Blue Jackets notebook: Mason looks like a starter again
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One Signed, Two Set Free
The Blue Jackets have agreed to terms with defenseman Austin Madaisky on a three-year, entry-level contract, and the official deal should be announced shortly. Madaisky was a fifth-round pick (No. 124 overall) in the 2010 NHL entry draft.
Two other picks - right winger Petr Straka (2nd round, No. 55) and defenseman Brandon Archibald (4th round, No. 94) - have been informed by the Blue Jackets that they won't be signed, sending them back in the pool of draftable players for next month's draft in Pittsburgh.
Of those two, Straka is the mild surprise.
He had 28-36-64 in 62 games with Rimouski (QMJHL) during his draft year, but tailed off badly the last two seasons. In 2010-11, he had 10-15-25 in 41 games. This season, he had 18-19-37 in 54 games. That's fewer points the last two seasons -- 62 in 95 games -- than he scored as a 17-year-old.
However, Straka made a pretty good last-best argument for a deal with his performance in the QMJHL playoffs. He had 10-12-22 in 21 games, becoming a point-a-game player once again. The bet here is that he gets drafted his June, but certainly on Saturday (2nd through 7th rounds) and probably later in the day.
The Blue Jackets acquired the pick used on Straka with the 2010 trade deadline deal that sent winger Raffi Torres to Buffalo.
Madaisky, meanwhile, blossomed this season in his fourth year of juniors, the last three spent with Kamloops (WHL). He had 13 goals, 37 assists, 50 points and a plus-20 rating, all career highs. He also had 87 penalty minutes. He could play a fifth year of junior next season, or begin his pro career, likely with AHL Springfield.
Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson and the hockey operations department face one last difficult decision as it pertains to the 2010 draft class. Goaltender Mathieu Corbeil remains unsigned, and the Jackets still aren't sure if they want to keep him in the fold.
"We'll evaluate him in the Memorial Cup and make a decision," Howson said. "Not sure right now."
Corbeil is 50-11-2 in the last two seasons with Saint John of the QMJHL, which won the Memorial Cup last season and is a favorite to repeat. Corbeil, named the QMJHL's goalie of the year, is 16-0-1 in this year's playoffs, with a 2.18 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
Those numbers will cause many readers to scratch their temples and wonder: "How could they possibly not want this guy?" What the Blue Jackets are trying to determine is if Corbeil is a product of a powerhouse hockey club or a goaltender with legitimiate NHL potential. These are the questions that keep scouts up late at night.
Two weeks ago, the Blue Jackets seemed to be leaning away from signing Corbeil. These days it seems to be leaning back the other direction, though no decision has been made.
-- Aaron Portzline
twitter: @aportzline
Steve Mason has started the past three games for the Blue Jackets and will likely start against the Blackhawks on Saturday.
A back injury to goaltender Curtis Sanford has opened the door for Steve Mason to reclaim his No.1 job with the Blue Jackets.
Nobody can say what the future holds for Mason — he’s under contract through 2012-13 at $3.2 million a season — but it’s never too late for him to start playing well.
“I think (Mason) has put together nine good periods of pretty good hockey now,” interim coach Todd Richards said after the 2-1 win on Tuesday over the St. Louis Blues. “I know we gave up five goals versus Anaheim, three of them on the power play. Other than that, he’s been terrific.”
Richards did not appear to have much confidence in Mason when he took over for Scott Arniel on Jan. 8. In the first 13 games under Richards, Mason drew only three starts, two of them during back-to-backs. But with Sanford injured, Mason has started the past three games.
Mason will likely start on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks in Nationwide Arena, matching his longest streak of starts since Dec. 26-31.
Over the past three games, he is 2-1 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .931 save percentage, both far above his season averages.
“He has elevated his game,” Richards said. “It’s a credit to him because he has worked extremely hard. It’s been a real difficult year for him. I’m happy for him that he’s starting to have some success.”
Sanford was hoping to skate earlier this week, but his back still hurts. He could test it later this week, but there’s no timetable. With rookie Allen York the current No. 2 on the roster, Mason could be in line for steady work at least through the weekend — the Jackets also play at the New York Rangers on Sunday.
“I felt really good,” Mason said after Tuesday’s win. “I’m trying to keep things simple, limit my movement, the ones that are necessary. The guys did a great job in front of me. Tonight was a really solid, overall team effort from a defensive standpoint.”
It has been almost a year since Mason has won back-to-back starts.
Slap shots
Right winger Derek Dorsett had his first winning goal of the season and the second of his career on Tuesday. His previous winner came against Vancouver on Oct. 21, 2008, in only his fifth NHL game. … The Blue Jackets had lost nine straight games against Central Division opponents (0-7-2) before beating the Blues.
aportzline@dispatch.com
