Great Filatov Interview!!!

Puck Daddy has a great interview with Nikita Filatov, which you can find here. The young man displays a lot of moxy in responding to some pretty pointed questions from countryman Dmitry Chesnokov about his decision to go to the NHL, despite having offers from the KHL for "...lots more. Times more", to quote Nikita.

Good news is that Filatov has put on about 17 pounds so far in the off-season, and is looking to add another 5 pounds of muscle or so. Also some great parts showing that he is still a kid -- framing Gary Bettman's letter of congratulations after the hat trick, and calling home to Moscow to get instructions on how to fry potatoes while living in his solo apartment in Syracuse.

Really good stuff, and shows he is committed to becoming a mainstay for the CBJ this year. Interestingly, he mentions that he trained with Ilya Kovalchuk in the off-season, noting that they have the same conditioning coach, and pointedly said zip, nada, nothing about Zherdev, who also trained with them. Interesting . . .

Make no mistake, the KHL will be relentless in their pursuit of Filatov when his entry level deal expires. However, Nikita obviously holds Kovalchuk in very high regard, and you can read between the lines that he wants to make his name in the NHL.

Really good stuff!

Filatov Coming

According to a Bluejackets Press Release, and Puck-Rakers, Nikita Filatov has been recalled from the Syracuse Crunch. GM Scott Howson indicates that the club wants Filatov to experience the big club training and atmosphere during the playoff push. The extent to which he might play is uncertain right now.

Sunday Morning Fare

EJust a few items to get your day going:

Clue On Howson Moves? -- I somehow missed the following small nugget from the Trade Deadline blog on NHL.com, recapping Howson's media tour on Thursday:

Howson also said that it is likely that the Blue Jackets will call up Filatov from Syracuse in the near future and that will be like a trade in the impact it will have on his current NHL roster.

If we are planning on calling up Filatov sometime soon, there would need to be room for him. That means somebody has to go somewhere else, either Syracuse or another team. Could we be shopping one or more of our existing forwards? Perhaps the Chimera situation makes this possible, but perhaps not. Stay tuned.

Guerin Watch -- Still no word on Bill Guerin's destination. Front runners are Montreal, New Jersey and Washington.

Rooting Interest -- Except for the Detroit debacle, the rooting interest went pretty well yesterday. Today we simply want the Penguins to beat Dallas, and a CBJ victory over the Canucks (you could make arguments either way on the Chicago/Kings game. If you are greedy and looking at 4th, root for the Kings over the Hawks. If you simply want the Kings to go away for good, the Blackhawks are your pick).

Vancouver preview later. Go Jackets!

The Flu Bug and Other Ramblings

Lots of random stuff today, so here goes:

Glad you're well, now go away -- after recovering from his recent injury, star prospect Nikita Filatov was victimized by the flu. His present for recovering? A trip to Syracuse . . . Ahh, it's a brutal business. Seriously, this has long been expected, and hopefully Nik will get some more seasoning and bulk up a bit.

More Flu--Kristian Huselius missed practice with the flu, and Mark Methot will not make the trip to Pittsburgh, also courtesy of the flu bug, according to Puck-Rakers.

Let The Trade Speculation Begin -- The Dispatch kicked off the final month countdown to the trade deadline, with it's morning piece on who might be on Howson's radar. Some expected names (Antropov, Weight, Tkachuk), some intriguing inclusions (Lombardi, Kelly, Reasoner), and some curious omissions (Vermette, Kubina). I still think a deal is going to happen sooner than later, and suspect that tomorrow night is Wade Dubielewicz's first and last audition as a backup. If he does well, he stays and we focus on a forward and maybe right hand shot defenseman. If he gets smoked, expect a goalie play, such as Curtis Sandford from Vancouver, in addition to a forward.

God Bless Games In Hand -- The standings are pretty bizarre to contemplate right now, with 4 points separating 5th from 11th. While the CBJ give up a game each to Edmonton and Minnesota, and 2 to Dallas, they hold 2 in hand over Phoenix, and after tonight will hold 4 big games in hand over Anaheim. Visnovsky for the Oilers has just gone on the IR, the Canucks are struggling, and everyone except Dallas seems to be hurting to one extent or another right now. It will be a wild rush to the finish.

