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Leading Scorers By Team Since 2008-09

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We asked five trivia questions about leading scorers by team in the NHL since 2008-09. For our quiz, we've extrapolated 2012-13 to an 82-game season. The answers appear below:

Over the last five seasons, just two men have led their respective team in points in each of those five seasons. Name them.

Over the last five seasons, how many total points has the leading scorer on each team in the league averaged (consider 2012-13 extrapolated over 82 games)?

  • The average top scorer per team in the league scored 73 points during this five-year stretch.

Over the last five seasons, how many defensemen have led their respective team in total points? Name them.

Over the last five seasons, what was the lowest point total to lead a team (consider 2012-13 extrapolated over 82 games)? Who posted the number?

  • The lowest total to lead a team was 43, posted by the Edmonton Oilers' Jordan Eberle in 2010-11. Evgeni Malkin's 113 in 2008-09 is the highest mark.

What percentage of teams were led in total points by non-Canadian born players over the last five seasons?

  • 78 foreign-born players have led their teams in scoring, or 52%. However, due to ties, 75 or 50% would be correct as well.

What is the most commonly occurring value, or Mode, amongst team-leading point scorers over the last five years (consider 2012-13 extrapolated over 82 games)?

  • The most commonly occurring value is 76, appearing 7 times on the list.

Friday's Coyotes Tracks - Dangers and Datsyuk

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Coyotes News

Who Had The Best Rookie Season in Phoenix Coyotes History? Round 2 Begins - Five For Howling
Round 2 of the tournament begins with Keith Ballard facing off against Martin Hanzal.

Phoenix Coyotes Preseason Countdown: 24 Days - Five For Howling
With 24 days until the Phoenix Coyotes take the ice, we take a look at number 24, Kyle Chipchura.

Pirates News

Pirates open season in Lewiston, plan January return to Portland | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Renovations at the Cumberland County Civic Center will put the team in Lewiston for three months.

Sundogs News

Clendenning Joins Sundogs Roster
During his juniors career he registered 89 goals, 142 assists for 231 points in 323 games.

News From Around the Hockey World

Canadian Medical Association bashes NHL owners for ‘tolerating and promoting violence’ | ProHockeyTalk
Also in their cross-hairs: energy drinks.

Pavel Datsyuk Defers To Religion On Russian Anti-Gay Laws
"I'm orthodox and that says it all."

The sadness of what Pavel Datsyuk really said - NHL - Sporting News
Well, this isn't going to go over well.

Eye On Hockey - CBSSports.com Brian Leetch, Patrick Burke join NHL Department of Player Safety
With Rob Blake returning to LA, the Department of Player Safety had a spot to fill. They filled it with two people.

Capitals sign F Grabovski to one-year deal
Looks like the Desert Dogs aren't picking him up after all.

Eye On Hockey - CBSSports.com Douglas Murray signs one-year contract with Montreal Canadiens
Veteran defenseman Douglas Murray is off the free-agent market after signing a one-year deal with the Canadiens.

What can we learn from Flyers' shot distances? - Broad Street Hockey
A fascinating look on how far away from the net Flyers players took shots on net.

Eye On Hockey - CBSSports.com John Tortorella says Roberto Luongo working hard, just wants to play
Roberto Luongo has been mum about the Canucks' situation but John Tortorella says the goalie is working hard and just wants to play.

The Blue Jackets and the Cost of Living in the Metropolitan Division
The Blue Jackets are one of the top 10 spending teams in the NHL in possibly the toughest division.

The Final Howl

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Steve Mason gets historical zombies painted onto mask. - NHL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Jackets / Rangers: Familiarity Breeds Contempt

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With training camp right around the corner, NHL teams and their fans can dive into the process of acclimatizing themselves with the league's new realignment. For some teams the changes aren't drastic-take the Pacific Division for example; the Western Canadian teams join the California clubs and Phoenix, while Dallas moves to the more geographically appropriate Central Division. For other squads, like Winnipeg finally being able to jump to the Western Conference, realignment brings a whole new outlook. In addition to the Jets, the two other squads who are affected the most by realignment are Detroit and Columbus, who are making the jump from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference.

Prior to this upcoming season, the Jackets were of course members of the old Central Division. They were lumped in with Detroit, Chicago, Nashville and St.Louis- a meat grinder of a division which produced multiple Stanley Cups and from the Jackets' perspective, a bitter rivalry with the Predators and continued hatred for the team from Michigan.

Fast forward to today and the Jackets are members of the newly-formed Metropolitan Division. Gone are the Midwestern division rivals, the regular trips out West, and lack of national exposure. The Jackets can now look to the Penguins, Flyers, Devils, Islanders, Hurricanes, Capitals and Rangers as division rivals. Of those seven new divisional opponents, one team stands out when discussing the next bitter, hated rival of the Jackets.

The Rangers.

First, let's make something clear- the Rangers are an original six team (for whatever that's worth), recently celebrating their 85th anniversary. They've won Cups, and play in the most historic rink in the NHL. The Blueshirts don't owe the Jackets the time of day, quite frankly, but rivalries don't develop overnight and thanks to many common links between these two squads heading into this season, the groundwork is in place for an intense rivalry.

