Steve Mason News: Pro Sports Daily

Jackets' Mason hopes to pick up right where he left off

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March 1

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason doesn't deny he needed a two-week break. If only Wayne Gretzky had lit the Olympic cauldron in December. "I could have used it two months ago to break up all that poor play," Mason said with a grin. "It was obviously nice to have the time off, but for me, I would have rather kept on playing." Mason played his best four consecutive games of the season before the Olympic break, which began Feb.15. The run included his only three-game winning streak of what otherwise has been a sobering second season. He posted a 3-1 record in that stretch with a 1.26 goals-against average, a .960 save percentage and two shutouts. "The only difference I see in Mase is he ..."

Mason starring in masterpiece theater again

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February 11

Columbus Dispatch

columnist Michael Arace

"There are 18 skaters, and then there is the goalie, who lives on an island. He is detached from the X's and O's. He has his own position coach. Although he is intrinsically tied to the fortunes of his team, he stands alone on his own merit. How is it, then, that Steve Mason has been unbeatable since the Blue Jackets replaced Ken Hitchcock with Claude Noel? The goaltender is the last player who ought to be affected by a coaching change. Mason admits as much. "Hitch always supported me," Mason said. "I liked him as a coach, and I'll never say anything bad about him." In fact, Mason said he shares the responsibility for getting Hitchcock fired. And he does. Pre-Noel, Mason was 13-18-6 with a ..."

Jackets position coach still in Mason's corner

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January 25

Columbus Dispatch

"Steve Mason's first game under the tutelage of Dave Rook went so poorly, the general manager of the junior-league team was searching for another goaltender by the second period. The Blue Jackets have exercised more patience with the goaltender and his position coach, who are no strangers to each other, or to trying times. The Jackets hired Rook last summer based largely on his development of Mason, who endured a rocky start with the London Knights to blossom into one of junior hockey's best goalies from 2006-08. Blue Jackets officials now must hope history repeats itself. Mason, the reigning NHL rookie of the year, is suffering through a forgettable second season, putting Rook in a tough ..."

Mason unaccustomed to riding the bench

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January 15

Columbus Dispatch

"Steve Mason was the Blue Jackets' backup goaltender last night against the Chicago Blackhawks, the fifth straight game he's watched Mathieu Garon get the start. A little perspective: Since Mason made his NHL debut Nov. 5, 2008, he's gone as many as three games without a start just once, and that was last February when he had mononucleosis. More perspective: "This is the longest stretch since I was probably 14 years old," Mason said. "It's been difficult, but it's going to help me be a better goaltender." Mason has spent long hours with goaltender coach Dave Rook, including yesterday when he was the last player off the ice after a morning skate in the United Center. "We're working on a lot ..."

Goalies have little margin for error

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January 2

Columbus Dispatch

"In the past nine games, Blue Jackets goaltenders have combined for a 2.28 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. They have one win to show for those solid numbers. These days, Steve Mason and Mathieu Garon are working without a net even as they guard one. It's because the Jackets have scored 11 goals in the past nine games, including one each in the past five games. But neither Mason nor Garon is complaining. "It's weird, we haven't been scoring goals lately, but the whole team is playing better defensively," Garon said. "It's a start, and it's what will give us a chance to win once the goals start to come again." The Jackets and their goaltenders have endured a bizarre season. ..."

Mason no longer Blue Jacket's #1 goalie

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December 21

Columbus Dispatch

"With their losses mounting and the season slipping away, the Blue Jackets are taking a new approach to their goaltending. Before practice yesterday, coach Ken Hitchcock informed the club that Steve Mason no longer is the club's undisputed No. 1 goaltender. Mathieu Garon will start at 9 tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes. If he plays well, Garon will keep playing, too, not resort to the backup role he's held up to this point. "Win and you're in," Hitchcock said. "That's just where we're at now. If a guy wins, he gets to keep going. "We can't wait any longer to get going." Mason allowed three goals on five shots and lasted only 4 minutes, 15 seconds in Saturday's 5-2 loss to Colorado. It's ..."

Coach stands behind Mason

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December 10

Columbus Dispatch

"Some critics accuse Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock of not trusting young, skilled players. Whatever merit the argument holds, it doesn't apply to his faith in goaltender Steve Mason. As the losses and tough outings mounted, Hitchcock refused to bench the 21-year-old. Hitchcock thought Mason needed to feel good about his game if the Blue Jackets were going to emerge from their funk. His belief in last season's rookie of the year was rewarded last night in a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers in Nationwide Arena. Mason made 32 saves, including 16 in the second period, for his first shutout of the season. "I've had a couple meetings with Hitch and he's stuck behind me 100 percent," Mason ..."

