NHLHS Mock Draft: With the Number Four Pick…
NHLHS Mock Draft is our latest feature where we collectively predict the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The draft is a crapshoot and we will be wrong… …but we thought it would be fun to try.
With the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets select…
Read more…
Categories: Columbus Blue Jackets Tags: Cam Fowler, Columbus Blue Jackets
It’s Official : Scott Arniel Accepts Head Coaching Job in Columbus
Per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, Scott Arniel has been hired as the new head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The announcement is expected to be made at 3pm tomorrow afternoon.
Arniel, who had been coaching in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks affiliate), is also expected to receive consideration to be offered the Blue Jackets head coaching position. Arniel has made the playoffs in each of his four seasons as head coach in the AHL and led the Moose to the Calder Cup finals in 2009.
Categories: Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHLHS Features, Western Conference Tags:
Breaking News : Guy Boucher Turns Down Blue Jackets Coaching Offer
As it turns out, Guy is not the guy after all.
Per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, Guy Boucher has declined the Columbus Blue Jackets’ offer to become the next head coach of the team.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHLHS Features, Western Conference Tags: Claude Noel, Guy Boucher, Head Coach, Kevin Dineen, NHL, Scott Arniel
Update : Blog Sources Reporting Boucher Has Accepted CBJ Coaching Position
The waiting game isn’t over, but it appears that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
French Canadien blog Dans Les Coulisses is reporting that Guy Boucher has accepted the position of the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
On Saturday afternoon, reports from the Columbus Dispatch broke that the Jackets had officially offered the position to Boucher. Since that report broke, the Dispatch has updated their story, reporting that Boucher has been “frequently texting Columbus center Derick Brassard“.
Categories: 30 Team Series, Around the League, By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHLHS Features, Western Conference Tags: Derick Brassard, Guy Boucher
Columbus Blue Jackets offer head coaching job to Guy Boucher
NHLHS Columbus Blue Jackets Correspondent Joe Depto discusses the Blue Jackets and their offer to Guy Boucher.
The NHL coaching carousel may be still spinning for many teams around it the league, but it seems to be stopping for hockey fans in Ohio.
Per Eric Smith of FSN Ohio, Columbus’s General Manager has extended an offer to the head coach of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, Guy Boucher.
Boucher, who helped lead the Bulldogs to a 52-17-11 record in 2009-10, found success in the AHL, earning a berth in the Calder Cup semi-finals and a single win away from taking on the Hershey Bears in the final.
Boucher would likely be a welcome change of pace in Columbus. Where former coach Ken Hitchcock, who was fired mid-season, preferred a gritty, conservative style of hockey, Boucher has made his name known for his aggressive, open-ice game – a style that many of the young CBJ forward corp has been rumored to have been clamoring for.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHLHS Features, Western Conference Tags: AHL, Blue Jackets, Claude Noel, Guy Boucher, Hamilton Bulldogs, Head Coach
Caps, Jackets Play Lets Make a Deal
The Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets officially make a deal in which Columbus sends solid left wing Jason Chimera in exchange for depth defenseman Milan Jurcina and surprisingly team captain Chris Clark
The Capitals receive probably the best player of the bunch in Chimera, who last year would have posted career highs had he stayed healthy. The 30-year-old veteran carries a reasonable 1.875 cap hit, a fair price for a grinding wing who shows the ability to put up points.
Clark, now the former captain of the Caps, admits to being shocked he was traded. This trade may mark the first time a first-place team traded away their captain, however it was the smart move. The 33-year-old sported a hefty 2.633 million cap hit this year and next, something a contending team simply should not pay for considering he posted two less points than Chimera.
In Jurcina the Jackets get a warm body on the blue line, something they needed since Rostislav Klesla went down at the beginning of the month. More importantly the Blue Jackets shake the team up, as they promised they would do. Used mainly as a depth defenseman, Jurcina posted four helpers in 27 games while carrying a 1.375 cap hit.
Categories: By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Southeast, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Alexander Semin, Chris Clark, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Chimera, Karl Alzner, Michael Nylander, Milan Jurcina, Rostislav Klesla, Scott Niedermayer, Washington Capitals
Columbus Finally Making a Move?