The Rangers currently have six former Jackets players on their roster, and recently hired former Columbus head coach Scott Arniel as an assistant coach. The Jackets have six former Rangers on their current roster, while Senior Advisor Craig Patrick is a former head coach in New York and President John Davidson tended goal for the Rangers in the 1970s, and went on to be the Rangers' analyst for MSG for many years.

CURRENT JACKETS

CURRENT RANGERS

Marian Gaborik

Rick Nash

Artem Anisimov

Derick Brassard

Brandon Dubinsky

Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin

John Moore

Tim Erixon

Anton Stralman

John Davidson (President)

Aaron Johnson

Craig Patrick (Senior Advisor)

Scott Arniel (Assistant Coach)

A visual.

In terms of the players on the ice, we're not talking about some bottom-six players who briefly played for either the Jackets or Rangers. Rather, we're talking about the best players on each team- Gaborik for the Jackets and Nash for the Rangers-making it easy for fans of either team to focus their support and vitriol, respectively, when the two teams play each other.

Going a few steps further, each team's core features players who suited up for the other team. For the Jackets, Anisimov and Dubinsky are essential pieces to the puzzle, and Fedor Tyutin is the team's most complete defenseman. Tim Erixon is on the cusp of becoming a regular on the back end. From the Rangers' perspective, Brassard was a huge addition to their core last year, playing out of his mind after moving to Manhattan. John Moore is going to be a very good blueliner in the NHL for a long time, and you can take that to the bank. Dorsett, Stralman and Johnson are more complimentary players, but the fact remains when the teams play each other, fans will be pulled in every direction, which is sure to directly inject fuel into the superheated exhaust that is this budding rivalry.

The teams will face off four times this season, two each in Columbus and New York. The first game will be in Columbus on November 7th, with games in New York on December 12th and January 6th, with the final meeting back in Columbus on March 21st.

The first game between the clubs will be the first time the former Jackets, most notably Nash, return to Columbus. How will he be received by the fans, and for that matter, the organization? The fact that there were truckloads of dirty laundry strewn about at or around the time of his trade to the Rangers, including the revelation that Nash had requested a trade, my thinking is that the fans may still harbor ill will toward their former captain and perennial all-star. I'll tell you one player who'll get a chorus of ovation if/when his name is called, or when he gets a hold of the puck though- Derek Dorsett.

After the initial oohs-and-aahs, it will be down to business. As these will be divisional games, both teams will be gunning hard for the win. The emotion of the crowd will go a long way as well, and while the bad blood is certainly more toxic from the Columbus angle, all four games should be wildly exciting and full of storylines.

Mark your calendars, folks.

Jody Shelley Retires, Returns to Blue Jackets

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How's this for some good news to start your weekend?

Jody Shelley, long time Blue Jackets' pugilist and perhaps the franchise's first "fan favorite", is coming home.

The Dispatch broke the news this morning via their Puck-Rakers blog, announcing that Shelley had made the decision to retire after 11 seasons in the NHL.

Jody met his wife here in Columbus, still owns a stake in the D1 Sports Training facility on Rt. 23 just north of town, and had always made it clear in interviews and discussions with fans that he planned to return to Columbus when he decided to hang up his skates.

It looks like he'll be taking on a mixed set of responsibilities for the team, including joining the club's radio broadcasts to provide color commentary and some possible TV work. He's also likely to be involved in community outreach work here in Columbus, continuing a legacy of charity work and community service that began when he broke into the Jackets' roster during their inaugural season as a free agent, and has continued at each stop of his professional career.

I cannot think of a player who generated so much good will and near-automatic fan love while wearing Union Blue, or who has continued to keep up a small but passionate local fan club after leaving. He's exactly the kind of person who will make an incredible ambassador to local buisnesses, charities, and potentially as a face of an alumni organization.

This is a great move by the club for practical and PR reasons. One of those "little things" that makes such a huge difference to fans.

Hello Jody. Welcome home.

Jack Roslovic Commits to Miami

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Jack Roslovic, a forward from Columbus, Ohio that played for the Columbus Junior Blue Jackets Midget Minor team last year announced yesterday via Twitter that he has committed to Miami.

Roslovic will continue his career next season as a member of the recently announced US NTDP U17 team, becoming the first player born and raised in central Ohio to represent the US at the NTDP. The 6'0" 170 lbs. forward is a crafty playmaker with very soft hands.

Roslovic will likely join Miami's 2015 recruiting class, which already includes fellow '97 birthdates Gordie Green, Michael Joyaux, and Austin Alger.

Jody Shelley retires, joins Blue Jackets as broadcaster

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Jody Shelley played his last NHL game in orange and black. The former enforcer, who was a free agent this summer and didn't sign with a team, called his hockey career quits on Friday, retiring from the league and joining his old team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, in a front office role. He'll mostly be a broadcaster.

From the Blue Jackets:

Shelley will feature prominently in all aspects of the club's broadcasting efforts, providing analysis during select Blue Jackets home radio broadcasts; serving as a regular contributor during home game telecasts on FOX Sports Ohio, including as a second analyst between the benches on occasion; and co-hosting a weekly radio show on the Blue Jackets Radio Network and flagship station Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan. In addition, he will be involved in Jackets TV coverage via the club's website, BlueJackets.com; and actively engaged in various business and community initiatives for the organization.