Mason's fiery side gives goalie a spark

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December 3

Columbus Dispatch

"The goaltender's crease has been a haven for eccentricity since the time of Glenn Hall raising a toilet seat before every game to spill his guts. Jacques Plante knitted in the locker room. Gary Smith showered between periods. Gilles Gratton once refused to play because the moon was in the wrong part of the sky. Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason doesn't do quirky. Mason burns hot, however, and he plays with an outward passion more often associated with forwards and defensemen. "It's unique for a goaltender to be as demonstrative as Steve," general manager Scott Howson said. "That's the competitor in him." Mason's latest display occurred in a 4-3 shootout loss Tuesday to the Chicago ..."

Blind spot bothers Mason

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November 25

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets equipment manager Tim LeRoy is a resourceful individual. But if he attached a couple of small bicycle mirrors to the helmet of goaltender Steve Mason, the NHL might take a dim view of his handiwork. So Mason must deal with the traffic behind him the old-fashion way, practice and more practice. He was one of the few Jackets who participated in the morning skate yesterday in the Bell Centre. The others on the ice were there to help the struggling second-year goaltender. The coaching staff is trying to get Mason more comfortable in tracking pucks behind his net. The New York Rangers had success against Mason on Monday with plays that developed behind the goal line and led to ..."

Hitchcock analyzes goaltender's analysis

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November 13

Columbus Dispatch

"Coach Ken Hitchcock did not take issue with goaltender Steve Mason's critical assessment of the Blue Jackets' play, culminating in a 9-1 loss Wednesday to the Detroit Red Wings. Hitchcock did, however, think Mason misspoke in saying only one of eight Red Wings' shots that beat him was a "stoppable puck." "I'd like my goalie to think he could stop every shot," Hitchcock said. Mason, who allowed eight goals on 35 shots against the Red Wings, will serve as the backup to Mathieu Garon tonight when the Blue Jackets play the Anaheim Ducks in Nationwide Arena. After the worst outing of his brief career, Mason did not mask his disappointment with the team's defensive struggles. The Jackets are ..."

Keeping Mason a step ahead

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October 3

Columbus Dispatch

"As goaltender Steve Mason was setting NHL records and carrying the Blue Jackets to their first Stanley Cup playoffs last season, shooters from around the league were taking notes. These mental observations of Mason's vulnerabilities -- compiled and shared among opposing players and coaches -- became "the book" on Mason and, although this book isn't published, there's one on every goaltender. "Anytime you play a team more than once, there's a book on you," Mason said. "When we played teams toward the end of the season, I could tell guys were picking up on my weaknesses." The book on Mason was pretty short: Shoot high glove. The book on the Blue Jackets' 2009-10 season might be just as ..."

Red Hot Blue Jacket

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August 2

Toronto Sun

"One of the few awkward moments in Steve Mason's sensational first NHL season happened at the league's awards show last month in Las Vegas. The Columbus Blue Jackets goalie watched normally soft-handed Chicago Blackhawks scorer Pat Kane and a former London Knights teammate struggle to open an envelope revealing his Calder Trophy successor as rookie of the year. "I was sitting there saying to myself, 'Kaner, just get that thing open and put me out of my misery,'" Mason said with a grin. "And when I went on stage (after winning it), I shook Luc Robitaille's hand, then went in for a hug with Pat but the trophy was in between us and there wasn't a lot of room.""

Opening offer a disappointment for Nash

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July 2

Columbus Dispatch

"It didn't take long for the Blue Jackets' contract negotiations with captain Rick Nash to take a contentious turn. After meeting with his agent, Joe Resnick, Nash told The Dispatch last night that the initial offer from Jackets general manager Scott Howson fell short of what he had in mind. Nash watched yesterday's free-agent spending spree, with NHL teams continuing to shower elite players with huge contracts, and said he expected more from the Blue Jackets. "There were tons of teams throwing some pretty big money around," Nash said. "If this doesn't get done, I'm sure I won't have a problem getting signed by somebody next summer." Neither Howson nor Nash revealed details of the proposal, ..."

New goaltenders coach gets rave reviews from Mason

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June 27

Columbus Dispatch

"It has been an offseason filled with awards and rewards for Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason. He earned NHL Rookie of the Year honors last week and was named a second-team All-Star. Mason also treated himself to a new car, a Mercedes-Benz SL63. The most important acquisition, however, might be the goaltenders coach who will greet him at training camp in September. Mason, 21, is eager to work again with Dave Rook, who helped transform him into one of the best goaltenders coming out of junior hockey. "To work with him for an entire season at the NHL level is only going to bode well for myself, and I think it will be a good opportunity for him," Mason said yesterday. Rook will be ..."

