Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 7

Columbus Dispatch

"If the Browns could leave Cleveland, the possibility of any pro sports team leaving its town can never be dismissed. But Blue Jackets officials and sources around the NHL insist that the Blue Jackets, who claim losses of at least $12 million per season because of their lease agreement with Nationwide Arena, aren't likely to be on the move. "I have full confidence that we have the support it takes in this town to find a solution," Blue Jackets President Mike Priest said. "The players who need to come together are going to come together to find a solution. "But having said that there are no guarantees." On Wednesday, the Columbus Chamber released the findings of an independent study that ..."

Officials: Help the Jackets? Sure, but...

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November 6

Columbus Dispatch

"Columbus and Franklin County officials say they won't spend sales- or income-tax dollars to bail out the Blue Jackets or buy Nationwide Arena. But they concurred yesterday with a report commissioned by the Columbus Chamber: Government must help keep the National Hockey League franchise in town and the Arena District thriving. Franklin County commissioners called the district an engine of economic development, but pledged that "Franklin County tax dollars will not be used." Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council members, who spent the summer persuading voters to approve higher income taxes, said they won't spend general-fund money to save professional hockey in Columbus. That still ..."

Moving not on their minds

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November 6

Columbus Dispatch

"It seems like Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash just finished answering questions about his future in Columbus beyond this season. He's getting them again. Only this time it concerns the entire franchise. A report issued yesterday by the Columbus Chamber states that the Jackets are losing $12 million a year and will likely need public financial support to remain in central Ohio. Nash and teammates say they are focused on winning games while franchise officials, politicians and civic leaders search for a possible solution to the Nationwide Arena lease issue and other financial burdens. Unlike the eight-year contract extension he signed in July, Nash said the Jackets' economic woes are beyond ..."

Columbus 4, Atlanta 3: Jackets don't play their game, but win

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November 6

Columbus Dispatch

"The Atlanta Thrashers seem to play every shift at home as though they are down a goal in the final minute of the game. Forwards cheat. Defensemen pinch. Checking is optional. The Blue Jackets got caught up in Thrashers' hockey last night in Philips Arena, trading scoring chances and turnovers in rapid succession. Playing their second game in as many nights, the Blue Jackets won 4-3 despite being badly outshot and committing the game's final seven penalties. The Jackets led almost the whole way, but could not exhale until they withstood the final 1-minute, 24-second barrage with the Thrashers' net empty and their players pelting goaltender Mathieu Garon with pucks. "We really haven't seen ..."

Thrashers Loss To CBJs Is Like Déjà vu All Over Again

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November 6

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

columnist Bill Tiller

"Ever get that strange and unexplainable feeling that you seen this before? Thrashers playing at home…come out of the locker room in the red third jerseys…get down by two or three goals…mount a comeback…end the game with a final furious rally in front of the visitor's goal…but fall just short. Now, was that the Thrashers last game I just described? Was it last Thursday versus Washington? Maybe it was the Thursday before that against, again, Washington? Or was it the Saturday game against San Jose in between the two Capitals game?"

Thrashersanother at home after early deficit

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November 6

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The trend continues -- and it's not a good one. The Thrashers again fell behind early, this time by two first-period goals, en route to a 4-3 loss to Columbus on Thursday at Philips Arena. The Thrashers have lost four consecutive at home, each time surrendering first-period goals that put the team in an early hole from which it could never fully recover. The Thrashers (6-5-1) are just 1-4 at home this season. All four losses have come by one goal. Welcome back to Bluesland. "This is the same press conference as the last games at home, and it's disappointing," Thrashers coach John Anderson said. "It's not like we are playing horrible. I think we don't initiate. We wait to see how the game ..."

Casino could cast cloud over Arena District

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November 5

Columbus Dispatch

columnist Michael Arace

"Neither Franklin County nor Columbus wanted a casino, but here it comes. The Arena District -- Nationwide Arena and the Blue Jackets, bars, restaurants and business owners, Huntington Park and the Clippers -- are bracing for the impact. I'm not antigambling. If I were king, I'd save the racetracks and give them slots and blackjack tables. Are there not jobs there to save and create? I do not care for the present development. It worries me. The casino owners drew up the ballot issue and structured it so as to remove any real form of government control. If the casino owners so choose, they can build a 100-story hotel with 30 restaurants, a 10,000-seat theater and a vast gambling parlor. For ..."