Shelley was never quite the fan favorite in Philadelphia that he was in Columbus, a city in which he played parts of seven seasons. Late in his career with the Flyers, Shelley wound up riding the bench more than actually playing the game, and he only played one game last season as his role as enforcer was pretty much phased out thanks to more useful contributions by guys like Zac Rinaldo.

Shelley was always a nice guy and by all accounts a great teammate, though, so it's good to see him going back to a place where he'll be welcomed with open arms during his post-playing career.

More from Broad Street Hockey:

Blue Jackets hire Bill Zito as assistant general manager

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have hired Bill Zito as the assistant general manager to Jarmo Kekalainen, the team announced on Monday afternoon. Zito had previously worked as a player representative at Acme World Sports, a management company that he co-founded. His client list included Antti Niemi, Brian Rafalski, Kimmo Timonen, Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask and Valtteri Filppula.

A graduate of Yale University, Zito earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin. While earning his degrees, Zito was a member of Yale's varsity hockey team and went onto become an assistant coach at Wisconsin.

In addition to Zito's two-plus decades of player representation, Kekalainen believes that he will offer valuable insight to the Blue Jackets organization, via the team's website:

"Bill Zito is an astute businessman who understands all facets of our game and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Columbus Blue Jackets," said Kekalainen. "I have known Bill for many years and believe he will be a great addition to our hockey operations staff as we continue our efforts to build a championship-caliber team."

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch writes that Zito will head the team's pro scouting department and will play a key role in college scouting.

More in the NHL:

Longform: Hockey's first African-American superstar?

Video breakdown: Arnott’s 2000 Cup winner

Full Free Agency coverage

Full 2013 Draft coverage

The best of our hockey network

Jackets Hire Former NHL Agent Bill Zito as Assistant General Manager

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The Jackets added another member to their management team today, hiring former Acme Sports agent Bill Zito as Assistant General Manager.

Per the team's press release:

"Bill Zito is an astute businessman who understands all facets of our game and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Columbus Blue Jackets," said Kekalainen.  "I have known Bill for many years and believe he will be a great addition to our hockey operations staff as we continue our efforts to build a championship-caliber team."

Zito and GM Jarmo Kekalainen have crossed paths before, when in the early 1990s they merged their respective player agencies. Jarmo left Acme in 1995 to begin his NHL management career. Zito's claim to fame is his representation of fringe and unknown players, who go on to become NHL stars. He also represented players like Tuukka Rask, recently negotiating a huge new deal with Boston.

Chris MacFarland remains with the team. At this point, and this is just a guess, it looks like MacFarland's duties will be split between he and Zito, with Zito having greater say at the NHL level and in contract negotiation. MacFarland will continue to operate the Falcons and participate in amateur scouting.

Zito had to cut all ties with Acme by taking the AGM job with the Jackets, but his connections at the pro and college levels will give him a huge network with which to perform scouting and contract negotiation duties. Who better to negotiate with player agents than former player agents? You can't bullshit a bullshitter, as they say.

Another one of Zito's former clients is Tim Thomas, of Colorado wilderness fame. Here's hoping that the connection stops there- all of me is against the idea of Timmy and his traveling circus suiting up in Union Blue, even if something, god forbid, happens to Sergei Bobrovsky.

Zito is somebody who Jarmo has worked with and obviously trusts. He's another voice in a Nationwide Arena board room which is slowly filling with excellent hockey and business minds. Good hire, I say.


Phoenix Coyotes Preseason Countdown: 33 Days

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At 40 years old, former Coyote Adrian Aucoin's NHL career may be finished. But the former number 33 for the Desert Dogs should be very proud of the 18 seasons he spent in the league. With 399 points in 1,072 career games, Aucoin was a hard hitting defenseman who could put up some serious numbers; he had six 10+ goal seasons in his career, and produced 84 points in three years with Phoenix. His most legendary feat while wearing Sedona Red had nothing to do with regulation goals however.

In 2009-10, the Coyotes were one of the best teams in the league in the shootout. They owed their 14-6 record in the skills competition in no small part to Aucoin's heroics. Aucoin currently holds the NHL record for most consecutive shootout winners without a miss. His high glove-side shot proved to be nearly unstoppable, and because of it the Coyotes blazed through their post-Olympic schedule en route to the best season in franchise history.

Ultimately, Aucoin left Phoenix for greener pastures; he signed a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets at the end of the 2011-12 season. Unfortunately for him, half the season was lost to the lockout, so what could have been Aucoin's final year in the NHL was unfairly cut short. Regardless, Adrian Aucoin's time in Phoenix will be fondly remembered for his late-game heroics.

Fresh Links: International Waters Edition

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You know it is a slow newsday when the European links start piling up! 

