Torts Wants Columbus to Play Tough

I thought this was an interesting post from Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. This would explain why the Blue Jackets spend a lot of time in the penalty box.

The Blue Jackets are the most-penalized team in the NHL and the team with the most major penalties for fighting.

But those are crude ways to measure their physical nature.

“We talk every game, that if somebody’s in trouble, someone gets in there,” coach John Tortorella said. “If someone’s on our goalie, someone gets in. Everybody gets in the blue (paint) to protect our goaltender. That’s the mindset we’re trying to build here.

“But are we over the top? Are we cheap? Are we dirty? Absolutely not. Do we want to injure people? Hurt people? Absolutely not.”

There will be no apologies forthcoming for the hard-nosed style, even as recent opponents have taken exception.

This can be entertaining hockey for the fans, but it can tax a team's penalty kill.

Brad Malone Will Not Be Suspended for Hit on Nick Foligno

Last night, at the 14:55 mark of the third period, former Fighting Sioux forward Brad Malone laid this hit on Nick Foligno. The Blue Jackets captain was injured on the play and has been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.  Foligno will not be available for Saturday's game.

Further inflaming the matter for some fans, Malone will not be suspended for the hit. I looked at the hit last night, and I don't know. That was a tough call to make.

Everyone's favorite Blue Jacket Brandon Dubinsky would later challenge Malone for his hit on Foligno.

For those keeping track at home. Malone has now been in five NHL fights this season. That's good for 10th in the NHL. (Hockeyfights.com) It wasn't much of a fight, and it was ruled a draw.



To make matters more interesting, the two teams play again tonight. There could be some fireworks.

#CBJ Dubinsky: "I'm pretty sure that was a head hit. I'm pretty sure it was dirty. (Foligno) is not feeling too good right now."

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 9, 2016

Brandon Dubinsky not a Fan of Mike Reilly

One has to wonder if this wasn't a drunk tweet or something along those lines. That being said, Columbus Blue Jackets isn't a fan of former Gopher Mike Reilly. 

Obviously, Reilly isn't the first college hockey player to go this route to the NHL, but I can see how Dubinsky and his Blue Jackets teammates might not be that impressed with the ex-Gopher's decision. Dubinsky has since deleted his tweet. 

A Look at the NHL's Wild Card Race

Hard to believe that the NHL season is almost over. Looking at the standings you can see who is in and who is out right now.

Saturday Night at the Fights: Milan Lucic works Dalton Prout

This was the much anticipated fight between Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout. I am going with the advantage to Lucic.

GREAT FIGHT between Lucic and Prout! Lucic takes him down at the end and cuts him open! #Bruins pic.twitter.com/2N18GU7HkM
— ⒹⓊⒼⒶⓈ (@Dugas978) December 28, 2014

Dalton Prout pops Milan Lucic

This one-punch was the subject of much discussion on Twitter. Give credit where credit is due, Dalton Prout got lucky, and I expect that Milan Lucic will extract his pound of flesh the next time the two teams play. In my opinion, Lucic's gloves weren't off and Prout used this as an opportunity to get the upper hand on Lucic.

#453131628 / gettyimages.com

Former Boston College recruit Sonny Milano has signed a three-year entry level deal with the Blue Jackets. Milano was set to play for the Boston College Eagles this fall, but backed out of his commitment.

NHL.com -- Left wing Sonny Milano signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team announced Thursday.

Milano, a first-round pick (No. 16) of the Blue Jackets in the 2014 NHL Draft, will play for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League in 2014-15. He also will be one of 25 players representing the Blue Jackets at the eight-team Traverse City Prospect Tournament, scheduled Friday through Tuesday, in Traverse City, Mich.

"Sonny Milano is a skilled, dynamic player and we're very happy to add him to the exciting group of prospects within our organization," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "We are looking forward to watching his development and helping him grow both on and off the ice in the years to come."

Sonny Milano speaks to the fans

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch has Sonny Milano's statement that he made through his agent. 