Jackets' confidence grows after another strong outing

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November 5

Columbus Dispatch

"One week ago, the Blue Jackets were flubbing the puck in their zone and searching high and low for their misplaced identity. They were enduring 45-minute video sessions of in-house bloopers. Today, they'll awaken with a keen sense of who they are, as well as a growing sense of confidence, despite a growing list of injured players. A 3-2 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks before 13,401 in Nationwide Arena was not particularly memorable. Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle scored in the second round of the shootout, the only player to do so. "We played a very good game against a very good team," Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash said. "It was really physical and really high-paced out there. We can ..."

Filatov gets time, shows progress

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November 5

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets rookie Nikita Filatov was disappointed with the chance he failed to convert last night. In the context of his development, however, the winger was pleased with the opportunities he received. Filatov, who failed on a shootout attempt, played a season-high 11 minutes, 33 seconds in a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Coach Ken Hitchcock, missing two key forwards, had enough faith in Filatov to play him in the final three minutes of a tie game. "It's a sign of trust," Filatov said. "I'm not usually on the ice in the final five or six minutes of a period." Filatov, who had not played 10 minutes in a game this season, bounced around the third and fourth lines because an upper-body ..."

Saving the Jackets

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November 5

Columbus Dispatch

"The Columbus Blue Jackets could leave central Ohio if the team can't fix an economic model that is causing losses of $12 million a year, according to a report issued today by the Columbus Chamber. But a deal to keep the hockey team here and the Arena District alive -- the team and the district generated $30 million in taxes last year -- probably will include asking for public dollars, and soon. "We believe there is a sense of urgency here," said Ty D. Marsh, chamber president and CEO. "We're looking for a solution or progress by the end of the year." Marsh said the goal would be a financial package that would relieve the Blue Jackets of significant costs, potentially including $5 million a ..."

Sharks' dominance on faceoff comes from hard work

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November 5

San Jose Mercury News

"The Sharks have been the NHL's most dominant team in the faceoff circle with a 57.7 percent success rate over the first month of the season. San Jose also finished last season as the NHL's best faceoff team at 53.8 percent, and players say those numbers are tied to the emphasis the coaching staff puts on a less heralded aspect of the game. "We really harp on faceoffs and starting with the puck," said center Scott Nichol, whose 64 percent faceoff success rate is the second best in the NHL. "We have some guys that are pretty dynamic players on this team, and when we start with the puck, we're a lot more dangerous than if we're chasing it." Nichol, who is in his first season with the Sharks ..."

San Jose Sharks defeat Columbus

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November 5

San Jose Mercury News

"The sequence of events about 16 minutes into the second period Wednesday night was a costly one. Skating short-handed because Brad Staubitz earned an instigator penalty for picking a fight, the Sharks saw captain Rob Blake go down with an injury and their 2-1 lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets disappear in rapid succession. And the fact the night had a happy ending — San Jose moved to the top spot in the Western Conference with a 3-2 shootout victory — didn't make it more palatable for Coach Todd McLellan. "It's an interesting chain of events," said McLellan, whose team extended its winning streak to six games. "You take a really poor penalty, you lose a faceoff, somebody gets hurt, and ..."

No star treatment for Ovechkin

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November 4

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock appreciates the rare blend of talent and nastiness that Washington's Alex Ovechkin brings to the game. Not many stars take equal pleasure in scoring goals and throwing big hits. But Hitchcock's admiration did not stop his team from targeting the NHL's two-time most valuable player on the ice. Yesterday, Hitchcock pleaded guilty as charged to accusations made by Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, who told the Washington Post that the Jackets were attempting to "run" and "hit" Ovechkin every time he touched the puck in Sunday's game. "That would be correct," Hitchcock said. "That's the name of the game. Why, is that against the rules now?" The Capitals winger ..."