  • Milan Lucic spoke with Toucher and Rich yesterday about his short off-season, Olympic camp, Mike Komisarek, and Cup etiquette. [WBZ,Boston.CBSLocal]
  • Got kids? the Boston Bruins are co-sponsoring FREE hockey lessons for youths aged 4-9. [Boston.com]
  • NHL 14 offers an "enforcer engine." Enjoy this Bruins-heavy demo at 0:44 (Andrew Ference) and at 1:30, Milan Lucic, curiously sporting an "A," gives his come hither look to Travis Moen. [YouTube]
  • Got plans? Shawn Thornton will appear Saturday in support of Jaden's Ladder to help survivors of domestic abuse. [SeacoastOnline]
  • This Swedish Bruins blog covered the Swedish Bruins prospects, and offers some background. Is Wiley Sherman "a Sherman tank?" (På svenska) [Svenskafans]
  • Okay, maybe we've been to hard on ESPN about giving hockey short shrift. [SportsIllustrated]
  • The "Blackhawks" played the "Bruins" at a local youth hockey development camp in Dennis Seidenberg 's hometown, featuring one girl participant, Canadian coaches, and exhortations to hydrate. Auf Deutsch. [Schwarzwaelder-Bote.de]
  • Will Bill Zito's move to the Blue Jackets' front office open a door for Tim Thomas? [SportsIllustrated]
  • Three Canadian teens have found success in the hockey blogosphere. [TheGlobeAndMail]
  • Did Bitcoin crib from the Bruins for its design? Musings on the Bruins and Bitcoin. (I'll bet it simply hearkens back to the old "pieces of eight.") [TheHill]

 

Cannonfest IV Donation Totals Are In!

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Every year, a big theme of Cannonfest is "look at what this community can do."

I'm thrilled to share that this year, once again, we've broken our record for donations.

I received word from Julie Maurer of the Jacket Backers last night that the official total from our prize raffles and the 50/50 came to $1,500 raised for the CBJ Foundation. The foundation will also receive a portion of the sales proceeds from Tilly Hockey, and the Arch City Army raised another $130 for the Ryan Salmons fund from their quarter season ticket package raffle.

Since we accepted donations of food and supplies for the Sedona Grace Foundation, it's hard to put a dollar value on it, but I'll simply tell you that you guys brought in over 200 pounds of much needed contributions that were delivered to the Smoky Row Brethren food pantry.

Never doubt that Cannonfest is about having a good time and celebrating our passions, but it's also always been about reaching out to help others, and we continue to do more every year. I am so damn proud of you guys. Great job.

If you're looking for more to do this weekend, the Jacket Backers are partnering with the R-Bar today to celebrate their grand re-opening with a "Hockey Memorabilia Market" from 1-5pm today. Fans are encouraged to show up and buy, sell, or donate items that will be sold off through the day, and part of the proceeds from this event will also go to local charities.

The event will be family friendly, and the Backers will also have people on site to talk about community service volunteering opportunities and fan road trips being planned for the 2013-2014 season if you're interested.

2013 Traverse City Prospects Tournament - Jackets Preview

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The Jackets are once again participating in the annual Traverse City Prospects Tournament. Last year's event was cancelled due to the uncertainty with the NHL and whether or not a season was going to take place, but this year's edition is a go, with eight teams participating.

The teams are split into two divisions- the Gordie Howe Division and the Ted Lindsay Division. The host Red Wings are in the Howe, along with the Wild, Stars and Blues. Joining the Jackets in the Lindsay Division are the Sabres and a pair of new Metropolitan Division foes- the Hurricanes and Rangers.

Tournament Schedule and Roster

DATE / TIMEHOMEAWAY
SEPTEMBER 5TH
3:30pmRangersHurricanes
4:00pmSabresBlue Jackets
7:00pmBluesStars
7:30pmRed WingsWild
SEPTEMBER 6TH
3:30pmBlue JacketsHurricanes
4:00pmSabresRangers
7:00pmBluesWild
7:30pmStarsRed Wings
SEPTEMBER 7TH
3:00pmWildStars
3:30pmHurricanesSabres
6:30pmBlue JacketsRangers
7:00pmRed WingsBlues
SEPTEMBER 8TH
3:30pm4th Howe4th Lindsay
4:00pm3rd Howe3rd Lindsay
7:00pm2nd Howe2nd Lindsay
7:30pm1st Howe1st Lindsay



The Jackets' team will be coached by the Falcons coaching staff, while the roster is made up of North American-based prospects from the CHL, AHL and ECHL. College prospects don't participate due to having to finance their own trip, while European prospects tend to stay overseas as their camps and season start earlier. Typically, the rosters for each team are sprinkled with free agent invites- these are players passed over in the NHL draft who are looking to make an impression, which could lead to an invite to a team's main training camp, and then maybe an NHL contract. The Jackets have added eight invitees this year:

Alex Aleardi - Undersized scorer, took part in Jackets' development camp last year, and received an invite to main camp, which of course was cancelled because of the lockout. Signed to an AHL-only deal by the Falcons.

Matej Beran - BIG forward, checking in at 6-5, 210ish. He was passed over in the 2012 NHL Draft, but had a strong season last year, aside from an early season injury. He played on a line with overage league-leading snipers Josh Currie and Ben Duffy, and played for the Czechs at the World Juniors. I'm very interested to see how he fares at Traverse City.

Erik Bradford - Bradford is known as a defense-first, shutdown center. He's a faceoff whiz to go along with his defensive prowess, but he's got no offensive game to speak of. He's a responsible player but unless he wows the organization I think he's looking more like a career AHLer.

Jeremy Langlois - Langlois was at Devo Camp, he recently completed a very successful career with Quinnipiac and has signed an AHL deal with Springfield. He's a natural scorer and a kid to keep an eye on at this tournament, and throughout the season.