Tom Reed of The Columbus Dispatch recently reported that Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson will shake things up soon in an attempt to send a message to his team. Considered a strong team with room for improvement following their first playoff berth, the young team struggled and currently sit in 14th in the Western Conference, just one point above cellar dweller the Edmonton Oilers.
The difference between the Oilers and Blue Jackets however are injuries. The Oilers lost their number one goalie and arguably their number one scorer, if not for the breakout year of Dustin Penner and admirable job by Jeff Deslauriers thinks could be even worse in the province of Alberta.
The Blue Jackets’ problems prove not as simple. A sophomore slump from Derick Brassard and Steve Mason severely hurt their chances, as well as the deportation of Nikita Filatov. Couple those problems with the injury to top defenseman Rostislav Klesla and the Jackets lost key components to last year’s playoff team.
Nevertheless, Howson stayed the course admitting he would not make any panic moves. At this point a move seems too late. Recent rumblings around Twitter point to Karl Alzner moving to Columbus.
Categories: By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Southeast, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Anton Stralman, Columbus Blue Jackets, Derick Brassard, Fedor Tyutin, Jeff Deslauriers, Karl Alzner, Kris Russell, Mike Commodore, Rostislav Klesla, Scott Howson, Steve Mason
Waivers, Waivers and Re-Entry Waivers
Two players were placed on waivers today, Aaron Ward and PA Parenteau. Yesterday, goaltender Michael Leighton was placed on re-entry waivers. Lets take a further look at these players and the value they may have around the league.
Ward according to most Hurricanes fans has been terrible. That, however, means little when you play on one of the worst teams in the league. His contract expires at the end of the season and he carries a hefty 2.5 million cap hit. Teams like the New York Islanders or Columbus Blue Jackets have a strong need for another defender, but they just recently passed on Lukas Krajicek at almost half his cap hit.
As TSN’s Bob MacKenzie speculates, there may be more interest if he goes through re-entry waivers.Ward is a multiple Stanley Cup winner and should add a welcome addition to either team’s blueline.
Leighton sees re-entry waivers as he now is the third man out. Not starting a game until the end of October, the 28-year-old struggled to find his game winning only one game in seven appearances.
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Carolina Hurricanes, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Southeast, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Ward, Bob MacKenzie, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Lukas Krajicek, Michael Leighton, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, PA Parenteau, Philadelphia Flyers
Waivers, Minor Signing & A Trade Rumor
To be honest, I thought today would be a lot busier. Yesterday we saw a few goalies make their way onto the trade market and a few vets put through waivers. Today, we have a minor signing, those players clearing waivers and a most likely bunk rumor. Lets go over the action for today:
- Derek MacKenzie and Lukas Krajicek both cleared waivers today. MacKenzie goes to the Jackets AHL affiliate the Syracuse Crunch, link here. Krajicek will not go down to the AHL says Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes.
- Sam Carchidi with Broad Street Bull reports a failed trade proposal between the Flyers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The supposed deal would send Mike Smith to Philly in exchange for talented youngsters Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk. I could barely keep a straight face reading a proposal that involves two of the better young players in the game for essentially a good backup. Carchidi suggests a relatively equal trade as a rebuttal, Bobby Ryan + for Jeff Carter.
Categories: Anaheim Ducks, Atlantic, By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Pacific, Philadelphia Flyers, Southeast, Tampa Bay Lightning, Western Conference Tags: Bobby Ryan, Broad Street Bull, Claude Giroux, Columbus Blue Jackets, Derek MacKenzie, James van Riemsdyk, Jeff Carter, John Grahame, Lukas Krajicek, Mike Smith, Philadelphia Phantoms, Sam Carchidi, Syracuse Crunch, Tampa Bay Lightning
Krajicek, MacKenzie Placed on Waivers
According to Lightning Strikes with Damian Cristodero defenseman Lukas Krajicek was placed on waivers. Coming over in a trade for Shane O’Brien, the 26-year-old registered two goals and 18 assists in games over 92 games and two seasons. Originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the first round, 24th overall the native of Prostejov, Czechoslovakia carries a lofty 1.4 million cap hit and will most likely not be claimed with the cap crunch most teams are in.
