Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)

[jimotis4heisman]

okt and svitov resigned
TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader


eklund top 20 ufa
HockeyBuzz.com
lists

16. Bryan Smolinski (Vancouver, Florida, Pittsburgh, Washington, Columbus)

and

14. Roman Hamrlik (Edmonton, LA, NJ, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Columbus)

(ill comment that ekuland should be taken with a grain of salt...

 

[CausticMick]

okt and svitov resigned
TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader


eklund top 20 ufa
HockeyBuzz.com
lists
and


(ill comment that ekuland should be taken with a grain of salt...

I hadn't seen that yet about OKT and Svitov, but those are two players I highly covet and believe are underrated (with Vyborny, of course, but he's not so underrated with CBJ fans- just the NHL)- Svitov in particular. A lot of people don't like him but I think he's a hustler. I like what Howson is doing so far...

 

[jimotis4heisman]

I hadn't seen that yet about OKT and Svitov, but those are two players I highly covet and believe are underrated (with Vyborny, of course, but he's not so underrated with CBJ fans- just the NHL)- Svitov in particular. A lot of people don't like him but I think he's a hustler. I like what Howson is doing so far...

youll probably read about it tom in the dispatch...

on howson, time will tell. say what you want but lots of young pieces to work with. time will tell. i like that every player they drafted has some sandpaper in his game.

 

[CausticMick]

on howson, time will tell. say what you want but lots of young pieces to work with. time will tell. i like that every player they drafted has some sandpaper in his game.

Agreed... an element only a few players have subscribed to recently.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

jackets signed jiri novotny to a 2 year deal today.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

jackets signed jiri novotny to a 2 year deal today.

TSN link

The 23-year-old rookie split time between the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals in 2006/07. He scored six goals, with seven assists over 50 games with the Sabres and he had six assists in 18 games with the Capitals.
Novotny was drafted 22nd overall by the Sabres in 2001.

TSN player write-up

Kind of a head-scratcher to me. Don't know a lot about the kid, but TSN projects him to be, at best, a third-line center. Last I checked, we already have about 4 of those.

Another first-rounder to add to the list of:
Leclaire
Hainsey
Klesla
Brule
Malhotra
Nash
Svitov
Zherdev
Eriksson
Picard

As well as Brassard and Voracek.
Not to mention that Boucher and Berard (neither will be back) were both first-rounders, too.

This organization must have a love affair with first-round picks. It would be nice if some of them played like it every now and again! :p

 

[ScriptOhio]

Blue Jackets sign Jiri Novotny for two years

The Blue Jackets have signed free agent center Jiri Novotny to a two-year contract.

The deal pays Novotny $700,000 this season and $800,000 in 2008-09.

Novotny, 23, played in 68 games with the Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres last season, totaling six goals, 13 assists and a minus-4 rating. He was traded to the Capitals in late November.

Entire article: The Columbus Dispatch : Blue Jackets sign Jiri Novotny for two-years

Six goals in 68 games last year. Is he really going to "make a difference"? I can't see him being any better than Fritsche (12 goals), Malhotra (9 goals), Brule (9 goals), or Svitov (7 goals). Did they really improve the team by signing him?

 

[CausticMick]

Six goals in 68 games last year. Is he really going to "make a difference"? I can't see him being any better than Fritsche (12 goals), Malhotra (9 goals), Brule (9 goals), or Svitov (7 goals). Did they really improve the team by signing him?

68 games is impressive, and a -4 isn't bad. Some guys are just grinders instead of scorers... although the 13 assists isn't all that great if he doesn't score. Only 22 points?

 

[Mike80]

As Mr. Incredible said, -4, especially when on the Caps for most of the year isn't that bad in 68 games.

But what else does he bring? He might be a decent pest player in a couple years, but that's 3rd line stuff....

 

[jimotis4heisman]

The Columbus Dispatch : Center, defenseman reach agreements with Jackets

Center, defenseman reach agreements with Jackets

Wednesday, July 4, 2007 3:39 AM
By Aaron Portzline


The Columbus Dispatch

Jiri Novotny had six goals and 13 assists last season.