Alex Gosselin - I'll admit, I know nothing of this kid. He plays in Halifax's division, but last year was his rookie season and if you were watching the Titan, you had your eyes on their exciting forwards, not a ho-hum defender. There's obviously something there to warrant his invite, but I'll plead ignorance until I hear more about him.

Luke Mercer - Mercer was passed over in last year's draft, but has some tools to make it as a pro. He's got offensive talent, though he's better categorized as a two-way blueliner. He went to Dallas' development camp last year, but is still looking for an NHL deal. A good showing in Traverse City will help speed up the process.

Dakota Mermis - Mermis is an interesting story. He bailed on the University of Denver midway through last season, jumping ship to the London Knights of the OHL. He was passed over in last year's NHL draft, and he was probably right to think he'd have better exposure playing for the OHL's top team. They'll be hosting the Memorial Cup this year, meaning they are a lock to play for junior hockey's biggest prize. On the ice, Mermis is a tad undersized, has a dose of offense in his game, and will be worth tracking in this tourny, and with a good showing, in main camp.

Jordan Dekort - Dekort was in a tough situation going into last year. It was his NHL draft season, and he was the backup goaltender on a poor Windsor team. He was ranked 18th by Central Scouting, but went undrafted in June. Earlier in the summer he attended Montreal's prospect camp (who the hell didn't?) but will be looking to the Jackets for an NHL deal.

The remainder of the roster is comprised of Jackets prospects. Here's the full roster:

NAMEPOSITION2012/2013 TEAM
Alex AleardiCWindsor/Plymouth (OHL) / Springfield (AHL)
Josh AndersonRWLondon Knights (OHL)
Matej BeranCCharlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
Oliver BjorkstrandLWPortland Winterhawks (WHL)
Erik BradfordCBarrie Colts (OHL)
Michael ChaputCSpringfield Falcons (AHL)
Oliver GabrielLWEvansville Icemen (ECHL)
Jake HansenCSpringfield Falcons (AHL)
Boone JennerCOshawa (OHL) / Springfield (AHL)
Jeremy LangloisRWQuinnipiac (NCAA)
Nick MoutreyRWSaginaw Spirit (OHL)
Kerby RychelLWWindsor Spitfires (OHL)
Lukas SedlakC/RWChicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
Dalton SmithLWSpringfield Falcons (AHL)
Gianluca CurcurutoDPlymouth Whalers (OHL)
Alex GosselinDAcadie-Bathurst TItan (QMJHL)
Dillon HeatheringtonDSwift Current Broncos (WHL)
Thomas LarkinDColgate (NCAA) / Springfield (AHL)
Austin MadaiskyDEvansville (ECHL) / Springfield (AHL)
Luke MercerDNiagara IceDogs (OHL)
Dakota MermisDDenver (NCAA) / London (OHL)
Ryan MurrayDEverett Silvertips (WHL)
Oscar DanskGErie Otters (OHL)
Jordan DekortGWindsor Spitfires (OHL)


By the Numbers

2 - Number of first round picks on the Columbus roster. (Ryan Murray and Kerby Rychel)

4 - Number of players from this year's draft class. (Rychel, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nick Moutrey and Dillon Heatherington)

8 - Players with professional experience in the AHL or ECHL. (Boone Jenner, Michael Chaput, Jake Hansen, Dalton Smith, Alex Aleardi, Oliver Gabriel, Thomas Larkin and Austin Madaisky)

10 - Number of CBJ prospects not taking part in this tournament. (Six Euros-Alex Wennberg, Marko Dano, Anton Forsberg, Joonas Korpisalo, Markus Soberg and Daniel Zaar; Four NCAA- T.J. Tynan, Mike Reilly, Peter Quenneville and Martin Ouellette)

24 - Oldest player on the CBJ roster- Jake Hansen.

Morning Bag Skate 8/28

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Is Patrick Kane the face of American hockey? (Madhouse Enforcer)

Team Canada is Jonathan Toews' team. (Winnipeg Free Press)

In case you missed this yesterday, Kane and Brandon Saad are part of some horrible pictures. (Puck Daddy)

Corey Crawford suffered an offseason loss. (Tribune)

Bryan Bickell brings the Cup home. (CSN Chicago) *autoplay

Ryan Miller might be the odd man out this time around. (Hockey News)

A look at Team USA's jerseys throughout the years. (US of Hockey)

Ilya Kovalchuk supports Russia's anti-gay laws. (SI)

Sergei Bobrovski turned down some serious cash to stay with the Blue Jackets. (RSport)

Jamie Benn feels snubbed by Team Canada. Ok.... (Dallas News)

How the Metro Can Hurt: Columbus and the Bobrovsky Factor

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Send not for whom regression tolls, it tolls for thee.

Just as no man is an Island, no man is the entirety of the Columbus Blue Jackets. But Sergei Bobrovsky and his Vezina-winning form could be the solitary factor making Columbus a contender for a playoff spot in the expanded Patrick Metropolitan Division.

Though the Blue Jackets wisely played a bit of "prove it" hardball this summer in negotiations with Bobrovsky and his reported quest for a long-term deal, they still paid him a handsome salary on an RFA two-year deal and they still quite like him.

