speaks very little English, got the universal sign for heave-ho — an index finger pointed sternly in his direction, then toward the dressing room.
In fairness, Zherdev hasn’t been the only goat on the Blue Jackets recently, but he’s the easiest and most obvious target.
The Blue Jackets’ up-again, down-again play was on full display Sunday, when they fell behind 3-0 only 12½ minutes into the game. A home game. A nationally televised game.
"You can teach competitiveness," Hitchcock said. "It’s most certainly a learned skill. And I know how to teach it.
"We’ll get it turned around here."
It was thought that Hitchcock might instruct his players to leave their sticks in the dressing room yesterday, that an "endurance programming" practice was in the offing. Punishment, if you will.
But that’s not Hitchcock’s style, despite his reputation as a hard-liner.
"I don’t do that," Hitchcock said. "Those type of practices serve no purpose."
Still, practice was no place for the faint of heart yesterday. It wasn’t long — 1 hour, 15 minutes or so — but it was extremely physical, with bodies crashing into boards and puck battles in the corners.
"It was a highly competitive practice, working on nothing but team things," Hitchcock said. "Every drill had a team orientation to it."
The Blue Jackets play host to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, and it is Hitchcock’s challenge to keep the dressing room in the here and now.
The trade deadline is looming. So, too, is golf season.
"I think it’s only natural that guys are thinking about the (trade) deadline," said right winger Anson Carter, rumored to be headed to Carolina, Pittsburgh or Vancouver. "But I don’t think it’s affected our play. When the game’s on, we can’t have anything in the back of our mind. We’re not good enough to win when we’re not all focused on the same page. I think we’ve seen that recently.
"When we play like a team, like five-man units, we’re a pretty good team. When we don’t, we’re one of the bottom teams in the league."
Hitchcock has been in this spot before, although it’s rare. He has never missed the playoffs when he has spent an entire season behind the bench. He’s missed the playoffs only twice in 11 seasons as a coach.
"At this time of year, you’re in one of three places — you’re in the playoffs, you’re fighting to get in the playoffs or you’re out of the playoffs," Hitchcock said.
The Blue Jackets would fall into the latter category. As of today, they’re closer to last place in the NHL (11 points) than the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
"The problem for us right now is that we’re wading into hockey games," Hitchcock said. "It doesn’t lead to winning."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Shoeless on Feb 13, 2007 16:50:21 GMT -5
I read where Zherdev flipped Hitch the bird when this practice ejection happened. I think this is a turning point for Zherdev - either he will gets going now or he will be going - to another team
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Post by Buckeye on Sept 14, 2007 7:26:43 GMT -5
Five questions Friday, September 14, 2007 3:38 AM By Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The Blue Jackets' tumultuous offseason, highlighted by the hiring of a new president, a new general manager and restructuring the front office, comes to a close this morning.
"Frankly, I think we're done talking," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We want to get going on the ice."
At 9 a.m., Hitchcock will blow his whistle and start barking out orders in the Dispatch Ice Haus. The Blue Jackets will have two days of practice before playing the first exhibition game Sunday against the Nashville Predators in Nationwide Arena.
They'll have lots of questions to answer between today and the season opener Oct. 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. Here are five big questions:
1. Who are the four centers? Sergei Fedorov and Michael Peca are locks, but it's unclear which lines they'll center. Ideally, the Blue Jackets would like somebody to rise up and claim the No. 1 job, and they'll give Dan Fritsche, Nikolai Zherdev and rookie Derick Brassard a shot at it early in camp. The hope is that Fedorov could slide to the No. 2 line and Peca would fit at No. 3. Manny Malhotra and Jiri Novotny figure in the plans, but either could move to a wing, if necessary.
2. Can this club toughen up? General manager Scott Howson and coach Ken Hitchcock want the Blue Jackets to be one of the NHL's most difficult teams to play against. That would be quite a departure from previous seasons, when they showed the tenacity of a sloth. Almost to a man, the Blue Jackets appear to be in much better shape. That's a start. But they've got to rise up in the face of adversity, and that tone must be set during training camp.
3. Who's the No. 1 goaltender? Fredrik Norrena finished last season with a winning record (24-23-3), a first for a Blue Jackets goaltender. But Norrena will still have to beat out former No. 1 draft pick Pascal Leclaire for the top job. Leclaire's 2006-07 season was derailed by injuries, but he's healthy now and primed to challenge Norrena. A decision might not come until late in camp. Then again, the two might just split time as a 1 and 1A.
4. Who makes up the blue line? Adam Foote, Rostislav Klesla, Jan Hejda, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Duvie Westcott and Ron Hainsey, in no particular order, are the odds-on favorites to be the top six defensemen. But the fight for the No. 5 and 6 jobs will be intense, with Kris Russell, Marc Methot, Sheldon Brookbank and Mikko Maenpaa pushing for a roster spot. Russell, a rookie, will get a long look because he possesses offensive skills like nobody else in the organization.
5. Can special teams be special? Once they get through the first four exhibition games, the Blue Jackets will spend significant time on the power play and penalty kill. Some decisions have already been made. Fedorov, for instance, will play the point on the top power-play unit, but he's off the penalty kill in favor of Peca. The goal is for the Blue Jackets to have one of the top penalty-killing units in the NHL, but they also hope to be dangerous with a man advantage.
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Post by Buckeye on Sept 14, 2007 7:28:10 GMT -5
Blue Jackets notebook: Players fit, ready to meet challenge Friday, September 14, 2007 3:26 AM By Aaron Portzline
Coach Ken Hitchcock has promised that the first day of Blue Jackets training camp would be spent with "the pedal pushed firmly to the floor."