Reliable Hejda to return tonight for Jackets

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November 4

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets defenseman Jan Hejda became a lot more noticeable in his absence. His teammates learned that strange truth over the past three weeks. It's why they eagerly await his return to the lineup tonight against San Jose in Nationwide Arena. "You don't always think about Jan out there, and I mean that in a good way," Jackets captain Rick Nash said. "He's always in position and never making mistakes. You don't notice him until he's gone, and then you realize how good he really is." The Jackets were 4-1-0 with a 2.20 goals-against average when Hejda suffered a sprained left knee Oct. 13 against Calgary. In his absence, they went 3-4-1, surrendering 4.25 goals per game and squandering ..."

No fractures are a break

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November 3

Columbus Dispatch

"The Blue Jackets had a good day at the doctor's office yesterday. X-rays on the hands of defenseman Fedor Tyutin and center Derick Brassard showed bad bruises but no broken bones, and both are expected to play Wednesday when the Blue Jackets play host to San Jose. "They're both pretty sore," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We might have to give those guys the day off (from practice today), but we should have them on Wednesday, which is really good news." Tyutin was struck in the hand by a puck fired by Washington defenseman Mike Greene during the third period of the Blue Jackets' 5-4 overtime win over the Capitals on Sunday. He missed the last half of the third period. When asked if Tyutin was ..."

Voracek's hair, music strictly old school

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November 3

Columbus Dispatch

"If Jake Voracek's game wasn't all business so far this season, the Blue Jackets might have forced the second-year left winger to visit a barber by now. His teammates might have asked him to stop humming all those yesteryear songs stored in his jukebox brain. It so happens that one of the most colorful figures in the dressing room has also been one of the Blue Jackets' most consistent players heading into a game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday in Nationwide Arena. After putting up nine goals and 29 assists as a rookie last season, Voracek is off to a promising start with four goals and six assists in 13 games. And while several Blue Jackets have had inconsistent starts to the ..."

Jackets buckle but refuse to fall

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November 2

Columbus Dispatch

"In a city consumed with a national health-care debate, the Blue Jackets and Capitals limped out of the Verizon Center last night after more than a few visits to their respective trainer's rooms. Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was lost to an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets forward Derick Brassard and defenseman Fedor Tyutin nursed hand/wrist injures. Defenseman Mike Commodore played despite a pre-existing condition, a charley horse. Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was still awaiting medical reports on two or three other players after a night of hard hits and nasty slashes. But the Jackets' mental well-being, bruised by recent blown leads, appears on the mend. The Blue Jackets rallied twice ..."

Fritsche hopes for NHL job

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November 2

Columbus Dispatch

"Dan Fritsche feels his best on game nights. Once the puck drops, all the maddening thoughts about the circumstances that delivered him to this humble station and the scenarios that could whisk him back to the NHL disappear. "You are focused on playing and winning and helping your team and trying to score goals," Fritsche said. "On the ice, it's the same game you played as a kid." But much has changed for Fritsche, a former Blue Jackets player and veteran of 256 NHL games. Unable to negotiate a one-way NHL contract, the free-agent forward signed an American Hockey League deal last month to play for the Syracuse Crunch, the Jackets' top minor-league club. A year ago, Fritsche was making ..."

New pad protecting Umberger's back

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November 2

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets center Derick Brassard set up Raffi Torres' game-tying goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation time. Captain Rick Nash threaded a perfect pass to R.J. Umberger for the winner on the power play in overtime. But after the Jackets' 5-4 win against Washington, Umberger awarded the assist of the night to Tim LeRoy. The Jackets equipment manager attached a protective flap to his equipment that cushions blows to his lower back. On the winning goal, Umberger parked himself in front of Capitals goalie Jose Theodore. A defenseman cross-checked Umberger three times in the small of the back, but could not prevent the Jackets' winger from tipping in Nash's feed at 1:45. "I knew (Tom ..."

