The Puck Drops Here 1.18.16 #BlueJackets #CBJ #NHLAllStar

By @CLulovics


Where to start? Well at the start of the year a lot of people from GM'S, broadcasters, national writers and television personal predicted that the Columbus Blue Jackets would be back to their former form and make the playoffs. As of January 16th, the team is in last place and it all appears to look like everyone was wrong. But weirder things have happened, just like in any professional sport. So we can't count this team out just yet.

Some of the good news this year has to be Brandon Saad. Saad is having a career year in goals and is currently on pace to set a new high in that statistic category. Saad was rewarded before the season even started with a new multi-year contract, has been rewarded yet again with his first ever All-star game to be played January 31st down in Nashville Tennessee. Boone Jenner is also having a career year as he is on pace to blow away his current highs in goals and points.

In other news, with the team not living up to expectations, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen traded former first round pick and number 1 center Ryan Johansen to the Nashville Predators for their former first round pick defenseman Seth Jones. Will that trade prompt more in the coming weeks leading up to the trade deadline or will Jarmo stay put if this team finds its way? My take is that we have not seen the last as possibly more big names could be moved to free up salary cap space or to secure future prospects and or draft picks.

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been battling a nagging groin injury since December 8th was activated off of injured reserve on January 15th. Also back up goalie Curtis McElhinney was placed on injured reserve during Sergei's stint resulting in the Jackets calling up both goalies from their minor league team the Lake Erie Monsters. Both young goalies were thrown into the fire put did their part in holding the net.


Either way, no one saw this season unfolding the way that it has. As a fan, it is discouraging that the results aren't better and I know the players feel the same way. The Blue Jackets fans have been with this team from the start of their franchise, through all the ups and downs, wins and loses, and they will continue to be there for their team as many have said that they are the most loyal and die-hard fans in the league.

As always, I will continue to fight the good fight and will be with this team until the end of time as I'm sure many of you will. So join me in either watching on T.V. or going down to Columbus and catching a game at Nationwide Arena or going down to Cleveland at The Q Arena and watching the future studs in action.

As always Carry The Flag, We Are The 5th Line, All Of Us, March With Us.

The Puck Drops Here: Columbus Blue Jackets 2015-16 Season Preview #CBJ

By @CLulovics

HEALTHY: in good health. Not injured or sick. Those are the things that made last season for the Blue Jackets uneasy. With 502 man games lost due to injury, the Blue Jackets led the NHL in that department and setting a new club record as well. Not the type of record the team had in mind of breaking when the season started, the team in the last two months of the season went 16-4-1 and recorded a point in the last 13 games. Todd Richards will be at the helm for the group once again this year. Last season Richards became the Blue Jackets all time winning coach, surpassing former coach and current coach of the St. Louis Blues Ken Hitchcock. Going into this season the Jackets are healthy unlike last year at this previous time, so expectations are once again at an all time high.

The big acquisition for Columbus during the off season was trading for Brandon Saad who spent the previous couple years playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and winning two Stanley Cup Championships during that time.  Columbus gave up forwards Artem Anisimov, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp, Marko Dano, and a fourth found pick in the 2016 NHL Draft for Saad along with defenseman Michael Paliotta. Saad put up career highs last season with 23 goals 29 assists for 52 points in only his 4th professional season. To keep Saad with the Blue Jackets long term, the team inked him to a 6 year extension worth $36 million. Another big off season signing was defenseman David Savard agreeing to terms on a 5 year $21.25 million dollar extension which keeps the big, strong, well minded young fellow in town for years to come.

The 2013 Vezina trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky who last season signed a 4 year $29.7 million contract extension, is once again the main man in goal. After a couple of injuries last season (just like everyone else one the team), Sergei looks to stay healthy and prove once again why many feel that he is the best goalie in the NHL. Ryan Johansen one of the NHL'S young studs will look to build on his career best in assists and points from last season. With the projected first line of Johansen, Saad and new Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, he should have plenty of opportunities to surpass those point totals.

That first line of those three players could provide the fans with an opportunity to see something special. Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky, David Clarkson, Cam Atkinson, Matt Calvert, Scott Hartnell, Kerby Rychel and Alexander Wennberg will look to provide fire power on offense. Jack Johnson, Fedor Tyutin, David Savard, Kevin Connauton, Dalton Prout, and a healthy Ryan Murray will provide strong help on the blue line in front of Bobrovsky.

The Blue Jackets will open up the 2015-2016 season at home on October 9th against Eastern Conference foe the New York Rangers. Beautiful Nationwide Arena is home to the Jackets. Opened in 2000, the arena seats 18,500 for hockey games. Surrounding the arena is another beautiful area called the Arena District which is home to many restaurants, bars, hotels and other outdoor places to sightsee. Across from the arena as well is the minor league stadium Huntington Park which is home to the Cleveland Indians AAA team the Columbus Clippers. So if you are ever in the Columbus area I strongly encourage you to catch a game, take in some food and drink, and spend a night at one of the many hotels which are in walking distance.