In fact, though history and expected regression would tell us his .932 save percentage and .941 even strength percentage will not repeat in 2013-14, his three-year history at age 24 (25 in September) hint at a goalie who could be getting better. Even if not a truly elite goalie as he was in the 48-game 2013 season, he could be very good -- and a difference maker.

Motivated by rejection from the Flyers and a World Championship snub by Russia -- leaders had already promised the #1 job to Ilya Bryzgalov, the same goalie who ousted him from Philadelphia -- Bobrovsky is unlikely to let the two-year, $11.3 million deal the Blue Jackets gave him go to his head.

The team reportedly coached the undersized goalie to resist dropping to his knees so quickly when in traffic, and the results do not refute that advice. In due diligence in advance of acquiring him, the Blue Jackets heard lots of "hardest-working goalie" comments to go along with his already renowned athleticism, according to The Hockey News yearbook.

Their new Metro neighbors don't quite know what to make of the Blue Jackets, who went 20-5-3 last season to almost salvage a playoff spot after a 4-12-4 start highlighted by Steve Mason failing yet again. Which is the real team? (Granted, the answer is usually somewhere in between.) And how much will the addition of a still-recuperating Nathan Horton improve them?

Those questions, and how much of Bobrovsky 2013 turns up in the 2014 edition, will dictate whether the Blue Jackets can steal an invitation to the playoffs in their first year in the East.

More from Lighthouse Hockey:

2013-14 Season Preview : Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets spent the summer of 2012 trading the face of their franchise, Rick Nash, to the New York Rangers and sending three picks to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2013 Venzina winner Sergei Brobrovsky.  Lumbus became a bit a fan favorite around these parts and finished just one point shy of making the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Fast forward to today where the Jackets have been shipped to the Eastern Conference with the Detroit Red Wings and are now part of the brand new Metropolitan Division.  I think the only person in the Western Conference that is sad to see the BJ's move east is Viktor Stalberg.  I know that I am very happy Columbus will be a pain in the ass out east and not in Central Division. The Blue Jackets are in good hands under the direction of John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen and should far well in the newly realigned Eastern Conference.

Mike MacLean from The Cannon was kind enough to answer some questions to give us a better look at what expect from our former division rival.

Lumbus became a bit of fan favorite with their push to the playoffs that fell just short last season. How excited is the city of Columbus for upcoming season?


The excitement level couldn't be higher. With the strong finish last season, combined with three first round picks in June, the Nathan Horton signing and move to the Eastern Conference, there is a high level of optimism among the fan base. Look no further than the recent Cannonfest, a fan-driven event in the middle of the summer where fans of the Jackets packed a restaurant to show support for the team.

Do you think moving the Eastern Conference will help or hinder the Jacket’s playoff chances this season and why?

The move to the Eastern Conference should help the team. The former Central Division was the toughest in hockey, and while the Metropolitan Division features a handful of strong teams, the Jackets are well-positioned to excel against teams like New Jersey, Carolina and Philadelphia. The lighter travel schedule will be beneficial for the players as well.

Chicago hockey fans are not happy with the realignment because we lose our rivalry with the Wings and we lose out on getting fat on the Jackets.  Not being a jerk, but the Hawks have won the last 11 meeting between the two teams. Are you guys happy with the move and what will you miss most about the Central Division?

We love the move, hands down, for the reasons I mentioned above. As fans, that means fewer late starts, greater potential for geographic rivals (though losing Detroit as a rival sucks) and there are teams who the Jackets can potentially "get fat on" in the Metro division. The thing we'll miss the most about the Central Division? It's certainly notPatrick Kane, that's for sure.

The Jackets hit the jackpot last season with the Sergei Bobrovsky acquisition.  Do you think Bobrovsky can repeat his Veizina winning level of play for an 82 game schedule?

We don't know if he'll be Vezina-level again this year, but by all accounts he's got the right work ethic, drive and talent to be a consistently elite goaltender. The team was smart in only signing him to a two-year deal this summer, it will be motivation for him to earn a big long-term deal in the summer of 2015.

Columbus made a splash in the free agency market by giving Nathan Horton a 7 year/$37 million contract.  Do you think this was a good deal or are you worried that the Jackets just spent a lot of money for a guy to spend more time in the press box than on the ice?

The injury concerns are there, but the fact remains that the Jackets arguably reeled in the biggest fish in free agency. Aside from the huge impact he'll have on the forward group as the second option behind Gaborik, he brings Cup-winning experience and his signing was an indicator to the rest of the league that the Jackets are an organization on the rise, finally doing things right with excellent hockey ops people and top coaches.

From a Hawks fan standpoint, I think the Jackets are moving East at the right time.  They are going to be one of those pain in the ass teams from years to come.  John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen seem to have the Jackets on the right track.  How confident is the fan base that their team is in the right hands?

For the first time in the team's history, the fans can truly feel like their team is in good hands. The experience that Davidson, Kekalainen and Craig Patrick bring to the team, not to mention how well-regarded these men are among NHL circles, gives the fanbase a sense of comfort knowing that hockey ops will take the right approach and make the best decisions for the team.

Be honest with us, what to Jackets fans really think of Rick Nash?

