Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)

[LitlBuck]

I've heard a rumor that the CBJ have offered a big offer sheet to RFA Jimmy Howard of the Wings.

I have not seen anything in the Columbus papers, or whatever that is worth, about the Blue Jackets making any type of offer. Was this a rumor up in Detroit or as it been matched.

 

[Mike80]

I have not seen anything in the Columbus papers, or whatever that is worth, about the Blue Jackets making any type of offer. Was this a rumor up in Detroit or as it been matched.

It was a rumor up in Detroit, but the rumor has since died a quick death.

The rumor was based around Columbus having issues signing LeClaire....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Blue Jackets notebook
Jackets' potential draws Peca back

Saturday, July 12, 2008 2:59 AM

By Aaron Portzline


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Center Michael Peca's one-year contract with the Blue Jackets became official yesterday. He'll make $1.315 million this season.
Peca, 34, is a two-time winner of the Selke Award as the NHL's top defensive forward. In 65 games with the Jackets last season, he had eight goals, 26 assists and a minus-1 rating. He's expected to play a third-line role and be a big part of the top penalty-killing unit.
Two other NHL clubs were interested in Peca, but he made it clear to them that his first choice was a return to the Blue Jackets.
"I think we've got something good going on, and I want to be a part of it," Peca said. "(General manager Scott Howson) has had a big summer. He's made some big moves. We were competitive for a long time last season, but I think it's going to be a lot more so this year. We've got a pretty good team. We're a lot deeper."

Continued........

 

[jimotis4heisman]

LW C RW
Nash -- Umberger -- Huselius
Modin -- Brassard? -- Torres
Chimera -- Peca/Malholtra -- Boll
Picard?-- Malholtra/Murray -- Voracek?


For the first time that I can remember, we ACTUALLY have depth at D and G. Lots of room for guys to step up at C and on the wings. We've accomplished 3 of the 4 goals that JO stated previous to free agency. We've got the puck moving defenseman [Tyutin, Backman], brusing defenseman [Commodore], and skilled forward [Huselius, Torres], but we're still looking for a #1 C.

id assume jake will play on the third line, i think hell get some sprinkled ice time on the rw with nash-his development will say how much sprinkled time you see. you have 1 and 2 how they will likely be. jakes up over 200lbs up 20lbs from last year. hes hit the weight room ultra hard to make an impact.

that #1 wasnt there. reality is marleau inst #1 C either. picked up a top six forward and have brassard who was better than 1 ppg last year in the cuse even with the freak broken jaw.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Nice article from the Dispatch about last year's fourth round pick, Maxim Mayorov. The article mentioned that he's the 2nd best finisher in the development camp, bested only by Jakob Voracek. I'm really excited to see what these kids can do.

CONT....

Re: Mayorov, who plans to spend the summer in Columbus, is living in the Arena District apartment owned by former Blue Jackets winger Nikolai Zherdev, who was traded last week to the Rangers. He's still getting used to the surroundings. But on the ice, he's looked right at home.

There's why Zherdev was traded, they needed his apartment.

big fan of mayorov. he was the 15-20th best player in the draft. transfer agreement killed him. some had him penciled in at 12, everyone thought he was 1st round talent. big kid, who can skate and play hockey. played for ak bars- (polar bears) with svitov. id like to see him in the big boy camp and see how he stacks up. at this point i think hes in the cuse this year.

I live in a condo and after the 2006 season one of the guys, can't remember his name, signed a free-agent contract with Chicago and he rented his condo to another player who was also from Czechoslovakia. He left after last season to go back home. These guys must swap places all the time .

lyle odelein jumps into my head but that would have been like 2001...
but yea you see that a decent amount.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

It was a rumor up in Detroit, but the rumor has since died a quick death.

The rumor was based around Columbus having issues signing LeClaire....

pascal will get done. no problems there.

 

[ScriptOhio]

BLUE JACKETS SIGN MACDONALD AND MACKENZIE

Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Craig MacDonald to a one-year contract, and re-signed center Derek MacKenzie to a two-year deal Monday.
Both contracts are two-way NHL-American Hockey League deals.
MacDonald, 31, registered two goals and nine assists in 65 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, setting career highs in assists, points and games played. He also was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
In 225 career games, with stints in Carolina, Florida, Boston, Calgary, Chicago and Tampa Bay, MacDonald has registered 10 goals and 23 assists
MacKenzie, 27, scored two goals and had eight penalty minutes in 17 games with the Blue Jackets last season,
In 45 career games, with Atlanta and Columbus, MacKenzie has two goals and two assists.

Entire article: Blue Jackets sign MacDonald and MacKenzie

 

[LitlBuck]

I am not a big hockey stats man but 9 assists in 65 games is a career-high for a forward that doesn't seem very high to me.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

I am not a big hockey stats man but 9 assists in 65 games is a career-high for a forward that doesn't seem very high to me.

Two-way deal. Sounds like another gritty energy guy who can fillout the 4th line or provide depth at Syracuse.

I'm hoping the Jackets don't end up relying too heavily on his scoring prowess. :p

 

[sears3820]

Two-way deal. Sounds like another gritty energy guy who can fillout the 4th line or provide depth at Syracuse.

I'm hoping the Jackets don't end up relying too heavily on his scoring prowess. :p

Wouldn't 9 assists in 65 games put him towards the top of the Blue Jackets leaderboard?