Blue Jackets top Caps in OT, 5-4; Ovechkin injured

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November 2

Washington Examiner

"Around the NHL, top stars are dropping like flies thanks to a rash of injuries. Sunday afternoon, it was the Capitals' turn to experience that dreaded feeling. Star left wing Alex Ovechkin – who leads the NHL in goals (14) and points (23) - left the ice at 13 minutes, 50 seconds of the second period, minutes after a physical confrontation with Columbus forward Jason Chimera. His absence overshadowed a wild, 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets at Verizon Center. Washington (8-2-4, 20 points) lost leads of both 3-2 and 4-3 in the third period. Columbus forward Raffi Torres scored with an extra attacker on the ice with just 22.4 seconds left to tie the game at 4. R.J. Umberger then added ..."

Caps lose Ovechkin, game

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November 2

Washington Times

"The main early-season problems - discipline and blown third-period leads - were back Sunday for the Washington Capitals, but a more pressing issue was their hurting superstar. R.J. Umberger finished off a wild 5-4 victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets at Verizon Center by scoring on a power play in overtime to end a game in which Alex Ovechkin left in the second period and did not return. Ovechkin left with what appeared to be an arm/shoulder/chest injury in the second period. Officially, the team is calling it an upper-body injury, and he is day-to-day. "You can say, 'Woe is me, and our best player is out,' or you can say, 'Pull together and get the job done,' " Brooks Laich said. "I ..."

Ovechkin is hurt in Caps' OT loss

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November 2

Washington Post

"The Washington Capitals suffered their second straight overtime defeat Sunday, this one a 5-4 decision against the Columbus Blue Jackets. But it was the loss they suffered early in the second period that might prove to be much more significant. Alex Ovechkin was hurt during a scrum and missed the final 33 minutes 50 seconds of the game. Ovechkin said afterward that he had suffered an upper-body injury and that he was day-to-day. The two-time MVP refused to say how the injury occurred or where he was hurting. And when asked if he feared the injury to be serious, he said, "I don't know." Ovechkin did not appear to be in pain when he spoke to reporters in the dressing room wearing a suit. ..."

Capitals' Ovechkin gets another shot at Jackets' Mason

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November 1

Columbus Dispatch

"Alex Ovechkin's inability to score on 18 shots against Steve Mason last season helped the Blue Jackets goaltender win NHL rookie of the year honors. Mason wisely avoided the topic when meeting the Washington Capitals star in June at the NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas. The two players made small talk, nothing more. "That's the last guy I'm going to talk (smack) about because it will come back to haunt me," Mason said. The goalie and his teammates return to the scene of one of the franchise's proudest moments today to face the Capitals. Mason shut out the Capitals twice last season, stopping 71 total shots, but it was the 3-0 win in Washington on Jan. 9 that ranks among his most memorable ..."

Improved play makes tough loss easier to handle

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October 31

Columbus Dispatch

columnist Bob Hunter

"After a 5-1 start, Ken Hitchcock was starting to get a little grumpy. "The minute you start winning, you're just setting up losing," the Blue Jackets coach said. After giving up 26 goals and losing four of five games, Hitchcock seemed pretty chipper yesterday morning. "It's not that I'm happy," he said. He grinned. "I think you look at it as a teaching opportunity," he said. "The longer you're in the business, the more you're looking for ears and eyes wide open. So when you get that, then you've got to hammer it. You don't get many opportunities in professional sports when ears and eyes are wide open." Ears and eyes wide open ranks just below, or maybe it's above, a win in Hitchcock's ..."

Crosby: Goal 'was a fluke'

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October 31

Columbus Dispatch

"A season later, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby got his revenge against Steve Mason in the shootout. But the sheepish grin on Crosby's face, as he skated to the bench after scoring the only goal of the one-on-one showdown, told everyone how he felt about the play. The Blue Jackets goaltender stopped Crosby's shot with his stick but lost sight of the puck, only to locate it as it trickled into the net. The bizarre shootout goal capped a furious Penguins comeback for a 4-3 win in Nationwide Arena. "I thought he had me. I tried to get him to bite and he didn't," Crosby said. "It was a fluke. I'm not going home tonight thinking I beat him. He made the save." It is little consolation ..."