Where does goalie rank in Columbus' best years?

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June 19

Columbus Dispatch

columnist Rob Oller

"Besides possessing the knack to play well with sticks, Steve Mason and Jack Nicklaus would not seem to have much in common. But by winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie last night, Mason joins the Golden Bear in select company. The Blue Jackets goaltender becomes one of only a handful of professional athletes with strong Columbus ties to receive a substantial honor for a single-season performance. By winning the Calder, which is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, Mason not only brings the Blue Jackets out of the background for a day, but it places a more lasting historical stamp on the 21-year-old Canadian. He joins a list of Columbus-connected ..."

Blue Jackets' Mason named NHL's top rookie

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June 19

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason won the Calder Memorial Trophy tonight at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas. The award is given annually to the league's top rookie based on voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writer's Association. Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash was named winner of the NHL Foundation Award, recognizing a player's "commitment and service to charities in his community." Mason, 21, also was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy -- given to the NHL's top goaltender -- which went to Boston's Tim Thomas. Mason led the NHL in shutouts (10), was second in goals-against average (2.29), tied for ninth in wins (33) and 11th in save percentage (.916). He helped steer the Blue ..."

Mason thanks family, Blue Jackets for honor

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June 19

Columbus Dispatch

"The Blue Jackets tore it up in Las Vegas last night. Goaltender Steve Mason won the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL's top rookie, and captain Rick Nash won the NHL's Foundation Award, recognizing his charity work. "It's a great night for the Blue Jackets," Mason said. "We were very well represented." Mason also was named to the NHL's second All-Star Team and the All-Rookie Team, capping a season in which he made a meteoric rise out of the Canadian junior system to rank among the top 10 in almost every statistical category. "It's a great way to wrap up a pretty incredible season for myself," Mason told The Dispatch by telephone. "I'm the only person who gets credit with an award ..."

Odds favor Jackets' Mason in Las Vegas

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June 18

Columbus Dispatch

"Steve Mason, who turned 21 last month, flew to Las Vegas yesterday. But this won't be the typical young guy's first-time soiree through Sin City. For one thing, the Blue Jackets rookie goaltender will have his mother, his girlfriend and a slew of family members in his traveling party, not to mention his boss, Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson. And contrary to the slogan "Whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Mason is hoping to bring something home. "It'll be a different kind of fun," Mason said. "But it's going to be a blast, for sure." Mason is the favorite for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually to the NHL's top rookie, at tonight's awards show in the Palms Casino ..."

Mason's great, but he needs support

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May 19

Columbus Dispatch

columnist Michael Arace

"Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason, 20, yesterday was named NHL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. He is the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy, and he will stand with the finalists for the Vezina, when the league has its award show in Las Vegas one month hence. This is heady stuff for a glory-starved hockey market. How about the Big Kid? Mason put the Jackets on his back and carried them to their first playoff appearance. He was 33-20-7 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. He was at or near the head of a sterling class of rookies, which included Bobby Ryan, Kris Versteeg, Steven Stamkos, T.J. Oshie, Jake Voracek, Drew Doughty, Luke Shenn, Zach ..."

Mason on Vezina short list

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April 28

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets rookie goaltender Steve Mason has never been to Las Vegas. His first trip is setting up to be memorable. The NHL announced yesterday that Mason is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given annually to the league's top goaltender. Boston's Tim Thomas and Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom are the other finalists for the award, which is voted on by the NHL's 30 general managers. "It's an unbelievable honor," Mason said. "When you look around the NHL and see the type of goaltenders who play in the league ... to be considered in the top three is really special. "I know I couldn't have done it without the players around me and without the opportunity (coach Ken Hitchcock) and (general ..."

Blue Jackets' Mason earns long break

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April 25

Columbus Dispatch

"In early January, Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was asked how he intended to use rookie goaltender Steve Mason through the balance of the season. "Now and forever," Hitchcock deadpanned. It was a witty retort, one the coach didn't mind trotting out on several occasions. The line never got old, but the goalie who inspired it grew tired. After a four-game playoff sweep at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, Hitchcock said what many had assumed: the Jackets overplayed Mason. "We did it with all the intentions of helping the team get into the playoffs," Hitchcock said. "There was no mental or physical rest for him." Hitchcock said yesterday, however, that he had no regrets starting the ..."