August 16, 2014

“Since being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL Draft in Philadelphia on June 27, I have been asked many times about whether I would continue with my plans to attend Boston College, or play junior hockey instead. In an effort to avoid controversy and further questions on the subject, I responded that I was looking forward to attending BC in the Fall. While I have had every intention of playing for Coach (Jerry) York and joining the best college hockey program in the country, since the end of my hockey season at the USNDTP I have been questioning whether going to school was the best situation for me.

"Perhaps I should have acknowledged my growing indecision when asked about my plans, but it was difficult to explain to those who were asking when I did not even know myself what I wanted to do. After a great deal of thought and discussion with my family, I have spoken with Coach York and informed him that I will be playing for the Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers this season. "I think that BC is the best choice for those players who wish to go to school and play hockey. Every player’s path to achieving his goal of playing in the NHL is different, and the best route for some is not necessarily the best route for others. For me, the opportunity to play in the OHL is the right decision.

"If I have disappointed anyone, particularly the great people I have met at BC, it was certainly not my intention to do so, and for that I am sorry. I hope that BC and those involved with its hockey program understand my decision.”

Puck-rakers: Sonny Milano issues statement regarding decision to opt out of Boston College, pick OHL Plymouth #CBJ http://t.co/I8aSNtLWJ2
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) August 18, 2014

Related articles

• Sonny Milano Watch is on
• NCAA Hockey: 62 Players Selected in the 2014 NHL Draft
• NCAA Hockey: Fastest Growing Development Path

Updated: Sonny Milano to sign with Columbus Blue Jackets

Sonny Milano has informed @BCHockeyNews that he will sign a professional contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets organization.
— BC Hockey (@BCHockeyNews) August 16, 2014

This seems to be a re-occurring theme for some of the USNDT players. Like I told someone the other day, until they come on Campus they're a threat to not make it to campus, especially if they were drafted high. It's a big loss for Boston College Eagles, but they're still a very loaded hockey team. My money says that Milano will end up with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.

Jerry York: “Sonny has informed me he will sign a contract with Columbus. They will dictate his path as he embarks upon his pro career.”
— BC Hockey (@BCHockeyNews) August 16, 2014

CBJ 1st round pick Sonny Milano will not attend Boston College, has chosen to play with @PWhalers of the OHL this season.
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) August 17, 2014

According to @Aportzline, Milano will sign his ELC in the next few days.
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) August 17, 2014

3-1 Leads Not Nice in Jackets Penguins Series

One would think that if you would have a 3-1 lead in the third period of a hockey game, the odds of you winning the game would be pretty good right? Try explaining that to the Blue Jackets and Penguins. Both teams have come into the game tonight spotting 3-1 leads in each of the first three games, Columbus in game one and three, and Pittsburgh in game two. In each instance, the team who had that lead would lose.

As for tonight, Pittsburgh would jump to an early 3-0 lead, and would look as if they were going to cruise to victory against this Blue Jackets team, who on paper doesn't match up to the mighty Penguins. Columbus would score late to be down 3-1 late in the first and go into the locker room down at that score. One has to wonder if the Penguins had that stat from the first three games in the back of their heads in the locker room, or if they were told to protect the lead.

Columbus would chip away at the two goal Penguin lead, and make it 3-2 in the second. At this point one starts wondering if it could happen again. Could another 3-1 lead be blown and the victory be 4-3 for the fourth straight game?

With under a minute left in the third, and the Jackets goalie on the bench, the hometown kid, Brandon Dubinsky, would tie the game at three and would send it to overtime. Once again a 3-1 lead is blown, and once again the final score would be 4-3. In recent memory, I can never remember a series being like this one. One where the team who scores first has lost every single time. The one where every final score was 4-3, and most of all, one where a 3-1 lead is blown in every single game.

None the less, the game goes to overtime and just 2:49 into the period, the game is over. Nick Folingo would fire, what looked to be a harmless shot, from just inside the blue line on the left side of the zone, and somehow would get by Penguin goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

If you would have told me after game one that this series would have a game six, let alone two Jackets wins, I would have laughed at you. The Penguins looked as if they came into this series very cocky and thinking they would have to go five games max to end this series.