Nash will always be the team's first superstar. He has done so much for the city off the ice, and was the team ambassador for so many years. The last few months prior to his trade to New York was not a fun time for the team or its fans, and for a lot of the fanbase the fact that it was revealed that Nash requested a trade soured their opinion of him. It was an ugly divorce, but the players and picks received from New York have helped to re-shape the culture and core of the team. I'm still unsure how myself or other fans will feel when he returns to Columbus as a division foe this season. He may get some recognition prior to the game, but after that he'll be the enemy.

Thanks again to Mike from the Cannon! I got a feeling that many readers of this site will be cheering for the Jackets as their EC team....


Defend NWA: The Campaign Begins

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Last season, the Blue Jackets tried to start a new social media / slogan campaign to go along with "Carry The Flag" or "Join The Battle."

The problem is, while "Defend NWA" is a pretty decent turn of phrase (and goes with the militaria theme!), it came to be in the shadow of the lockout, and was fairly quickly choked out amid the political maneuvering and brinksmanship that consumed over half of the planned 2012-2013 season.

With the team moving to the East, they're giving it another go, and for good reason. With so many opponents in closer range for driving or flights into Port Columbus, there's a good chance that tickets will be in demand for their fans. Just as we're looking forward to making the trip to places like Pittsburgh, New York, and Washington, they'll be plotting to return the favor.

I could bring up past failures here, but I think it's better to focus on success. Last season, fans in Columbus reminded the NHL how difficult a building Nationwide Arena can be to play in. Last April, our crowds were so ferocious, so loud, so electric, that even the officials couldn't communicate over the roar.

Now, I realize there were a lot of reasons for that noise level, and I don't expect it every game. But what we can do is put butts in seats, and bring energy to each game, cheering on the Jackets and denying that potential momentum to the enemy.

"But," you ask, "aside from getting to watch our home NHL team for a full and proper season, what's in it for me?"

Well, as it happens, the Jackets are going to be doing a contest with some pretty nice prizes...and we may just have a few things of our own to give away, soon.

Want to get your hands on that?

Then here's what you need to do. Go to the team's Defend NWA webpage. Get some of the new icons, facebook photos, and other new promos. Enter the contest. Then, show us how you're planning to get involved. Give us your best photo, video, Instagram, Catstagram, whatever, showing how you want to Defend NWA.

Training camp opens in just over a week. The pre-season starts a few days later. The regular season opener is a month away.

It's time to get excited, and to spread that excitement around this city. Let's make something happen.

Help Us #DefendNWA and Win!

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As we talked about, the #DefendNWA campaign is in full swing as the Jackets get ready to sell single game tickets for the 2013-2014 NHL season, and we're already starting to see fans changing twitter icons, facebook profiles, the works.

It's a good start, but when we're competing against the zeitgeist juggernaut of OSU football, it never hurts to throw out a few more ideas to get people thinking hockey.

That's where you come in.

Defending this city means we show up at the arena and we cheer on our boys, but it also means having something we care about. Something special. Something you protect.

We want to see the things that make this city special to you.

Here's how this is going to work.

Step 1: Figure out your favorite place in Columbus. I'm going to be mean, and tell you that Nationwide and R-Bar do not count. It's just too easy.(Live outside of Columbus? That's OK. Show us your favorite hometown spot.)

Step 2: Print out the Defend NWA logo below:

1314_cbj_twitter_defendnwa_nodate_500x500_medium
. (Can't print it out? Grab some paper and a shapie pen. Go to town!)

Step 3: Grab your jersey, your sign, and whatever else makes you feel as hockey'd up as possible, and head out to your favorite spot. Get a friend / family member / random bystander to snap a picture, and post it here in the comments.

We'll give you through Saturday, the 14th, and then we'll pick a winner from the entries.

We'lll announce the winner before Sunday's pre-season kickoff against the Penguins, and maybe even see if we can put together some kind of slideshow if we get enough entries.

Let's see what you've got!

Sabres Open Traverse City Tournament With 3-2 Win Over Columbus

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The Traverse City Prospects Tournament opened yesterday in Michigan, and the Sabres opened the tourney with a 3-2 victory over the prospects from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The defending champion Sabres (man, that's a phrase I hope to be able to type someday in a different context) saw goals from Nicholas Baptiste, Justin Bailey, and the game winner from Rasmus Ristolainen en route to the victory over C-Bus. Nathan Lieuwen stopped 26 shots en rout to the W, and a good start for the defending champs.

It's a bit disturbing that the Sabres were outshot all game (22-28, and just 2 in the third period) in that we hope this trend doesn't continue in future iterations of the big club. Head coach (and Amerks coach) Chadd Cassidy wasn't too worried though, saying " I think the trap that you fall into is you start feeling probably a little too good about yourselves. They showed some push back and really took control after we went up 2-0".

Buffalo plays the NY Rangers prospects tomorrow at 4pm, then again on Sunday at 3:30pm against Carolina's futures. If the Sabres can manage to finish first in their division, they'll then play again for the championship on Monday evening. If not, they'll simply play for pride. All games are being broadcast on WWKB 1520AM and are also being streamed live on Sabres.com.