Jackets don't apply finishing touches

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October 31

Columbus Dispatch

"After five games on the lam, the Blue Jackets finally settled back into their identity last night, playing smart and structured hockey with more than a dash of skill. But in the final three minutes, against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in a packed and throbbing Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets channeled the franchise's early clubs that always found a way to blow late leads. A 3-1 lead dissolved quickly, and the Penguins went on to win 4-3 in a shootout before a bipartisan, overflow crowd of 19,136. "We took our foot off the gas, it's that simple," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We could have really had the game shut down there by staying on top of it, ..."

Pens rally to win in shootout

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October 31

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Erasing a two-goal deficit with less than three minutes remaining in regulation and winning in the shootout would be just about enough to make the night of most NHL clubs. So, why did the Penguins hold a meeting that lasted over 10 minutes after following that script to earn a 4-3 win Friday night over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena? Their standard is not measured by simply wins. "Take the win, but certainly we have to be honest with ourselves and know that there are a lot of areas we can be better - a lot," captain and center Sidney Crosby said after his lone shootout score pushed the Penguins to a franchise-best 6-0-0 on the road. "We've got to make sure we don't sit on ..."

Penguins beat Columbus in shootout, 4-3

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October 31

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The Penguins rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final three minutes of regulation en route to a 4-3 shootout victory against Columbus at Nationwide Arena tonight. The Penguins are 11-2 and will face Minnesota Saturday at 7:38 p.m. at Mellon Arena. Penguins goalie Brent Johnson stopped Antoine Vermette, Rick Nash and Kristian Huselius during the shootout; Columbus goalie Steve Mason denied Kris Letang, but could not stop Sidney Crosby. Nash, the Blue Jackets' all-star winger, got the only goal of the opening period, as he swatted a rebound past Johnson while on his knees in front of the crease. Nash got his goal during a power play at 18:13, while Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik was ..."

Fedotenko, Goligoski score late in third period to set up Crosby's winning goal

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October 31

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The Penguins knew they were down two goals. Realized there were only about three minutes left in regulation, too. And that they were playing on the road, before a mostly hostile crowd. They just did not seem to grasp what all of that meant: That they were supposed to lose. And so, they did not. First, Ruslan Fedotenko and Alex Goligoski scored 39 seconds apart late in the third period to force overtime, which segued into a shootout. Which led to a Sidney Crosby score, and a 4-3 victory against Columbus at Nationwide Arena last night. "That's why you play 60 minutes," Goligoski said. "Even if there's only 20 seconds left, you might as well try to score two goals." That should be a lot ..."

Pens present problem

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October 30

Columbus Dispatch

"In an 11-game span that encompasses one month, the Blue Jackets have gone from confident to cocky to confused. Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock wondered yesterday whether the word bewilderment better describes the team's current psyche. The Jackets have allowed 26 goals in their past five games -- four of them losses -- and now face one of the NHL's most frightening offensive clubs. They host the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 tonight in Nationwide Arena. "If we don't take care of the puck, and if we turn it into a track meet against them, we're going to get spanked," Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore said. Hitchcock does not believe in "punishment" skates. Yesterday, he didn't even put the ..."

Penguins' success centers on top trio

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October 30

Columbus Dispatch

"Sidney Crosby is the marketing centerpiece of the NHL. He is the captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team, a former league scoring champion and former most valuable player -- all before the age of 23. Statistically speaking, though, Crosby is only the second-best center on the Pittsburgh Penguins the past two-plus seasons. The top honor belongs to Evgeni Malkin, whose blend of size and skill makes him the envy of almost every other hockey player not named Alex Ovechkin. Medically speaking, Malkin isn't fit to play second-line center tonight in Nationwide Arena against the Blue Jackets because of a shoulder injury. That honor belongs to Jordan Staal, the towering forward with a condor's ..."

Coyotes 4, Blue Jackets 1: Sloppy play continues

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October 29

Columbus Dispatch

"The Blue Jackets put their miserable trip behind them for all of 20 minutes last night. Then, in case fans didn't see enough turnovers from afar, the Blue Jackets brought the slop-fest to Nationwide Arena. Mindless play in their own zone. Soft turnovers coming through the neutral zone. Passes that represent hope rather than legitimate scoring chances. It's piling up on the Blue Jackets right now, and the Phoenix Coyotes punctuated the point with a 4-1 victory behind backup goaltender Jason LaBarbera in front of 13,184 disappointed fans. "We're not manning up right now," Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger said. "When the game got tough, we didn't respond." That's one way to put it. Coach ..."