This series actually reminds me a lot of the Wild and Avalanche in 2003. Nobody gave Minnesota a chance, but the hard working Wild fought their way to the second round, getting passed the stacked Colorado Avalanche. It's the same situation in this series, although Columbus didn't win game one and have to fight off a 3-1 deficit in this series.

I can't wait to see how the rest of this series plays out and I think there could possibly be an upset in the making, sending the Penguins, and their fans, home with a sour taste in their mouths, just like the Avalanche back in 2003.

Tweets of the night

@GerDevine I guess I haven't seen a non-Cup contender fire a coach after 2nd best record in franchise history and making the playoffs.
— Bryan Reynolds (@BReynoldsMN) April 20, 2014

Hits to head, brain injuries , merit more than phone hearings. Note to NHL: wake up.
— Kevin Paul Dupont (@GlobeKPD) April 20, 2014

The Columbus Blue Jackets have won their first ever playoff game. http://t.co/CHLqfkbbfd
— Reddit Hockey (@Reddit_Hockey) April 20, 2014

Eatern Conference Matchups pic.twitter.com/cLxuGA5gDZ
— The Hockey Gods! (@HockeyGods) April 16, 2014

Western Conference Matchups pic.twitter.com/npL1qnYNv7
— The Hockey Gods! (@HockeyGods) April 19, 2014

Blake Comeau hit on Brendan Smith

 
Columbus forward Blake Comeau is going to have a phone hearing with the NHL's Department of player safety for this hit. I have to think, he's going to get a couple of games for this one. Thoughts?

Columbus forward Blake Comeau to have phone hearing tomorrow for boarding Detroit's Brendan Smith.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 12, 2014

Who's not going to the Olympics from the NHL.

Here's some of the big-time players aren't going to the Sochi games because of injury... The list is starting to grow.

BREAKING: #CBJ F Marian Gaborik will miss the 2014 Olympic Games due to injury —> http://t.co/voMwLaZJaJ
— NHL Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) February 6, 2014

Swedish media reporting that #Canucks Henrik Sedin is out of the Olympics and that Mikael Backlund will be his replacement.
— Matthew Sekeres (@mattsekeres) February 6, 2014

St. Louis replaces Stamkos on Team Canada: http://t.co/NJCFb7tsPx @sportsnet
— Hockey Central (@SNHockeyCentral) February 6, 2014

#Isles won't let Lubomir Visnovsky go to Olympics, per @StapeNewsday. Too much risk. He recently returned from long-term concussion layoff.
— Chris Nichols (@NicholsNHL) February 6, 2014

Mikko Koivu remains a "long shot" to play for Finland in Sochi at the Winter Olympics. http://t.co/qXqU379Zan
— theScore (@theScore) February 6, 2014

The Slovakian 2014 Olympic hockey team

Defense 

Zdeno Chara  (Boston Bruins)

Martin Marincin (Edmonton Oilers)

Andrej Meszaros (Philadelphia Flyers)

Andrej Sekera (Carolina Hurricanes)

Lubomir Visnovsky (New York Islanders)

Ivan Baranka

Dominik Granak

Michal Sersen

Forwards
Marian Gaborik, (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Michal Handzus, (Chicago Blackhawks)
Marian Hossa, (Chicago Blackhawks)
Tomas Jurco, (Detroit Red Wings)
Tomas Kopecky, (Florida Panthers)
Richard Panik, (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Tomas Tatar, (Detroit Red Wings)
Milan Bartovic
Marcel Hossa
Tomas Marcinko
Michel Miklik
Peter Olvecky
Tomas Surovy
Tomas Zaborsk

The Russian Olympic team for the 2014 Sochi games

English: Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Fedor Tyutin prior to a National Hockey League game against the Calgary Flames, in Calgary]] (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Goaltenders

Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Semyon Varlamov (Colorado Avalanche)
Alexander Eremenko ( Dynamo Moscow)

Defense

Anton Belov (Edmonton Oilers)
Vyacheslav Voynov (Los Angeles Kings)
Alexei Emelin (Montreal Canadiens)
Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadiens)
Evgeni Medvedev (AK Bars)
Nikita Nikitin (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Ilya Nikulin (AK Bars)
Fedor Tyutin (Columbus BlueJackets)