Here's the lineup courtesy of Sabres.com:

Daniel CatenacciJohan LarssonJoel Armia
Kevin SundherZemgus Girgensons– Nicholas Baptiste
Eric LockeColin JacobsLogan Nelson
Peter Trainor – Justin Kea– Justin Bailey

Brady AustinChad Ruhwedel (C)
Nikita Zadorov– Rasmus Ristolainen
Alex Lepkowski– Connor Boland

Nathan Lieuwen
Andrey Makarov

Phoenix Coyotes Preseason Countdown: 8 Days

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The embarrassment of riches on the Phoenix Coyotes' blue line has been well documented. However, the need for a second line left wing has ignited many debates attempting to decipher the most effective way to fill that role. A scenario that continues to emerge among the team's fans on social media is the trading of Rostislav Klesla.

Klesla scored eight points last season which, in a shortened season, prorated to numbers near his career average. On a team with flashy defensemen like Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Keith Yandle, Klesla's contributions can get lost in the sparkle.

The 31-year-old faced the third toughest competition (0.785 Corsi Rel QoC) of any defenseman on the Coyotes. Only Ekman-Larsson and Zbynek Michalek faced tougher competition (they ranked first and second respectively among all NHL players for toughest competition faced). Klesla faced that competition while starting only 48.7 percent of the time in the offensive zone, fourth lowest among Coyotes defensemen.

A mainstay on the third pairing, Klesla has helped nurture both Michael Stone and David Schlemko into viable top-six defensemen.

The first ever Columbus Blue Jacket entry draft pick, was sent to Phoenix (along with minor leaguer Dane Byers) in February 2011 in exchange for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto. "Rusty" helped fill the void left by an injured Ed Jovanovski.

As a penalty-killing defensive defenseman, Klesla's game may not jump out to many watching on TV or reading a post-game box score. However, his contributions to the team have been essential to the Coyotes' success over the last couple years. When Ekman-Larsson and Michalek need a rest, and Yandle just finished up playing most, if not all, of a power play, who takes over on the penalty kill or in the defensive zone? Rostislav Klesla.

Media Day 2013: What to Expect?

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Today, the Blue Jackets will welcome in the Columbus media to talk about plans for the coming campaign, and set the public tone before going into this year's training camp.

Interestingly, while the sports media headlines in Columbus are being dominated by tonight's USA / Mexico match and the ongoing QB issues at Ohio State, nearly every major news outlet has commented on the fact that today is Media Day at Nationwide, and there's a current of...dare I say it...excitement? Anticipation? Interest? And it doesn't seem like they're just in it for the sumptuous buffet.

In the past, we've talked about how the team frequently tries to set a tone using the event, but this year the leadup has been a more self-assured thing. The club has stated that head coach Todd Richards, president John Davidson, and GM Jarmo Kekalainen will speak to the media. Unlike past years where a lot of the focus was on new additions or a shuffled coaching staff, the team is (generally) returning the same roster as last season, and there's no questions about the expectations - new Conference or not, the goal is a Stanley Cup, and missing the playoffs is not acceptable. The cultural shifts of the last few years have finally settled.

Here's what I'd expect to hear today (and we WILL be attending the event and providing updates this afternoon).

  • Strong Foundations - Expect to hear a lot about Bob and the returning D-corps. This team is playing from the net out, and I expect the coaches / executives to reference that quite a bit
  • Veteran Presence - While the team has several promising young players who are expected to take "the next step", I would expect we're going to hear the organization putting a lot on guys like Fedor Tyutin, Brandon Dubinski, Jack Johnson, and R.J. Umberger as leaders on and off ice.
  • Embracing the Underdog - Despite the way a lot of fans around the NHL embraced the club in their playoff chase, not many expect them to make a big splash in a division that will include the Penguins, Rangers, Capitals, and Flyers. I think we're going to hear a restatement of the "never outworked" identity, and using that disregard as fuel to compete hard and make a bigger impact in the Metropolitan division than most expect.

Now, at the same time, there are some things I would NOT expect to hear today.

  • No Guaranteed Spots - Not just in terms of performance, but in terms of younger players breaking into the lineup. As much as I think the organization would like to see Ryan Murray, Boone Jenner, or Ilari Melart push for a spot on the NHL roster, you're not going to see them handed spots before camp opens. This is going to be a very "Show Me" camp for the club's youth, and I'd even extend that to guys like Cam Atkinson and Ryan Johansen. Nothing is guaranteed, and they want to see everyone step it up a notch.
  • No Captain On Deck - While some organizations have been announcing new Captains or leadership groups over the last few weeks, I doubt we'll have a similar announcement today, given that the coaching staff has avoided the subject when asked recently.
  • No Roster Shuffles - We've seen a recent crop of veteran UFAs / bought out playersbeing invited to camps around the league this week on tryout agreements, but barring an injury this week I wouldn't expect any more free agents to be signed or PTOs to be sent out. I think Jarmo and JD want to see the group as constructed take a step without messing with the chemistry that came together last season.
  • No Sell Jobs - In the past, Media day has been as much about trying to sell the team to the local media and to show why they needed to cover the club. This year, the interest is firmly in place thanks to the strong finish last season, and the fanbase is strongly engaged - I'd even say that casual fan interest is higher than it was after the club's 2008-2009 playoff appearance. They don't need to explain why this team will be worth watching - the evidence speaks for itself.
We'll have more for you in a few hours. Keep an eye on the blog and our @CBJCannon twitter feed
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