King has earned admirers wherever he's been

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October 29

Columbus Dispatch

columnist Michael Arace

"The Blue Jackets descended into a period of darkness on Jan. 7, 2003, the day Dave King was fired. Once this experienced, intelligent and worldly coach was out of the way, wild passions and misguided power went unchecked. The point here is not to bash former team president Doug MacLean. His managerial epitaph stands: He was an energetic promoter who got the franchise up and running. But lest we forget: From the day King cleaned out his desk in Nationwide Arena through Nov. 22, 2006 -- the day Ken Hitchcock was hired, against MacLean's recommendation -- the Jackets went 80-123-18-5. Those were supposed to be years of growth and flower, not drought and wither. King was not the problem. He ..."

Coach wants more from top two lines

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October 29

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was asked last night about the recent play of his top two lines. To his credit, he didn't have to think about which ones they are. Others might be at a loss to identify them. The Jackets' 4-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes in Nationwide Arena continued a trend of disjointed performances. "You have to work to score in the league -- bottom line, you have to work," Hitchcock said. "Lines that score are based on second and third efforts. We are not getting it." Despite constant tinkering, Hitchcock can't seem to get consistent performances from the likes of Kristian Huselius, Rick Nash, R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette. Nash, Vernette and Huselius are the team's ..."

Murray placed on injured list

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October 28

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets forward Andrew Murray has been playing with shoulder pain since training camp. The club is going to give him time to heal. The Jackets placed Murray on the injured reserve list yesterday retroactive to Oct. 20. Murray, 27, is expected to miss up to four weeks, general manager Scott Howson said. The fourth-line forward has a muscle tear, but it will not require surgery. Howson said the Blue Jackets are unlikely to recall a player from minor-league Syracuse. More ice time Two days after saying Nikita Filatov was "in survival phase," coach Ken Hitchcock said he has seen improvement in the rookie's play. The winger had his best back-to-back games after being a healthy scratch the ..."

Jackets' Mason needs shorter memory

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October 28

Columbus Dispatch

"The Blue Jackets coach who knows Steve Mason best said the goaltender's recent struggles between the pipes are primarily between his ears. Goaltenders coach Dave Rook said Mason's technique remains sound, but he's having difficulty rebounding after allowing an early goal, along with dealing with higher expectations a season after winning rookie of the year honors. "Part of the process of being a top-end goalie is dealing with issues from the shoulders up," Rook said. "Right now, he's letting different things affect him, and that's part of the maturity process. It's not uncommon with goalies. "Steve has a burning desire to be the best, but sometimes you forget there's a process you must go ..."

Avenger Dorsett avoids penalties

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October 27

Columbus Dispatch

"The NHL agreed with the Blue Jackets yesterday, meaning right winger Derek Dorsett was spared a fine or suspension by the league. Dorsett was given a game misconduct at 11:04 of the first period on Sunday in Los Angeles when he left the bench trying to get at Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi. Moments earlier, Scuderi had undercut Blue Jackets left winger Jason Chimera, causing a violent collision that flipped Chimera in the air and left him spitting blood and bleeding from atop his right eye. At issue was whether Dorsett came onto the ice to avenge the hit by Scuderi, or if he came on to the ice in the process of a simple line change. "It was a line change," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He was ..."

Rob Scuderi fined for low hit on Columbus winger

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October 27

Los Angeles Times

"Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi was fined an undisclosed amount by the NHL on Monday for his low hit on Columbus' Jason Chimera on Sunday at Staples Center. Scuderi wasn't suspended for the hit, which occurred during the first period and wasn't penalized by the on-ice officials. The NHL reviews debatable plays and can impose a fine or suspension. Scuderi crouched before hitting Chimera at or below the right knee as Chimera skated up the right side, sending the Blue Jackets' winger tumbling head over heels. Chimera hit his head on the ice and reopened a cut above his right eye, but returned to the game. Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice president of hockey operations and chief ..."