:tongue2:

 

[jimotis4heisman]

I am not a big hockey stats man but 9 assists in 65 games is a career-high for a forward that doesn't seem very high to me.

for the awful lightning
hes played 65, 25, 25, 34, 35, in seasons past with lower numbers sprinkled in with a total of 225 nhl games. they call this a veteran depth signing.

Two-way deal. Sounds like another gritty energy guy who can fillout the 4th line or provide depth at Syracuse.

I'm hoping the Jackets don't end up relying too heavily on his scoring prowess. :p

dead on. dead on. for a cat you catch on quick... but maybe its cuz he had a stint with the panthers?

Wouldn't 9 assists in 65 games put him towards the top of the Blue Jackets leaderboard?

:tongue2:

career nhl 10/23/33 in 225 games. -16 with 91 pims
ahl 79/143/222 in 329 games +9 with 394 mins

also he played some hockey coming up in cincy

although these are kind of suprising since the both fill a similar role. but i feel good solid veteran leadership is key to development and fostering a winning attitude in the cuse.



nikitas contract was denied by the nhl. schedule A issue. nothing big. (wording on the bonuses)

 

[tmporter]

for the awful lightning
hes played 65, 25, 25, 34, 35, in seasons past with lower numbers sprinkled in with a total of 225 nhl games. they call this a veteran depth signing.


dead on. dead on. for a cat you catch on quick... but maybe its cuz he had a stint with the panthers?



career nhl 10/23/33 in 225 games. -16 with 91 pims
ahl 79/143/222 in 329 games +9 with 394 mins

also he played some hockey coming up in cincy

although these are kind of suprising since the both fill a similar role. but i feel good solid veteran leadership is key to development and fostering a winning attitude in the cuse.



nikitas contract was denied by the nhl. schedule A issue. nothing big. (wording on the bonuses)

Hey JO, do you see both Nikita and Maxim Mayorov playing in the 'Cuse this year? Assuming they can get both signed and out of Russia. Or will they play juniors in Canada? I am just very excited that they could have these guys over here and playing. On a different note, do you have any penciled lines in your head yet? More to the point, who do you see playing with Derek on the second line.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Hey JO, do you see both Nikita and Maxim Mayorov playing in the 'Cuse this year? Assuming they can get both signed and out of Russia. Or will they play juniors in Canada? I am just very excited that they could have these guys over here and playing. On a different note, do you have any penciled lines in your head yet? More to the point, who do you see playing with Derek on the second line.

well if nikita plays jr in canada he goes to sudbury. folgino is the coach (nicks dad a prospect in the sens system) they play a pretty tight style due to little or no offensive firepower. the wolves have the youngest staal, lusnak the scorer and another euro, dias should be an overager along with odell. they got the first pick in the bantam draft and took john mcfarland (top pick in his draft year?) long story short sudbur will suck but id imagine folgino would let nikita free wheel and deal all day on the first line...

both should be signed and out of russia. i feel pretty confident with that.

i will say that both are eligible for the chl(canadian hockey league) and the ahl (american). they both will get at least the 9 game stint in a pro league. id pencil them both in for the cuse. well see how they look but nikita has two much jump, speed and skill to not play at that level. i think mayorov may look nice in cuse also. with departures of brassard they will be in need of playmakers.

mayorov has the hands, the skill and size to play. he needs to develop a little more in his physical play and within a team structure with his defensive play. no doubt that the coaches spent extra time with him at the prospect camp for reasons.

personally i am more intereseted to see what happens with kosmachev. 6-4 230lbs right shot d man. he might be another russian dman in theh pipeline with plekhanov.

lines

this is a guess and without thinking

nash/umberger/huselius
modin/brassard/torres
chimmer/peca/jake
4th line slot machine

but i will stress how hitch sees the world. he sees pairs. and interchanging part with the pairs. i also think youll see some jumbo line. nash/umberger/modin. i dare you to put any defensive pairing out there and let that line cycle on you for 35 seconds. or better yet rj and freddy cycle while rick takes a break watching babes in the stands then steps into the cycle and towards the net on a dman who has been working the all against two 6-3 230lbs skilled players...

but honestly i dont know how these things will all work out. chemistry is a key and an underrated one. i like that you see what the team wants and that you see options their to deviate. and they are not force options (grant marshalls or adam foote on the pp)

 

[tmporter]

I really didn't know much about those 2. They were mid round picks and the Jackets haven't seen very much sucess out of any mid to late round pick so I just kind of wrote them off.

What do you think of Will Weber? I made it to a number of Miami games and he didn't play much. Have you heard anything about him?

I knew you had said that Hitch sees the hockey world as pairs and ones. I really didn't see Peca coming back this year so I was guessing that Chimmer would still play with Manny. Do you see Manny and Jiri Novotny getting much ice time? Which one do you feel will play more? I like Manny but I always hear that he is an overpaid 3rd or 4th line center. As always thanks for your insight and helpful info.

 

[Mike80]

but i will stress how hitch sees the world. he sees pairs. and interchanging part with the pairs. i also think youll see some jumbo line. nash/umberger/modin. i dare you to put any defensive pairing out there and let that line cycle on you for 35 seconds. or better yet rj and freddy cycle while rick takes a break watching babes in the stands then steps into the cycle and towards the net on a dman who has been working the all against two 6-3 230lbs skilled players...

Lidstrom and Rafalski are equal to that tasking but they would be about the only pairing in the NHL worthy of even debate I think....

That's a big line. the important part is keeping Modin healthy though...