Tomorrow we'll do a preview of the Penguins game and do a little more on the trade front.

Go Jackets!!

Filatov To IR

The Bluejackets have placed forward Nikita Filatov on the IR list, retroactive to January 18th, per Scott Howson.

No indication that this is any hint of a dire injury to Filatov. With Chimera, Novotny, Klesla all destined to return this week, this is primarily a move to clear some roster space while they decide whether to keep Filatov here or down in Syracuse.

Goats -- The Sequel!!!

As the Jacket's began to mesh early in the season, the offensive load was taken up by the Goat line -- Chimera, Brassard, Voracek-- two youngsters and one self-described "old goat'. (The mere fact that Chimera can even consider referring to himself as an "old goat" at the ripe old age of 29 speaks volumes about the young talent on this team.) I digress, however. With Brassard and Chimera down, the Goat mantle fell upon the shoulders of Michael Peca, with Voracek and Nikita Filatov as his young proteges. The results? The first-ever hat trick by a Bluejackets rookie, 8 points for the line (3 goals and 5 assists) and a combined +9. They spearheaded a rock solid team effort that led to a 4 - 2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, acheiving a nice 4 point swing against a playoff rival, and finishing off an impressive back to back double over the past two nights.

Make no mistake, this was what has become a typical Bluejackets/Wild affair -- hard checking, stifling defense, tons of play in the neutral zone, and little free space in which to operate. Considering the disputed 2 - 1 loss and the 3 -2 shootout loss to the Wild in their house earlier this season, this game was a veritable orgy of scoring, with the CBJ tallying 4 goals, including 3 in the third. After a great heads up play by Filatov to put us on the board first, followed by a flukey, fluttering Wild goal that Mason never saw, the mood in the house was that of a close boxing match. Everyone knew that some small mistake, a tiny opening, would crack the defense and provide the knockout. That knockout came in the third, via Dorsett and Filatov.

+/- for the night:

+ Filatov -- what a night this kid had! The first goal had the puck crossing the goal line just before Filatov joined the puck in the net. The second was an absolute laser beam from a steep angle on the left that zipped past Harding on the near post before he knew what happened. The last time I saw a shot like that was from the same spot on November 29th, 2008, and it was Ovechkin shooting. (Mason caught it). The third was pure hustle, and being in the right place. In between, he dropped to the ice and made a nice block of a scoring opportunity, kept the puck in motion, and was always in the right spot. He had some comical moments as well, including a rather dramatic whiff of a pass as he came down the left wing. Listening to him on the post-game shows, it is clear this young man has it all together. (By the way, consider that the hat trick was done on 5 shots in just 9:59 of ice time!)

+ Peca, Voracek -- The Goat II line was scary in how comfortable they look together. Just as playing with Nash and Huselius has elevated Malhotra's game, Peca has flourished of late, with this being just the latest, and best example. Voracek is becoming a monster, though I still wish he would shoot more!

+ Patience -- We played another Hitchcock game -- generating offense from the back end. We were careful with the puck, made the most of our chances, and got 30 shots on goal, which is a lot against a Minnesota team that is notoriously stingy. Only 2 penalties other than the too many men penalty in the third, and a meaningless call after the game was decided.

+ Crowd -- Whille not a sellout, likely 17K + were there, and enthusiastically greeeted the boys' return from the road, and were loud during the game, waving the freebie towels with great abandon. Lots of hats made it to the ice for Nikita's hat trick, and more stayed for the 3 Stars and the Filatov interview. Good stuff!!!

+ Defense -- Great support, presence of mind and constantly frustrated Minnesota in their effort to get something going. The first goal was a fluttering, seeing-eye shot from the point that Mason never saw. The second, a power play goal after the game was decided, was likewise the result of a screen. Mason was solid all night, and the defense gave him room. Defense was likewise patient with the puck, and penalty kill was good, surrendering a meaningless goal at the end.

+ Individuals -- Besides the Goat II line, Tyutin and Commodore were strong, and Russell got his game back as well. Dorsett was monsterous. Malhotra continued his strong play, and Modin and Huselius were strong contributors as well. Mason, of course. Methot had a good game as well. Picard showed strong, and made a great play to set up Dorsett's goal.