With the season fast approaching optimism, joyfulness and other emotions are high. This team has many others around the league talking about how good they can be. I feel that the Jackets will return to the playoffs this year and make a lot of noise.

As always CARRY THE FLAG, MARCH ON, WE ARE THE FIFTH LINE, ALL OF US.

The Puck Drops Here 2.4.15: #BlueJackets Mid-Season Review #CBJ

By @CLulovics

Here is the Columbus Blue Jackets mid season review along with a quick short review of the entire league. The Jackets who started the season with almost half of their roster on IR started off slow and at the bottom of the NHL standings had a really good month of December to get themselves back into the playoff picture.

Ryan Johansen, Nick Foligno, and Sergei Bobrovsky were all named to the all star game which was held in Columbus over the weekend of January 24th which saw the skills competition and then the game itself held on the 25th. Bobrovsky was injured and could not compete in the game. Nick Foligno was named captain of the home team and selected teammate Ryan Johansen with the first overall pick of the NHL fantasy draft. Team Foligno lost the game to Team Toews by a score of 17-12. Nick Foligno had a goal and an assist while Ryan Johansen had 2 goals and 2 assists and took home the MVP award. Johansen also won the breakaway skills competition on Saturday night. Nashville Predators Shea Webber won the hardest shot at 108.5 mph  (record is 108.8)

Team leaders in points are Nick Foligno and Ryan Johansen both with 45 points. Foligno has 18 goals and 27 assists while Johansen has 19 goals with 26 assists. Scott Hartnell has 10 goals 18 assists for 28 pts. James Wisniewski has 5 goals, 17 assists for 22 pts. And Jack Johnson has 5 goals and 18 assists for 23 points, also as of this writing.

Also as of this writing the Anaheim Ducks lead the league with a record of 32-12-6 for 70 points in the Western Conference. In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Red Wings have 64 points and the New York Islanders have 65 points. The Jackets are currently 13 pts out of the last wild card spot but anything can happen and like last year thus team can go on a streak in a month and find themselves back into the playoffs.

Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals leads the league in goals with 29. Philadelphia Flyers Jakub Voracek leads the league in assists with 41 and also leads the league in points with 58. The NHL trade deadline is March 2 at 3pm.

The Blue Jackets are gonna have to stay healthy and play a complete team game from here on out if they want to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.


As always Carry The Flag and We Are The 5th Line

The Puck Drops Here 1.7.15: Blue Jackets December 2014 Review

By @CLulovics

This is the Columbus Blue Jackets December month in review. First off my apologies for the delay in the article, as I had neck fusion surgery and am currently trying to write this in a neckbrace while using a tablet. So if there are any mistakes I apologize in advance.

After a horrendous month of November where we saw the Jackets lose many games in a row and saw countless players go down with injuries, the Jackets had a huge turnaround in December going 10-1-1 climbing from the bottom of the NHL standings to right back into the playoff picture. Along with the rise in the standings, we also saw the return of some injured players, some making their season debut with the rest just coming back from a short term injury stint.

Brandon Dubinsky who had been sidelined all season made his debut in December and his veteran leadership on the ice has shown through his puck skills and ice presence helping the younger players be in the right position.  Boone Jenner, who was on a hot streak, has been sidelined for 2 months with a bad back. But all in all, the Jackets are getting healthy and slowly returning to playing the type of hockey that got them into the playoffs last year.

Offensively the Jackets are being lead by Nick Foligno who leads the team with 35 points  (17 goals 18 assists). Ryan Johansen is right behind him with 12 goals 22 assists for 34 points. Scott Hartnell has 8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points. Jack Johnson has 3 goals and 16 assists for 19 points. And rounding out the top 5 point leaders is James Wisniewski has 3 goals and 13 assists for 16 points.

The Jackets acquired Kevin Connauton off of waivers from the Dallas Stars. They also traded defenseman Tim Erixon to the  Chicago Blackhawks for Jeremy Morin. Then just 2 days later they traded Luke Adam to the Buffalo Sabres for Jerry D'Amigo. Also acquired was Jordan Leopold from the St. Louis Blues for a 5th round draft pick.

Once again after the horrible month of November, the Jackets are right back into the playoff picture but must stay healthy and play a complete team game staying out of the penalty box to keep making the movement up the standings. If they do that then they should be enjoying the playoffs again like last year but with 3 months left in the season anything can happen. Also don't forget that the All-star game is in Columbus with a week long list of events enjoyable for the entire family. Check out the full list here.

As always Carry The Flag, March On, and "We Are The 5th Line"

The Puck Drops Here 10.31: Blue Jackets Month In Review #CBJ

Blue Jackets Month In Review
By @CLulovics

After the first month of NHL action, the Columbus Blue Jackets have come out of camp starting the season showing fans that they are the same bunch of scrappy never give up team that they were a year ago. After the game on Tuesday October 28 they are currently 4-5 8 points and sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference only 2 points out of the 8th and final playoff spot though early in the season.