That day has finally arrived, with the first group of players taking the ice at 9 this morning in the Dispatch Ice Haus. One by one, players emerged from their physicals and fitness testing yesterday in Nationwide Arena vowing they were ready.
"We've got to get it started like we haven't gotten it started before," forward Dan Fritsche said. "The last few years around here have been totally unacceptable. We haven't gotten going until Christmas."
Nobody on the Blue Jackets roster has been through a training camp with Hitchcock. He was hired last Nov. 23, about a week after Gerard Gallant was fired.
"We don't really know what's going to happen," right winger David Vyborny said.
Previously, Blue Jackets general manager Doug MacLean had a heavy hand in planning training camp practices, making cuts, filling out preseason rosters, etc. New general manager Scott Howson has left the bulk of the decisions to Hitchcock and the coaching staff.
"My guess is there will be a real good pace to it," team captain Adam Foote said. "It'll be at a high pace and there will be lots of teaching, lots of going through our system. We'll have some long, productive practices."
The Blue Jackets won't get results from their fitness testing until tonight or Saturday morning, but Hitchcock has been impressed by the early returns.
Left winger Jody Shelley and Foote, a defenseman, are among the players who have lost a few pounds. Defenseman Ron Hainsey and Fritsche have added a few pounds of muscle. Left winger Rick Nash has maintained weight, but clearly bulked up his upper body and arms.
Most of the younger players were noticeably thicker and more muscular, and most of the veterans looked a little trimmer.
"Messages were sent to a lot of guys last season, so we all came here knowing what to expect," Hainsey said. "There are new people in charge of the entire thing now, so it'll be new for everybody.
"It looks like everybody is ready to go. We're excited to see where this is going to go."
Preseason plans The Blue Jackets have two days before their first exhibition game at 5 p.m. Sunday against the Nashville Predators in Nationwide Arena.
Only part of Hitchcock's system will be in place, so the early games could be a tad harried.
"Anybody who is a coach wants more time," Hitchcock said. "I haven't gone through anything like this, but it's a fact of life in the NHL now. We'll use the first four games to evaluate. We'll get a look at up to 40 guys."
The plan, Hitchcock said, is to have 10 or 11 projected Blue Jackets in uniform for each of the first four games.
Slap shots All 58 players passed their physicals yesterday, including defenseman Jekabs Redlihs (sore shoulder). … As expected, the Blue Jackets placed center Alexander Svitov on the suspended list. Svitov will spend the season playing for Avangard Omsk in the Russian SuperLeague.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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Post by Buckeye on Sept 14, 2007 8:43:42 GMT -5
Nash says he's ready to step up as leader Thursday, September 13, 2007 3:45 AM By Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Rick Nash's ability to score hasn't been questioned, not since his 41-goal outburst for the Blue Jackets in 2003-04.
But Nash's trajectory toward NHL stardom tilted downward during an injury-filled 2005-06 season, and it leveled off last season, even after Ken Hitchcock took over as coach Nov. 23. Now, on the verge of Blue Jackets training camp, Nash is in the best shape of his life, and he appears poised to reclaim a seat among hockey's elite.
"Definitely, this is a huge year," Nash said. "It's time for the leaders on this club to step up and be leaders. This is my fifth season, and I feel like I'm definitely a leader."
Hitchcock leaned hard on Nash last season, putting him on the penalty kill and demanding he play a sound two-way game, even at the expense of scoring goals.
When Nash left Columbus in the spring, he was given detailed instructions on how to work out during the offseason. He spent the summer in Ontario working with personal trainer David Ablack, who provided frequent updates to Hitchcock and Blue Jackets strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan.
"There was a real sense of seriousness about his conditioning this summer," Hitchcock said, "a real commitment to building up a real high level of endurance. Now, like a lot of other guys on our club, he can't wait to get out there on the ice and show people how far he has come."
To be fair, Nash was never really out of shape. There's good shape, there's pro athlete shape and there's elite pro athlete shape, or what Hitchcock calls "championship caliber shape." Nash, 23, has been in pro athlete shape while waiting for his 6-foot-4 frame to fully mature.
"A lot of times, young players think they're in great shape," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said. "But they quickly learn that there's a whole other level they have to get to. Rick is in the best shape of his life. And that's great news."
So far in his career, Nash has used his big frame to lean on people and his long arms to reach around them. But he couldn't truly be a power forward until he improved his endurance and added muscle mass. This summer was spent focusing on core training and resistance exercises.
"Let's be honest here," Hitchcock said. "Very few players are like (Pittsburgh Penguins center) Sidney Crosby, where they're just freakishly motivated right out of the package. But most good players figure it out pretty quick, and Rick now has figured it out.
"What you're going to see is all that skill now mixed with better conditioning, and that'll make for a better player. Plus, his maturity. He's ready to take the ball now, too."
Hitchcock bristles at the suggestion that his style of coaching -- an emphasis on checking and two-way responsibility -- will prevent Nash from reaching 40 goals again.
But in 2003-04 and 2005-06, Nash had 72 goals in 134 games, or 0.54 per game. Last season, in 57 games under Hitchcock, he had scored 20 goals, or 0.35 per game.
Nash hasn't done the math.
"Everybody always complains that they don't put up numbers (under Hitchcock)," he said. "That's all I heard last season when Hitch got hired.
"Obviously, I like to score goals. That's what I've done my whole career. But I'd rather make the playoffs than score 50 goals, absolutely. I'd make that trade in a minute. If I play a two-way game, everything else will take care of itself."
aportzline@dispatch.com
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