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Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)

Re:
0407_zherdev_sp_04-07-07_D1_0V6ALBF.jpg

Nikolai Zherdev of the Blue Jackets doesn't like to be told how to play the game of hockey.

Zherdev said he wants to finish his career with the Blue Jackets. He said he's up to the challenge. "I like Columbus," he said. "I like the size of the city. It's not Moscow, but that's OK. I'd like to play here a long time. I can be a better player. I will be a better player. Wait and see."

Does anyone actually believe that? Something tells me the Blue Jackets would have a very difficult time trading him for a "proven quality" player.

Re: The Blue Jackets were 5-13-2 under coach Gerard Gallant and interim coach Gary Agnew. Hitchcock became the Blue Jackets' fourth coach when he took over Nov. 23. He guided the team to a 28-29-5 record the remainder of the season, which ended with a 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks in Nationwide Arena on Saturday night.

I didn't realize that the Blue jackets did that well under Hitchcock; one more win and he would of had a winning record. :)
 
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Should have dealt Z when they had the chance. These guys don't change. I was yelling louder than anyone that they had to sign him last summer, but I didn't know he was this bad.

That's on McLean. He had to know that guys on the team were not connecting with Nick. Ship him and cut your losses.
 
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ysubuck;807918; said:
Should have dealt Z when they had the chance. These guys don't change. I was yelling louder than anyone that they had to sign him last summer, but I didn't know he was this bad.

That's on McLean. He had to know that guys on the team were not connecting with Nick. Ship him and cut your losses.

Zherdev was playing noticably different as the season progressed under Hitch. I seriously don't think anyone ever stressed defense with Zherdev because of what he can do with the puck.

He could be a guy just like Pavel Datsyuk (yet another Russian whose puck-handling is off the charts) because he didn't play a whole hell of a lot of defense his first 2 years either.

Zherdev is only 23. There's still time.

Steve Yzerman didn't play defense until he was 25 or so and he'd been in the league 7 years by then....
 
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it was odd. but, i was told when hitch took the job that nash was going to be his little pet. he had a two year plan to "break the horse" within rick. hitch was shocked that nash bought in from day one and the process took about two months to get the mindset and motivation out of rick.

personally i have a hard time trading the talents of a guy like nik z. hes an enigma for sure. but, what you are seeing is teams who are reacting to his skill and gameplanning for him. you are seeing 4 guys trying to stand him up at the blue line as he attempts to skate the puck in. if nik shows the willingness to play give and go hell get a lot of scoring chances. its a timing thing. he wont reap any rewards for a few weeks after he fully buys into that. and humorous as it is, nik isnt that bad in his own zone. defensively he is not near the worst player on the ice...

that being said. its obvious the free pass is up. i think that one of two things happens. z changes and follows hitchs plan or hitch will "ruin" z. i dont see him being traded without making even more of a headcase/problem out of him. hitch runs a tough ship. everyone plays defense, everyone checks and everyone plays hard every night. youd never guess it from bench demeanor but hitch is a sob who gets results by demanding respect and hes got a long track line of making and breaking players along with ruining a few along the way...
 
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http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/sports/stories/2007/04/16/picard.html
Blue Jackets' Picard suffers serious knee injury

Monday, April 16, 2007 2:55 PM
By Aaron Portzline


COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Left winger Alexandre Picard, the Blue Jackets' No. 1 draft pick in the 2004 NHL draft, will likely miss at least part of the 2007-08 season after suffering a serious knee injury over the weekend. Picard suffered torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee Friday when he was submarined by a defender while playing for the Blue Jackets' top minor-league club, the Syracuse Crunch, a Blue Jackets source said.
Typically, the injury requires at least a six-month recovery from the time of surgery.
Picard's surgery, which will be performed at the Cleveland Clinic, has not been schedule. If it were done next week, a six-month recovery would put his return around mid-October, about a week into the season.



continued...
 
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more on picard (similar as the above article)

http://dispatch.com/dispatch/conten...17/jackets17.ART_ART_04-17-07_E1_T76DI8A.html

quick facts on cbjs #1s

Look out, No. 1

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 3:30 AM







Significant injuries suffered by Blue Jackets No. 1 picks:
• ROSTISLAV KLESLA (2000)
2005-06: missed 28 games with broken leg / broken hand
2003-04: missed 35 games with hip, knee, wrist and thigh injuries
• PASCAL LECLAIRE (2001)
2004-05: played 14 games because of abdominal injury
2006-07: played 24 games because of knee injury
• RICK NASH (2002)
2005-06: missed 28 games with ankle and knee injuries
• ALEXANDRE PICARD (2004)
2005-06: missed 17 games with concussion
2007-08: suffered serious knee injury Friday
• GILBERT BRULE (2005)
2005-06: missed 39 games with fractured sternum and broken leg
• DERICK BRASSARD (2006)
2006-07: missed 60 games with shoulder injury
Look out, No. 1


greenies to the first person to name the missing #1 pick.
 
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