Nathan Horton who the Jackets signed last year hasn't played a game all year and unfortunately doesn't look like he will at all this year. Horton who signed a 7 year $37.1 million dollar contract has been diagnosed with degeneration of the entire lumbar region of his spine. At only the age of 29 his career is in serious jeopardy and could be forced into early retirement. Horton was expected to help the young Blue Jacket team with his veteran presence and scoring ability will be missed but with the depth the team has it shouldn't be a huge problem.

Ryan Johansen who held out of all of training camp along with the entire preseason hasnt missed a beat at all. He currently has a point in every game this season with 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points. The line of Johansen, Hartnell, and Foligno has developed chemistry from the drop of the puck in the first game. Foligno also has a point in every game that he has played in this season before getting hurt. Johansen has a new record for the Blue Jackets by having a point in 9 straight games and 15 dating back to last season.

The hockey Gods have not been kind to the Jackets early in the season as the injury bug hit the Blue Jackets hard the last week of October. Starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is on the IR after suffering a fractured finger in practice and is expected to be out a couple of weeks. Backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney came off IR after being run into on a block attempt by a teammate in a game against Ottawa. Matt Calvert is out on the IR for about a week with an upper body injury and lost a couple front teeth in a comeback win against the San Jose Sharks. Cam Atkinson took a skate to the face against the Anaheim Ducks but only missed one game against the L.A. Kings and was back in action Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators. Nick Foligno was taken off the ice on a stretcher in a game against the L.A. Kings after having his head and neck smashed into the referee along the boards and temporarily losing feeling down one side of his body. All tests on Foligno have come back negative and is day to day. There is some good news to come out of the injury front though as second year defense-man Ryan Murray rejoined the team and made his season debut against the L.A. Kings. Boone Jenner (who has resumed practicing with the team and is close to returning to game action) and Brandon Dubinsky is close to returning as well. The Blue Jackets recalled Alexander Wennberg to help out on the offense front. To help out with the goaltending the Jackets recalled Anton Forsberg from AHL affiliate Springfield.  The game on Tuesday October 28 against the Ottawa Senators was not a good one as the Jackets lost three players with an injury. James Wisniewski broke his finger and will be out of action for 1 or 2 weeks. Mark Letestu has been diagnosed with a groin injury and will be out of action as well for 2-4 weeks. Artem Anisimov was checked in the head and has been diagnosed with a concussion. He will be out of action until the concussion symptoms subside.

The top 5 leading point scorers for the Blue Jackets are Johansen with 5 goals 6 assists for 11 points. Hartnell 1 goal 9 assists for 10 points. Foligno 3 goals 6 assists for 9 points. Cam Atkinson 4 goals 2 assists for 6 points. Mark Letestu 3 goals 2 assists for 5 points. Sergei Bobrovsky is 4-4 with a 2.81 Goals Against Average and a .908 Save Percentage while making 207 saves out of 228 shot attempts.

Guys are going to have to step up with the rash of injuries and this is the time for younger players or players who don't get much ice time to provide a spark this team needs. Still early in the season and a lot of people would rather have the injuries happen now rather than later in the year closer to the playoff push but they still have to find a way to win games against both good teams and teams lower than them. They can't play down to the other teams level or they will find themselves losing games that they should win and can put a damper on everyone from fans, players, and everyone throughout the originization. As always Carry The Flag and Battle On!

The Puck Drops Here 9.19.14

By @CLulovics

This past week the Columbus Blue Jackets prospects took part in the Traverse City tournament. The prospect tournament is a traditional tournament where the younger guys bond and gives the organization a glimpse into the future. The young Blue Jackets went 4-0 capturing the organizations third championship in history. They opened the tournament against the Minnesota Wild winning by a 6-4 score. Then went on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings (5-3) and the St. Louis Blues (7-2) before defeating the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime.

Training camp has officially opened and everyone passed their physicals except for Nathan Horton who is recovering from back issues. The shoulder issue that had sidelined him for most of last year along with other issues he had to deal with have fully recovered. Horton is expected to miss most if not all of camp and perhaps the start of the season but is expected back 100% unlike last year where he dealt with injuries.

Ryan Johansen has still not been signed as camp opened up on 9/18. The two sides are still apart after a "bridge deal" (a deal where the contract expires before the player enters RFA and is still a UFA) of 2-3 years was being discussed. After contracts of 2 years, $6 million; 6 years at $32 million and 8 years at $46 million were turned down by Johansen's agent. Things could turn ugly if a contract is not settled upon soon as with any athlete in any sport during negotiations fans/ownership/teamates start to get upset.

Preseason games began on Sunday, September 21. The Blue Jackets will play the St. Louis Blues 9/21 and the Carolina Hurricanes 9/21 in a split squad game with the Blues being at home and the Hurricanes on the road. Then they are at home against Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins on 9/23. They hit the road to take on the St. Louis on 9/25 and again on the road against the Penguins on 9/27 which can be seen on the NHL Network at 4pm. The last two preseason games are at home against the Hurricanes on 10/1 and finishing up against the Nashville Predators on 10/4 before opening up the regular season on the road against the Buffalo Sabres on 10/9 and then that Saturday the home opener on 10/11 against the New York Rangers. All regular season games can be seen on FSO Ohio.