Listless Jackets lose big

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October 26

Columbus Dispatch

"For a fourth straight game on this four-game trip, the Blue Jackets played sloppy hockey and suffered from a very slow start. But this time, after a week on the road, the Jackets weren't able to clean up their mess. They fell behind 3-0 early in the second period and lost 6-2 to Los Angeles before a sparse crowd of 15,820 in Staples Center. Here's a hard-to-digest number for the Blue Jackets: They allowed 22 goals in losing three of the four games. "We're really poor in our own zone right now," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Really poor. "We're not committed defensively, and it shows. We gave up over 20 goals on this road trip. That's not good." Antoine Vermette and Kristian ..."

Best start raises the bar

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October 26

Columbus Dispatch

"As Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock groused about his club's early-season defensive breakdowns and its sporadic approach to checking, he took a deep breath and put the brakes on his line of thinking and the media's line of questioning. The Blue Jackets -- former laughingstock and perennial losers of the NHL -- got off to the best start in the franchise's nine-season history. The Jackets are 6-4-0, but last night's loss to the Los Angeles Kings cost them a chance to take over first place in the Central Division. "It shows how far this team has come," Hitchcock said. "We're (complaining) because we gave up six goals, and we're (complaining) because we haven't won all of our road games, and ..."

Kings win fourth in a row

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October 26

Los Angeles Times

"Relying on their offense and special teams, the Kings rolled to their fourth victory in a row, beating Columbus, 6-2, for their best start since the 2005-06 season. The Kings' offense was led by Anze Kopitar and Alexander Frolov, who had two goals each and are part of a unit that leads the league in goals scored (43) through 12 games. The Kings' special teams were two for four on power plays and three for four on penalty kills. Kings Coach Terry Murray said the special-teams unit is "getting better." "That helps you get where you want to go as far as a structure and a system," Murray said. "Moving your feet and getting things going in the other zone, we're starting to figure that part ..."

Tyutin's goal lifts Jackets

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October 25

Columbus Dispatch

"Defenseman Fedor Tyutin's oh-what-the-heck slap shot from the blue line late in the third period saved the Blue Jackets from a recurring theme on this trip. Rick Nash's second goal, an empty-netter with 16 seconds left, gave the Blue Jackets an additional reason to celebrate after a 6-4 victory before 14,468 in the Honda Center. The goal was the 200th of Nash's career. Jake Voracek had the first two-goal game of his career for the Blue Jackets, Antoine Vermette had one goal and two assists, and Marc Methot had two assists. It was by no means routine, however. The Blue Jackets started slowly and then roared their way back into command of the game, just as they'd done in the first two games, ..."

No. 1 line gets a makeover

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October 25

Columbus Dispatch

"As expected, the Blue Jackets lines were reconfigured before Columbus played the Anaheim Ducks last night. Not one line used in the first eight games was spared, but the most notable dismantling was of the No. 1 line. Only Rick Nash remained in place at right wing. Left winger Kristian Huselius was dropped to the second line, and center Derick Brassard tumbled to the fourth line. "It wasn't working," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "It looked like it would work on paper, but it wasn't doing the things necessary to be a good line. "Two things were happening. The line was spending a lot of time defending and not a lot of time in the offensive zone. And it was piling up the minuses (in plus-minus ..."

Wolski's consistency comes into question

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October 25

Denver Post

columnist Terri Frei

"The Avalanche's season so far has featured surprises, rejuvenations, more surprises - and the Mysterious Case of Wojtek Wolski. Going into the Avalanche's home game Saturday against Detroit, the 23-year-old Wol- ski was Colorado's leading scorer, with 10 points on five goals and five assists, while playing left wing. Yet it's clear that his occasional lack of fire, sustained effort and grit, and even his decision-making with the puck, have exasperated first-year coach Joe Sacco. Joel Quenneville and Tony Granato, Sacco's predecessors, were similarly frustrated with Wolski in his previous four seasons. In 2008-09, Wolski was terrific in his first few games at his natural position, center, ..."

