“2010-2011 could be an exciting year for CBJ fans as the team seems to be getting better and better. A couple of moves and they should be right there in the end.”
by GregA on the Blue Jackets making a legitimate run in playoffs Thread
Dispatch staffers weigh in on the Blue Jackets and other teams and issues across the NHL.
|
Jackets notebook: Sharks are opponent for opener in Sweden
Sunday, January 31, 2010 3:31 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
ST. LOUIS -- The Blue Jackets have known for two months that they'll open the 2010-11 season in Stockholm, Sweden. Now they know the opponent. The Dispatch learned yesterday that they will play the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 7, 2010, in the Ericsson Globe. The second game will take place Oct. 9, but it's unclear whether the Jackets would play the Sharks again, and it's unclear whether the game would be in Stockholm. Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson would not comment on the report. The NHL has sent four clubs to Europe to start recent seasons, but next season it will send six. Minnesota and Carolina will meet in Helsinki, Finland. Boston and Phoenix will play in Prague, Czech Republic. The Blue Jackets will likely play an exhibition game against a club in the Swedish Elite League, and perhaps another against one of the other NHL clubs. An official announcement is expected by the NHL this week. No promotionThe Blue Jackets have virtually no chance of making the playoffs, but don't expect young center Derick Brassard to get a test drive on the No. 1 line next to left winger Rick Nash anytime soon. "That wouldn't really be fair to Derick," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "You have to be ready to see that kind of competition. He's just starting to gain confidence. There's no point overwhelming somebody who's just starting to get confident. "Moving up to that line means he's going to match up against the top five players (forwards and defensemen) on every team. What good is that experience, to have to fight through that when you're still on the learning curve?" Brassard has come on in recent weeks, ever since he was promoted to the No. 2 line, but he's still eighth among Blue Jackets forwards in ice time, drawing 14 minutes, 10 seconds per game. On Friday, Brassard and Jake Voracek met privately with Hitchcock to discuss how the two responded Thursday when the Los Angeles Kings scored first in a 4-1 rout of the Blue Jackets. Why those two were singled out isn't clear -- there were lots of veterans who didn't respond well -- but Brassard said the meeting went well. "On our first four shifts, we had seven scoring chances," Brassard said. "We tried to get an early goal, and we got off to a pretty good start. We didn't get rewarded. It was a lesson to forget that goal and just keep playing." Brassard and Voracek have been linemates for almost three weeks now. "We're playing good right now," Brassard said. "Well, we're playing better. We're starting to spend more time in their zone, instead of more time in our zone." Slap shotsAfter missing a game Thursday because of a left forearm/wrist injury, winger Derek Dorsett was back in the lineup last night. Defenseman Milan Jurcina, still slowed by the flu, was scratched. The Blue Jackets are no closer to extending their affiliation agreement with minor-league Syracuse. An agreement was said to be close in November, but talks have stalled. Story toolsToday’s Top Stories |
Earning community pointsAdvertisement Cannon Fodder PodcastCannon Fodder is the podcast from The Dispatch sports team covering the Blue Jackets. Tune in for lively discussions about the team and the rest of the NHL. Subscribe to the show through its RSS feed or iTunes. Commentary from The Dispatch
Read Dispatch columnists Michael Arace and Bob Hunter share their thoughts on the Blue Jackets and the NHL. |