Jan Hejda had one goal and eight assists for the Oilers last season.


General manager Scott Howson made it clear that the Blue Jackets wouldn't be big spenders during free agency this summer. But they landed two Czechs yesterday.
The Blue Jackets signed center Jiri Novotny and agreed to terms with defenseman Jan Hejda, moves that won't draw national headlines but, Howson hopes, will help shore up glaring holes on the roster.

TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader

Jan Hejda #- D

DOB: Sun, Jun 18, 1978

Age: 29

Place of Birth: Prague, Czech. (now Czech Republic)

HT: 6-3 WT: 209

Shoots: L

NHL Seasons: 1

Drafted by Buffalo in 2003 (4/106).
Has big-league size and a wealth of experience. Moves the puck well and is aggressive in the defensive zone. Flaws Has limited upside and is basically a fill-in player at this stage of his career. Won't be much of a factor on the score sheet in the big league.

hejda played in edmonton last year, pretty sure howson knows what he is getting there...

Jiri Novotny #- C

Columbus

DOB: Fri, Aug 12, 1983

Age: 23

Place of Birth: Pelhrimov, Czech. (now Czech Republic)

HT: 6-2 WT: 204

Shoots: R

NHL Seasons: 2

Drafted by Buffalo in 2001 (1/22).

GAME-BY-GAME

CAREER STATS

COLUMBUS ROSTER

Assets Owns a projectable frame for the pivot position. Sees the ice well and has sound playmaking instincts. Flaws Doesn't have top-end finishing skills. Must continue to improve his work ethic, since he tends to be lazy at times.

 

[CausticMick]

Quote:
Assets Owns a projectable frame for the pivot position. Sees the ice well and has sound playmaking instincts. Flaws Doesn't have top-end finishing skills. Must continue to improve his work ethic, since he tends to be lazy at times.

Sounds like a certain player who wears #13 for us currently... except our guy scores more often.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Nhl Blue Jackets
New addition will add physical presence

Friday, July 6, 2007 3:25 AM
By Aaron Portzline


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Jan Hejda


The Blue Jackets made it official yesterday, signing defenseman Jan Hejda to a one-year contract worth $1 million.

Hejda, 29, is relatively
unknown in NHL circles, having spent nine professional seasons (1997-98 to 2005- 06) playing in the top leagues of the Czech Republic and Russia.

Continued....

 

[ScriptOhio]

Burnside: Who came out on top in free agency?

Trending Down (not good)

Columbus Blue Jackets
It may not be true that the Blue Jackets' marketing campaign is going to be 'wait until next year when we get rid of all these stiffs Doug MacLean left us' -- but it could be. The Blue Jackets have not drafted well, have made poor free agent decisions and then there's the deal to acquire Sergei Fedorov. All in all a mess that will tax Ken Hitchcock's considerable coaching skills to the max this coming season. But just wait until next summer when the Blue Jackets get rid of all those stiffs Doug MacLean left them and they have money to burn.

Interesting comment: "wait until next year when we get rid of all these stiffs Doug MacLean left us"

Entire article (with his take on all the teams): ESPN - Burnside: Rangers get pick of the litter - NHL

 

[Mike80]

Trending Down (not good)

Columbus Blue Jackets
It may not be true that the Blue Jackets' marketing campaign is going to be 'wait until next year when we get rid of all these stiffs Doug MacLean left us' -- but it could be. The Blue Jackets have not drafted well, have made poor free agent decisions and then there's the deal to acquire Sergei Fedorov. All in all a mess that will tax Ken Hitchcock's considerable coaching skills to the max this coming season. But just wait until next summer when the Blue Jackets get rid of all those stiffs Doug MacLean left them and they have money to burn.

Interesting comment: "wait until next year when we get rid of all these stiffs Doug MacLean left us"

Entire article (with his take on all the teams): ESPN - Burnside: Rangers get pick of the litter - NHL

Essentially that's all this year was going to be anyway. look for the jackets to be playing much better at the end of the year than at the beginning.

That said, with Nashville all but decapitated, I think my Wings will have an easy skate to the Central division crown this year

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Nashville decapitated

That's all I need to hear!