NHL
Blue Jackets notebook: Dorsett gets fighting mad
Angry winger takes on 6-foot-8 Blackhawk
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Puck Rakers
A blog about the Blue Jackets and the NHL
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
As the Chicago Blackhawks were celebrating their sixth goal early in the third period yesterday, Blue Jackets right winger Derek Dorsett skated quickly into position for the ensuing faceoff. He was seething.
When the puck dropped, Dorsett turned and went after Chicago’s John Scott, leaving Scott no choice but to shake off his gloves and fight, a heavyweight taking on a welterweight.
Dorsett is listed — generously — at 6 feet, 192 pounds. Scott is one of the NHL’s biggest players, at 6-8, 270.
“I think that last goal just pushed me over the edge,” Dorsett said. “I just snapped. It’s just getting frustrating.
“It wasn’t him being the biggest Blackhawk. That wasn’t the message. It was just frustration.”
Scott whaled away on Dorsett like he was hammering a railroad spike.
“If Dorse would have swung,” Blue Jackets interim coach Todd Richards joked, noting the height difference, “I’m not sure he would have been able to hit him in the face.”
Dorsett kicked a Blackhawks stick on his way to the penalty box. Scott, smiling, imitated him on his way off, to the delight of Chicago fans.
But Scott was more perturbed by the penalty.
“It is annoying,” he said. “I was just starting to play a little bit. When you’re up 6-1, usually they try to get me … more ice time. I was forced to fight. Whatever, he’s trying to do his job.
“He was frustrated. It was 6-1. He came right after me. I didn’t really want to fight. He kind of gave me no option there.”
Meeting in Philly
Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson and senior adviser Craig Patrick attended the Philadelphia Flyers’ home game yesterday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, meeting with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren and senior vice president Bob Clarke for roughly 45 minutes before the game.
The Blue Jackets expect to be one of the most active clubs heading up to the NHL trade deadline, which is at 3 p.m. Feb. 27.
Back at it
Not much time for the Jackets to lick their wounds — they play the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden tonight.
“If you ask all the players, and myself as well, we’d rather be playing a game,” Richards said. “I’m looking forward to it. (The Rangers) are one of the best teams in the league, and we’re playing in their building.
“I’m excited, and I’m excited to see our response after getting beat and losing 6-1 here.”
The Rangers are in first place in the Eastern Conference, holding a seven-point lead on defending Stanley Cup champ Boston.
Wounded Wiz
Defenseman James Wisniewski was struck by a puck fired by Chicago’s Duncan Keith with 7:43 left in the game and immediately limped off to the dressing room.
A few minutes later, he was back on the ice, but he’s questionable for tonight’s game. Wisniewski said the puck struck his left foot and that he suffered a pulled groin.
Slap shots
The Blue Jackets are 3-12-2 against Central Division opponents. … The Jackets have one game left with the Blackhawks to avoid a six-game season sweep: March 20 in Nationwide Arena.
aportzline@dispatch.com