As a history buff, it is also notable he was part of the illustrious deal that sent star goaltender Roberto Luongo to Vancouver.
In other news Aaron Portline of The Columbus Dispatch writes the Blue Jackets placed Derek MacKenzie on waivers. A favorite of coach Ken Hitchcock, the 28-year-old produced six points over three seasons and 34 games with the team. MacKenzie gets sent down in hopes he goes unclaimed, as he is a casualty of the numbers crunch. The team needs to make a move in order to activate left wing Fredrik Modin.
Categories: By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Southeast, Tampa Bay Lightning, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Portzline, Columbus Blue Jackets, Derek MacKenzie, Florida Panthers, Fredrik Modin, Ken Hitchcock, Lightning Strikes, Lukas Krajicek, Roberto Luongo, Shane O'Brien, The Columbus Dispatch, Vancouver Canucks
Trade Rumors Hitting the Presses
Busy day in the rumor market, lets take out our magnifying glasses and take a closer look to the Hot Stove:
Larry Brooks of The New York Post discusses the shortcomings on the current Rangers roster. The controversial reporter notes that the pieces that may have value are the same that the team wants to keep.
Most importantly he discusses a trade proposal supposedly between GM Glen Sather and former assistant and current Coyotes GM Don Maloney. Sather would send AHL defenseman and promising defensive prospect Bobby Sanguinetti for struggling forward Peter Mueller.
Although the former 8th overall pick managed a measly six points in his first 26 games it will take more to land him. Still young at 21 years of age, Mueller averaged 48 points through his first two seasons. Regardless of his slump he remains a vital part of a young Coyotes core and probably would not be moved until the trade deadline if at all.
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, New York Rangers, Northeast, Ottawa Senators, Pacific, Phoenix Coyotes, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Portzline, Bobby Sanguinetti, Brian Lee, Columbus Blue Jackets, Don Maloney, Glen Sather, Larry Brooks, New York Rangers, Nikita Filatov, Ottawa Senators, Peter Mueller, Phoenix Coyotes, Scott Howson, The New York Post
Today’s Waiver Roundup
The Washington Capitals placed Michael Nylander on waivers for the second time this season. I posed this question on Twitter earlier today, but Is Nylander really THAT bad?
Most Capitals fans say yes. Signed for this year and next, his annual cap hit of 4.875 million puts the handcuffs on GM George McPhee. In fact, teammate and essentially replacement Brendan Morrison is playing at a point-per-game pace while making a meager 1.5 million. Even if Nylander was claimed on re-entry waivers his cap hit would still be about a million above that.
Would anybody claim him?
Possibly, as the 37-year-old is only two years removed from a 83 point campaign. However these are two long years on a body that has endured over 16 years pro experience. Combine that with a recession and a salary cap and Nylander finds himself practicing alone, in Rockville in New York Rangers gear.
Maybe reuniting with Jaromir Jagr in Omsk would make the Swedish native happy. He seems to have no place on the current NHL rosters.
In other news, Ville Koistinen cleared re-entry waivers. A bit of a shocker to me, Koistinen is still young and has some success in the NHL. Couple that with the fact that the claiming team would only have to pay him a measly 600K. Simply put, he could have some value to a team in desperate need of a defenseman. With teams like the Blue Jackets and Islanders short on the defensive side I cannot beleive nobody took a chance.
Hope you enjoyed the article. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.
Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates
-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Southeast, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Brendan Morrison, Florida Panthers, Jaromir Jagr, Michael Nylander, Omsk, Ville Koistinen, Washington Capitals
Blues, Blue Jackets Trade & Waiver Roundup
TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reports the news around the waiver wire. The Florida Panthers placed defenseman Ville Koistinen on re-entry waivers. His cap hit is a meager 1.2 million, which if claimed would be split by both the claiming team and the Panthers. In 17 games with Florida the 27-year-old has one goal and three assists. In 103 career games between his team and Nashville the Finn has 8 goals and 24 assists.