- Injury -- Murray left with an "upper body injury" and did not return. He is day to day according to Hitchcock.

The ingredients for a let down were all there--end of long road trip, big win over tough opponent, late flight home, injury depleted roster. Somebody forgot to tell the team. They had energy, guts and were simply not going to be denied. The kids are getting a baptism of fire, and are passing the ordeal with flying colors. Look who appeared on the scoresheet tonight -- Filatov, Voracek, Dorsett, Picard (aided by Peca and Malhotra) With the possible exception of Voracek, how many folks thought these guys would even be on the roster at this point?

These kids are creating a nice problem for Howson. As we continue to win, with depleted ranks, the kids gain more confidence and give Howson more options and leverage with other teams. As Ottawa and Toronto's fortunes fade (they both lost tonight), the likelihood of dealing there increases. Howson has a better position as each day goes by, though guys like Filatov are also going to provide headaches as he decides where they need to play. While a case can be made that Filatov can use some more AHL seasoning, the Crunch do not appear to be going anywhere this year (due in large part to the roster being ravaged by the parent club). Does it help him to get more minutes for a losing AHL club? Interesting conundrum.

A great effort again tonight for the home crowd. Expect a big crowd for Colorado on Tuesday, even without Adam Foote.

Tomorrow I will feature the mid-season review and report card. Please let me know what you like here, what you don't, and vent your opinions.

Go Jackets!

What An Effort!!!

On November 29th, I wrote the following in this blog:

No guarantees, but mark this date down as the day the Jackets became a team, found some identity, and took a big step forward. Bravo!!!

The context of that quote was a 3 - 0 victory over the Washington Capitals at Nationwide Arena, against a Caps team that was decimated by injuries, in which Nash, Mason and Hejda were the 3 stars, and after which I declared that Mason was the starting goaltender, period.

Fast forward to tonight, when the Jackets pulled out their mirror and provided a bookend 3 -0 shutout of the Washington Capitals. However, this time it was on the road, at the end of a brutal 6 game coast-to-coast trek, and we were the team burden by injuries. Mason and Hejda were again stars, but there was no Nash to help them. Instead, Voracek, Filatov, Umberger, Tyutin, Boll, etc. came to the rescue for one of the most improbable wins in Bluejackets history.

As Hitchcock said after the game "I wouldn't want to play this club [the Capitals] again with this lineup." But looking at his face, both during the post-game press conference and on the bench as the clock wound down, you could tell that the quality of the effort he had just witnessed touched him in a way that we who are not part of that fraternity cannot understand.

We combined effort, good fortune, skill and guts to forge a win that evolved slowly but distinctly over three periods. We were horribly outplayed in the first period, but Mason stood tall, gave us hope, and the Voracek - Umberger tandem gave us a tenuous lead. The second period, customarily not a good one for us, found us asserting ourselves, creating space, depriving chances and giving Tyutin and MacDonald time to team up on another goal. Finally, we maintained composure in the third and Boll brought home a clinching power play goal in poetic justice, after the Caps earned a double minor borne of frustration. In between, there were Capitals shots bouncing off posts and crossbars, but more often caroming off of Mason harmlessly to the corner. He was other worldly.

+/- for the game:

+ Mason -- I hope that each member of the NHL All Star Game selection committee receives a DVD of this game. In the highly possible event that Luongo cannot start (and if I am a Vancouver exec, there is no way I let him go), then Mason should get the nod. Due to his age, and the fact that he is a Bluejacket and not a Blackhawk, it will likely be Kiprusoff, but we can hope. Too many highlight reel saves to count. His effort in the first period enabled a fidgety corps of forwards to find their legs and their confidence.

+ Special Teams -- When we had to have it, we got it. 2 for 6 on the power play, and a perfect penalty kill, including 40 seconds of 5 on 3. I can't think of a much scarier scenario than a 5 vs. 3 with Ovechkin one of the 5.

+ Opportunism -- We were grossly outshot-- 45 to 23, but cashed in on our opportunities for the most part. A couple of open nets early on escaped unscathed, but otherwise we took advantage of the opportunities we had.

