Columbus Blue Jackets Stuff...

Let’s start with the call ups, the long awaited arrival of Derick Brassard is finally becoming a reality. I’m not sure how I feel about this, I don’t want Brassard to be rushed into the line up but then again I am excited to see him play. He was just named to the AHL All Star team, so I hope that he’s back in Syracuse to be able to go to the All Star game…unless he’s doing really good in Columbus. Also, Marc Methot is back up in Columbus, interesting choice but I suppose the organizations love affair with Methot continues as my love for Rome still burns bright. *Next time Howson think about me when you make a decision…geez*

Now to the injuries, Fredrik Modin is still out, and there is STILL no word on his test results. My guess is that Modin will be out until at least February, unless there is some kind of miracle. The Blue Jackets organization has never given a date of when they expect him to return and I don’t think they will any time soon. I just hope that they figure out what’s going on. Andrew Murray has been placed on injured reserve, he suffered a concussion, Tuesday in St. Louis. Also, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen has been placed on injured reserve with a “disc issue” it is possible that O.K. will need surgery, but still no definite word. Also, Norrena is complaining of headaches, so Mason is still up in the line up and if Pazzy is not 100% we could see Mason in net on Friday. Also, Zherdev will in all likelihood not play any of the games this weekend.

All Star news, Pascal Leclaire was screwed out of the All Star game, the goaltenders for the Western Conference are Chris Osgood, Manny Legace, and Evgeni Nabakov are the starters. Leclaire has more shutouts than all of them, his GAA is better than Nabakov and Legace. His save % is better than Nabakov and Legace. No, Leclaire has not played in all the games this season, we have a perfectly capable backup goaltender, and no Leclaire doesn’t have THAT good of a team in front of him (yes, I am looking at you Osgood). Leclaire was literally screwed, he deserves to be there, and I’m not saying that the other guys don’t deserve it, they do, but Leclaire is an amazing goaltender. This is coming from the girl who basically hated him most of last season.

Now, onto a post that Aaron Portzline wrote last night, I for one thought it was an amazing post while a fellow Blue Jacket blogger, didn’t find it too hot. Portzline talked about how players on the Columbus Blue Jackets need to stand up for their teammate. Nikolai Zherdev took a hit from Backes a clean hit but a hit that knocked him down and took him out for the third period and will keep him out of the line up for this weekend. No one stood up for Zherdev, they should have. Look at the game in Nashville where Adam Foote saw Jiri Novotny, knocked down by Jordin Tootoo, Foote immediately went after Tootoo. Zherdev is our second leading scorer, he is a player we need in the line up every night. Someone, Boll, Shelley, hell Nash, should have immediately gone after Backes. Portzline even went as far as to say that:

On a real NHL club, Backes would have paid. He would paid quickly and dearly. He would have been targeted — right or wrong — the rest of the game. The message has to be simple: “Zherdev is one of our guys … don’t touch.”

Zherdev deserves this much, especially after the turn-around he’s had this season. When he gets drilled and nobody responds, it sends a very bad message, both in the room and around the league.

If a real NHL club couldn’t get to Backes, Paul Kariya would have been leveled. Or Andy MacDonald. Or Brad Boyes. Or Keith Tkachuk. Somebody would have paid.

Someone should have paid. Nobody cared on the Blue Jackets, nobody even checked him into the boards. It was ridiculous. My buddy over at End of the Bench had this to say:

The team needs to learn how to win hockey games and go from there. You win games, the toughness is an add-on. You skate faster, be strong on the stick, battle, hold your composure, and you win.

I guess I’m surprised that Portzline felt the need to write this piece. The Jackets need to work on a lot of things, but I would not place being a hard-ass at the top of the list. Holding onto and controlling the puck better would be a good place to start.

Look back at how we were winning games in October, we won all the battles, we won the fights, and why is he shocked that Portzie wanted to write it? Should we just let Backes go? Granted Portzline maybe shouldn’t have named names. BUT, it is necessary to stand up for your players. Look at players like Sidney Crosby, if someone so much as touches him you can bet that he has players who are all over him.

Portzline is not asking for goonery, he is asking for players to stand up for other players.