Ducks take another step back in loss to Blue Jackets

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October 25

Los Angeles Times

"The Ducks went down again Saturday, and so did goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The way the puck bounced in the Ducks' 6-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, it's hard to say if it's good news or bad that the team they play Monday is the winless Toronto Maple Leafs. "When you're going through a stretch like we're going through right now, it seems like when something has a chance to go wrong, it's going wrong," Coach Randy Carlyle said. The Ducks lost their third consecutive game at the Honda Center, and are left to wonder about the status of Giguere, who has been bothered by a nagging groin injury and left the game with 3:22 remaining after giving up the winning goal on Fedor Tyutin's ..."

Jackets ponder lineup change

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October 24

Columbus Dispatch

"As coach Ken Hitchcock pored over film clips yesterday, Blue Jackets players milled about the Honda Center dressing room. In lieu of a full practice, the coaching staff was considering sweeping lineup changes for a game tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. And the players were waiting to learn what's next. Such is life for the Blue Jackets after two ugly losses: 6-3 on Tuesday at Calgary and 6-4 on Thursday at Edmonton. The 12 goals are the most allowed in back-to-back games since Hitchcock became coach in November 2006. "The last two games have not been very good," center Sammy Pahlsson said. "We have to be better than that. You can't allow six goals a game. You just can't. "(Hitchcock) was ..."

Pahlsson will strap it on against former teammates

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October 24

Columbus Dispatch

"One of the best aspects of playing for the Anaheim Ducks, center Sammy Pahlsson joked yesterday, was having center Ryan Getzlaf as a teammate, not an opponent. Pahlsson was a Duck for seven seasons before he was traded to Chicago in March. After signing as a free agent with the Blue Jackets this summer, he'll make his first appearance in the Honda Center as a visitor tonight. It's going to be exciting, he said, but only to a point. Pahlsson figures to match up frequently with Getzlaf's line, if the Blue Jackets get their wish. "It's going to be tough," Pahlsson said. "I've never played against him, but I've seen what he can do and how good he is. "He's got that Rick Nash combination of ..."

Garon takes mentor role in Columbus

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October 23

Edmonton Journal

"He is just a 31-year-old with only 207 NHL games on his resume, yet sometime after he left Edmonton and landed in Pittsburgh, Mathieu Garon came to the realization that he had become a mentor. It's one of the reasons he signed a free agent deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the off-season. Not only would he get 20-plus games as a backup, he was quite all right with guiding Steve Mason, the 21-year-old goaltender in training. "It's hard to say when you're 31 that you're old but I'm right there now," said Garon who got his second game of the season on Thursday against the Oilers. It was a game he wanted to play, and while he didn't say so, there was surely some I'll-show-you in his ..."

Edmonton Oilers beat Columbus Blue Jackets 6-4

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October 23

Edmonton Journal

"At the morning skate Thursday, Pat Quinn and Ken Hitchcock were both asked if it was worth it to shadow the dynamic Rick Nash, but the question really should have been whether the bigger Dustin Penner needed somebody to follow him around the ice. While Nash, a force of nature with his ability to create offence, had no points, no shots and was minus-3 on a rare night he'd like to forget for Hitchcock's Columbus Blue Jackets, Penner was an immovable object for Quinn's Edmonton Oilers. While Nash was impotent with the puck, Penner had the best night of his NHL career — two goals three assists, plus-3 and a personal-best 11 shots — unloading time and again on former teammate Mathieu Garon as ..."

Oilers top line was just that

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October 23

Edmonton Sun

"Giving up four straight goals in just over 15 minutes should have amounted to a wholesale collapse. And a three-goal lead should have been all the insurance any team coached by Ken Hitchcock would ever need. But it wasn't. Not after Dustin Penner and Edmonton's rebuilt first line turned last night's contest into a feeding frenzy, scoring five times to turn a 4-1 deficit into a wild 6-4 comeback victory that lifted the roof off of Rexall Place. "It's tough to dream it up any better than that," said Penner, who had two goals, three assists, 11 shots and received a standing ovation for spearheading the assault. "To be down 4-1 and for the team to battle back, it feels as good as it's ever ..."

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