+ Competetive Composure -- We took a clue from Mason, and kept our cool, were persistent, and played smart. Kudos to Boll for not dropping the gloves in the 3rd, and we were rewarded with a double minor that Boll cashed in for us. Nice!

+ Individuals -- Mason, Tyutin, Voracek, Filatov, Hejda, Umberger, Murray (not necessarily in that order). Could name the whole team, but these guys stood out. Once he got his legs, Filatov showed nice hustle and kept the puck moving on the power play and in their zone. Boll played the most controlled game of his career. Voracek was huge, as were Murray and Tyutin.

- Penalties -- A bit of a nitpick here, but we gave up 6 power plays to a team that you really do not want to do that with. However, see the next -

- Officiating -- Need to pull out the eye chart with the big E for this crew. A phantom tripping call went against us, and they missed a blatant offsides call that almost cost us a goal. Brashear should have gotten a major and a game misconduct. Good job not tagging Boll, and actually calling the cross check after the whistle against Picard.

Beating the Caps at home for only their 2nd (yes, 2nd) regulation home loss this season is an accomplishment for any team. Shutting them out -- twice -- in the same season is unbelievable. Doing it with a 20 year old rookie goalie and a lineup of more AHL players than NHL -- priceless!!!

Go Jackets!!!

Filatov Called Up

The Hockey News is reporting that the CBJ have called up Nikita Filatov from Syracuse. Not sure what this signifies, if anything, with respect to the Nash injury, as I was hoping Filatov would have been available last night.

It will be nice to have him there against Washington. Let's see what else is in store as the week moves on.

Detroit Preview and Other Ramblings

As we head into the Motor City with our band of walking wounded, it is tempting to abandon all hope. However, from this seat, I see a recipe for success, even with the ranks depleted. Keys for tonight's game:

1. Strength in our own zone -- from Mason on out, we need to disrupt Detroit's flow, get in passing lanes and not let them create space. A little rest should have recharged the batteries, and though we will miss Klesla, Methot will be itching to make an impact. No room for careless clearing passes or sloppy rebounds in the slot. Keep Holmstrom out of the blue paint!!

2. No penalties -- In St. Louis we saw what happens when we get sloppy against a good power play team. Well this team is better than the Blues, so we better stay out of the box. Plenty of hitting, but no stupid hooking or holding penalties.

3. Opportunistic Offense -- Not sure how the lines will break out, but would not be horribly surprised to see Nash, Malhotra and either Voracek or Mayorov on the top line. A skill player with puck possession ability makes a good pairing for Nash and Malhotra. The blue liners -- Commodore, Russell, Tyutin and Methot, will need to get pucks to the net. Detroit has surrendered more goals per game this season than the Jackets, so there is room to take advantage. This needs to be a 3 -1 type of game, not 6 -5.

On the rumor/trade front, Puck-Rakers reports that ownership has given Howson the green light to increase the payroll to bring some new talent in the door. Primary trading partners still are viewed as Toronto (Kubina, Antropov), Ottawa (Vermette most likely), Pittsburgh (Staal), or some combination. Others have been mentioned, but these seem the most likely, given what Howson is likely to be willing to pay.

I have been touting the Kubina/Antropov deal for awhile, but the prospect of Staal is very intriguing for a lot of reasons. Puck-Rakers describes the situation as follows:

The Blue Jackets would love to get Jordan Staal from the Penguins. And Staal might like to get away from the Penguins, if only because of coach Michel Therien. The two do not get along. But the Pens won't part with Staal for a second-round draft pick. They want a scoring winger, which is something the Blue Jackets can't part with.

First, I think Columbus would be of interest to Staal. It is only three hours away from where he is now, so his disruption is minimal. Bluejackets are a young, dynamic team, and right now are within 1 game of the same record as Pittsburgh. Staal could come here and be a star, not live in the shadow of Crosby/Malkin. We could easily put together a package of Mayorov and draft picks, which would have to be intriguing to Pittsburgh. Then, turn around, take some draft picks, or maybe a Sestito, and get Kubina, who still has a yar left on his contract.

Finally, congratulations to Nikita Filatov for another great World Juniors tournament. Somewhat surprised not to see him in Detroit tonight, but I have a hunch we will see him in Washington if a deal is not done before then.

