Kukla's Korner Hockey
Category: Columbus-Blue-Jackets
Great Deals
by Paul on 08/22/07 at 05:29 PM ET
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from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,
Ah the lazy, hazy days of summer — sunshine, a hint of fall in the air, back-to-school sales … and NHL general managers, in a bargain-hunting mode, making one last pass at the free-agent market, with training camps less than a month away.
This week, two of the most respected players that had slipped through the cracks, found work — Trevor Linden and Michael Peca, who agreed to one-year deals respectively with the Vancouver Canucks and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Linden received $600,000 in base salary; Peca will get $1.2 million as soon as he passes his physical; and both contracts include incentives that could increase their eventual take-home day, depending upon how their seasons unfold.
Filed in: NHL Talk, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
No More Excuses For Hitchcock
by Paul on 08/22/07 at 10:10 AM ET
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from Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch,
Excuse-making is out. Accountability is in. That means a talented, young player such as Nikolai Zherdev will work hard and get with the program or go to the bench. It means goaltender Pascal Leclaire will be in better shape than he has ever been or he will watch Fredrik Norrena play. It means playing time won’t have anything to do with where players were drafted or how much they have been hyped. It means it will be Hitch’s way or the highway, and the team’s general manager, Scott Howson, will back Hitchcock all the way.
While there’s no way to know how this will play out during the course of the season, it’s hard to see how this won’t change things for the better.
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Peca Won’t Be A Ranger - Deal Expected Tonight
by Paul on 08/21/07 at 10:58 PM ET
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via the Blueshirts Blog,
Michael Peca will not be a Ranger this season.
Agent Don Meehan confirmed moments ago that the Rangers did not make Peca a contract offer.
Meehan said that he expected to complete negotiation on a one-year deal for the 33-year-old center within a couple of hours. Columbus appears to be the city where the former Islanders captain will be playing his home games this season.
added 9:06pm, On the front page of the Columbus Dispatch but no link yet- Peca expected to sign
added 9:08pm, Link now working,
Michael Peca is likely to sign a contract with the Blue Jackets either late tonight or early Wednesday.
It’s a one-year contract with incentives, according to a source.
As of 8:45 p.m., Peca’s agent, Don Meehan, was negotiating with Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson over the final details.
added 10:57pm,, The same link from the Dispatch now stating Peca has agreed to terms with Columbus.
Filed in: NHL Talk, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Columbus In Shopping Mode
by Paul on 08/19/07 at 10:16 AM ET
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from the Columbus Dispatch,
Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson left Columbus yesterday to meet his family for a vacation in Calgary, Alberta. But it won’t be relaxing right away. The Jackets are intent on using Svitov’s money to add another player, and they will either shore up the roster at center or on defense before training camp opens Sept. 14.
Other centers the Jackets likely will consider if they can’t sign Peca are Jason Allison and Mike Johnson. The top target among defensemen is Danny Markov.
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Columbus Statement On Alexander Svitov Signing With Russian Team
by Paul on 08/17/07 at 05:22 PM ET
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via the Columbus Blue Jackets,
Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson issued the following statement today after learning that center Alexander Svitov has signed a contact with Avangard Omsk of the Russian Super League and will play with the club in the 2007-08 season. He signed a two-year contract with Columbus on July 2, 2007.
“We were informed by Alexander’s agent today that he has signed a contract to play with Avangard Omsk this season,” Howson said. “We will explore the situation in greater detail with respect to Alexander’s contract status and will make a decision after reviewing our options. While this news comes as a disappointment, it creates an opportunity for other players when we open training camp next month.”
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Left Side Looks Right In Columbus
by Paul on 08/12/07 at 09:57 AM ET
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from the Columbus Dispatch,
But there is one spot on the ice at which the Blue Jackets are pretty much set in stone, where they might just be as solid as some of the best clubs in the NHL.
With Rick Nash, Fredrik Modin, Jason Chimera and Jody Shelley, the Blue Jackets have a pretty good cast of left wingers.
“I would say the strength of this clubs is our wings, anyway,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. “But our left side has a real good chance to be dynamic….
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Columbus Did Spend
by Paul on 08/11/07 at 10:52 AM ET
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from the Columbus Dispatch,
At a news conference Wednesday to announce the purchase agreement, MacLean complained that the budget set by Blue Jackets management hamstrung his efforts to build a winning club.
“I don’t have any comment on that,” Priest said. “From our perspective, this is a great opportunity for Doug. I’m excited for him that he’s found something so quickly. It’s a great challenge and opportunity. We wish him nothing but the best. We’re not going to get into what thoughts or comments he has.”
Priest did acknowledge, however, that on at least two occasions the Blue Jackets expanded the budget to add players “with the assurance or promise that they would be difference-makers.”
One of the players was center Sergei Fedorov, whose $6 million contract was added in a trade early in the 2005-06 season.
The other was right winger Anson Carter, signed to a $2.5 million contract last summer and traded for a fifth-round draft pick in March.
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Columbus Signs Kris Beech
by Paul on 08/07/07 at 07:20 PM ET
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via the Columbus Blue Jackets,
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed center Kris Beech to a one-year, two-way NHL – American Hockey League contract, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Beech, 26, collected eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points and 46 penalty minutes in 64 games last season with the Washington Capitals. He tied for fifth on the club in goals and was seventh in points, while setting a new career high in points. He has accumulated 19-37-56 with 109 penalty minutes in 173 career games with Washington, Nashville and Pittsburgh. He was the Capitals’ first pick, seventh overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
No Quick Fix For Columbus
by Paul on 08/05/07 at 10:23 AM ET
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from the Columbus Dispatch,
All indications are the Blue Jackets are done shopping for the summer.
Don’t they want to win?
“What would I say to that? I’d say we’re trying to build a championship club, and build it the right way,” Howson said. “I don’t believe a team like ours—where we’re at right now—can go for the quick fix and expect it to work.
“You don’t miss the playoffs by (23) points one year, add a high-priced free agent and make that leap. That just doesn’t happen. We’re at the point where this club needs to grow and needs to develop from within.”
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Hockey Is Howson’s Passion
by Paul on 08/04/07 at 06:35 PM ET
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from Larry Wigge at NHL.com,
“I was intrigued by law school,” the 47-year-old Howson told me shortly after he was hired to replace Doug MacLean, the Jackets’ only other GM, in June. “I worked in law for a large firm in Toronto for three years and enjoyed the experience. I really had no interest in getting into hockey management when I quit playing and became a lawyer, but the time away from hockey rekindled my passion for the game.
“I realized that law wasn’t a passion of mine. Hockey was.”
read on and some Central Division notes too…
Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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About Kukla's Korner Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
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