Forwards

Artem Anisimov (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Red Wings)
Ilya Kovalchuk (SKA)
Denis Kokarev (Dynamo Moscow)
Nikolai Kulemin (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Valery Nichushkin (Dallas Stars)
Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)
Alexander Popov (Avangard)
Alexander Radulov (CKA)
Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis Blues)
Alexei Tereschenko (SKA)
Viktor Tikhonov (SKA)
Sergei Soin (Dynamo Moscow)

New York Rangers: Chris Kreider Hit on Fedor Tyutin (Video)

New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider was giving a five minute Major and a game misconduct for this hit on the Blue Jackets defenseman Fedor Tyutin.

Supplementary disciplne not expected regarding Kreider hit on Tyutin....
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) January 7, 2014

Dubinsky did not see Kreider's hit on Tyutin. "But I saw Tyutin lying there and Kreider was right next to him, so I figured it was him."
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 7, 2014

Derek MacKenzie suspended 3-games for hit on Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Blue Jackets forward Derek MacKenzie has been suspended 3-games by the NHL's Department of Player Safety for this hit on the Phoenix Coyotes Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

The bigger shocker, there was no penalty called on this play.

Bettman upholds Buffalo Sabres "Rat" Patrick Kaleta's 10-game suspension

English: NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman in 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There was a some good news today. I love the fact that the NHL stood strong and wouldn't reduce Buffalo Sabres Foward/Rat Patrick Kaleta's 10 game suspension. I think it's the right call and it's the first step in the right diection in further preventing theses of dirty hits. Like I said before, I am all for gritty play and big hits, but there's no defending hits to head that violate the NHL's rule 48.

NEW YORK -- Commissioner Gary Bettman today upheld the 10-game suspension that was assessed to Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta by the Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson in NHL Game No. 49 in Buffalo on October 10.

Commissioner Bettman heard Kaleta's appeal of the original decision, assessed Oct. 15, at a hearing in New York on Monday.

Kaleta is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $152,439.00. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 3:08 of the first period.

You can read what the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman had to say about the Kaleta Suspension and why he denied shortening the Buffalo forward's suspension. (Click to View)

Related articles

• NHL upholds Buffalo Sabres Patrick Kaleta's 10-game suspension (o.canada.com)
• Gary Bettman upholds Patrick Kaleta's 10-game suspension (tracking.si.com)
• Sabres Hack John Scott Pounds Bruins Forward Loui Eriksson in the Head (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

Patrick Kaleta suspended pending hearing for this bush league hit

Buffalo Sabres puke Patrick Kaleta has been suspended by the National Hockey League's department of Player Safety, pending a hearing for this dirty hit on Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson. Kaleta is a repeat offender, having been suspended a couple of times, so I expect him to get at least a 2-3 game suspension for this hit.

From the NHL.COM --- At 3:10 of the first period, Kaleta collided with Columbus defenseman Jack Johnson near the boards just inside the Buffalo zone. No penalty was assessed for that hit, but Kaleta received a fighting major after engaging with the Blue Jackets' Jared Boll after the hit. Johnson remained in the game.

The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: illegal check to the head. However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.

These are the kind of hits that are very dangerous, there's no excuse for these types of hits. Kaleta targeted Jack Johnson's head. This time, the "hockey code" worked the way it's supposed to. I applaud Jared Boll for sticking up for his teammate. You have these "rats" like Kaleta that skate up and down the ice throwing these dangerous hits and then they don't want to fight. In my opinion, Kaleta got what was coming to him. You want to stop these types of hits in hockey? Make the suspensions for hits like this 10-games. If suspension can taper Matt Cooke's dirty hits a few stiff suspensions can curb the behaviors of the other "rats" in the NHL.

Two days left in the regular season

The Eastern teams are set, it's just a matter of who will play who. If the Minnesota Wild win their game against the Colorado Avalanche tonight, they're in playoffs. If not, their season will go down as a massive choke job, especially with who they added in the offseason. Last night's 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers was painful to watch.