Update for tonight: Novotny to IR, Tollefson activated, Torres skates with no pain, Chimera had a twinge and will likely be out awhile longer.

Fascinating stuff. More will be revealed . . . Your thoughts?

With Injuries Mounting, Time To Pull The Trigger???

With this morning's Dispatch reporting that Huselius is out for at least Tuesday with concussion-like symptoms and Novotny is also down, it seems like time to make some important personnel decisions.

With the rumors flying about a Toronto deal for Antropov and Kubina, or an Ottawa deal of some sort, now would seem like a perfect time to pull the trigger, particularly if the Toronto potenital involves only draft picks.

Alternatively, or in addition to any trade moves, Russia completes it's run at the World Juniors today. It will not take Filatov any more time to get to Detroit than it would to get to Syracuse, and with Huselius out, we really need skill, not grinding.

So, let's hope that Howson has some announcements to make today. Your thoughts???

World Juniors Update

After Canada prevailed over the USA, 7 - 4, in their highly anticipated battle to end pool play, they enjoy a bye into the semis, as does Sweden, who had a surprisingly easy time in beating Russia 5 - 0. Today, the US takes on Slovakia for the right to go against Sweden, while Canada awaits the winner of the Russia -- Czech Republic quarterfinal. The puck drops for the US at 3:30 PM EST, and for Russa at 7:30 PM.

Both semi-final matches are on Saturday, with the Championship and 3rd place games on Monday.

The CBJ have deployed some scouts to Ottawa to catch the action (and perhaps discuss a few Senators' players?) Despite the shutout at the hands of Sweden, Filatov has played well for Russia, and will be interesting to watch in the match against the Czechs. Don't forget about Cody Goloubef for Canada and Ted Ruth for the US, both of whom could figure prominently in the Jackets' future.

Big Victories at World Juniors -- Showdowns Loom

No nail biters today at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa. The winning sides had big margins of victory to work with. Laughers will be only briefly enjoyed, however, as the last day of 2008 brings two big showdowns to the rink: Russia vs. Sweden @ 2:30 PM Eastern tomorrow, and Candada vs. USA at 7:30 tomorrow night. That will wrap up pool play and send the tournament into the Quarterfinals. Here are the highlights of today's action:

Russia 8 Slovakia 1 -- Nikita Filatov of the CBJ had a hat trick and an assist in just 5 shots on goal as Russia stayed undefeated with a convincing victory over Slovakia.

Czech Republic 6 Germany 0 -- The Czechs capitalize on Germany miscues and continue the poor showing by the German team in Ottawa.

Finland 5 Latvia 1-- The Finns break through for their first win in a Group B contest with winless Latvia.

USA 12 Khazakstan 0 -- 10 different scorers amass a dirty dozen goals over the hapless Khazakstan team.

Tomorrow promises to be a fantastic day of hockey in Ottawa!!! We will keep you posted here!!

World Juniors Update

U.S. 4 Czech Republic 3 -- The American team got a bit more than they bargained for, but held on to beat a competetive Czech team. Jordan Schroeder continued his hot hand for the U.S., and now has 7 points for the tournament, tying him for second place among all skaters.

Russia 5 Finland 2 -- CBJ prospect and team captain Nikita Filatov scored twice to keep the Russian team undefeated in pool play. Finland has yet to earn a point in the competition.

Sweden 3 Slovakia 1 -- Sweden prevails again, but has yet to really impress with either of its efforts.

Canada 15 Kazakhstan 0 -- 8 power play goals, 10 different scorers. Canada ties its all time victory margin mark, equalling a 15 - 0 Christmas Day drubbing of France in 2001.

World Juniors Kicks Off Today!

The 2009 edition of the IIHG World Junior Championships kicks off today in Ottawa. Action starts at 2:30 PM , with Russia (featuring Nikita Filatov and Maxim Mayorov) taking on Latvia. The US team opens against Germany at 3:30 PM, and Canada takes on the Czech Republic at 7:30 PM. The USA/Germany game and the Canada/Czech Republic games are both televised on TSN. The NHL Network will also carry the USA game in it's US markets, and the Canada game in the Canadian markets.

We will keep you up to day on significant developments here. You can also track the action at the official IIHF World Junior Championship site.

Good luck to all!