As we predicted yesterday, Jeremy Reich and Michael Leighton cleared waivers.
In other news, the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues made a minor move. The Blues get Pascal Pelletier while the Blue Jackets receive Brendan Bell and Tomas Kana.
The largest part of the deal seems to be Bell. The 26-year-old defenseman posted 17 points in 21 games with the Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen. The former Leaf draft pick played 53 games last year with the Ottawa Senators and was recently selected by Hockey Canada to represent his country in the Spengler Cup.
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Carolina Hurricanes, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Southeast, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: AHL, Alaska Aces, Bob MacKenzie, Brendan Bell, Columbus Blue Jackets, ECHL, Florida Panthers, Jeremy Reich, Michael Leighton, Pascal Pelletier, Peoria Rivermen, Spengler Cup, Tomas Kana, TSN, Ville Koistinen
Trade Rumors: Whole Lot of Nothing in Columbus
TSN’s Darren Dreger wrote that the Blue Jackets were looking to move a wing for a defenseman if there is a “right fit”. Clearly the injury to Rostislav Klesla (right) appears scary as the defender ranks third on the team in TOI, averaging a little over 20 minutes a game. This injury comes with Marc Methot already out, a 24-year-old defenseman who averages over 19 minutes a game. Needless to say, GM Scott Howson needs to make a move soon or his team could fall out of the race. Although they appear to want to improve from within, I think they will be forced to trade a younger asset.
The options at wing are: Jared Boll, Michael Blunden, Alexandre Picard, Jacub Voracek, Rick Nash, Kristian Huselius and/or Antoine Vermette and RJ Umberger. Looking at this list, I am pretty sure Nash, Voracek, Huselius, Vermette and Umberger are not getting moved while Blunden and Picard probably would not fetch much. If Derek Dorsett is healthy, he could make Boll expendable. Another option is Nikita Filatov.
Quick to rebut, Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch says Howson has not talked to a single GM and is not actively pursuing a trade. Portzline makes it abundantly clear that a trade is not brewing right now. Most trade talk starts around February but with the Olympics who knows how things will play out.
What are your thoughts? Who do you see being moved?
Hope you enjoyed the article. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.
Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates
-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com
Categories: By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Portzline, Alexandre Picard, Antoine Vermette, Derek Dorsett, Jacub Voracek, Jared Boll, Kristian Huselius, Marc Methot, Michael Blunden, Nikita Filatov, Rick Nash, RJ Umberger, Rostislav Klesla, Scott Howson, The Columbus Dispatch, TSN
Trade Rumors: Not So Lazy Sunday
Just a couple of trade rumors going around the league.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets are not looking to make a move at the moment according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch. As of this writing only two teams have less wins than the Blue Jackets in the last ten games, the Oilers and Hurricanes.
GM Scott Howson believes the team as it is currently constructed needs to and should improve. If we profile Howson a bit we can see he tends to bring in younger players via trade, picking up Fedor Tyutin and Antoine Vermette in separate deals last season. If he was to make a move like this, it would likely have to be later in the year when more teams fall out of the race. It could also involve moving a valuable young player who has fallen out of favor such as he did with Pascal Leclaire and Nikolai Zherdev. Nikolai Filatov anybody? - Chris Botta’s Islanders Point Blank reports that the Islanders will spend cap room to make the playoffs. As Botta mentions, the Isles need two top six forwards preferably a center and left wing. With their salary cap situation the way it is, GM Garth Snow can make a salary dump type move and acquire a good player without giving up a high draft pick or solid prospect. A quick look around the League renders very few clear-cut sellers. Pure speculation but Paul Kariya or Matt Cullen would make sense if their teams decide to sell.
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Carolina Hurricanes, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, New York Islanders, Southeast, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Portzline, Antoine Vermette, Bob Harwood, Canes Country, Canes Now, Carolina Hurricanes, Chip Alexander, Chris Botta, Fedor Tyutin, Islanders Point Blank, Jim Rutherford, Matt Cullen, New York Islanders, Nikolai Filatov, Nikolai Zherdev, Pascal Leclaire, Paul Kariya, Scott Howson, The Columbus Dispatch
