Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News – Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week.
From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered.
Trey Fix-Wolansky – TFW is generally considered the greatest player in Monsters' history. He leads the Monsters franchise with 112 goals, 147 assists, and 259 points. Defenseman Jake Christiansen is the only active player close enough to catch TFW, but he was in Columbus last season, and most likely this season, so Fix-Wolansky's records are safe.
64 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide ArenaThere have only been two players wear the #64 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately for Columbus, neither one of them made a significant impact for Columbus. Cleveland is a different story, however.
The duo’s swift rise brought envy from the entire league. And yet it was in each other that Jones and Werenski found their biggest fan. Jones couldn’t help himself during one game last season, late in the third period against Washington, when he watched Werenski skate down the left side from the point and rip a puck through traffic to tie the score. “That,” Jones said, “was eye-opening. It couldn’t have been a much more perfect shot.”
Joonas Korpisalo – But for CBJ fans, it was watching Joonas Korpisalo that made it the most exciting. The young Finnish goalie would take the loss, but would set an NHL playoff record for most saves in a game with 85 saves. That record still stands today.
The Lightning pumped 88 shots at Korpisalo, which included 12 or more shots in 6 of the periods, and 14 shots in four of the periods. The Lightning were trying their hardest to bury the Blue Jackets all game, but Korpisalo just wouldn't let it happen.
While it would be hard to move his contract, he has shown that he can be a very good goalie. However, it seems that his time is quickly running out with the Blue Jackets. With the emergence of Jet Greaves as the future starter for the organization, it could be wise for general manager Don Waddell to move on from Merzlikins.
Johnson spent last season with the Jackets and played 41 games. He had a total of six points, all of which were assists.
He has played in 1,228 games and posted 342 points, including 486 games for Columbus, where he had 160 points.
With 62 days left before the Jackets take the ice again at Nationwide Arena, there is a lot of positivity surrounding the team. Don Waddell signed who he had to sign in the offseason to put the team in a good position going forward. People wanted a few things, including huge free agents and big trades, but many forget that he has to sign some very important players soon, including Adam Fantilli and Jet Greaves. Not to mention Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, and Dmitri Voronkov may need new deals in 2027.
Yes, that's right, comedian Matt Rife hosted a show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Saturday and was seen sporting a Rick Nash #61 jersey. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering he is an Ohio native who grew up a big fan of the team.
Johnson played for Cleveland the 2021-22 season. He played in 20 games and had a 6-9-4 record with a SV% of .882. Johnson, from Flint, Michigan was undrafted and has yet to make his NHL Debut.
I remember watching Rick Nash get drafted 1st overall in 2002. GM Doug MacLean made a bold move and traded up to get the big winger from the London Knights of the OHL. I was young and ecstatic about this trade.
Gallant, 61, has spent time with the Blue Jackets as both an assistant coach and head coach, as well as with the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens as an assistant. He served as the bench boss for the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and New York Rangers, up until 2022-23 when he was fired and his time in the NHL appeared to be over.
GM Don Waddell said in a press release: "Mikael Pyyhtiä is a highly competitive player that brings high-end speed, reliable two-way play and a strong work ethic to a lineup," said Waddell. "We look forward to see his continued growth with the Blue Jackets organization.”
You’re probably in no mood to read this right now, but this is as good a time as any. It’s your 32-year-old self here, and in case your head is too scrambled to figure out, it’s 2015. Hey, and guess what, you’re playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets these days. They’re the guys who came into the league as an expansion team a couple months ago.
Hunt, 23, is a left-handed defenceman that Columbus acquired from the Minnesota Wild as part of the David Jiricek trade last season. His previous salary from last year was $828,333 over a three-year term. If he does sign with the Blue Jackets, his salary will likely be similar to Pyyhtiä’s, which is $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.
Later in 2023, there were rumors that he was "unhappy" in Columbus and may want out. His agent, Shumi Babaev, told THN Columbus that, "At the moment, there are no conversations about a trade on our part. He likes Columbus, both the team and the city." He went to tell us that "We are in touch with the General Manager (Jarmo), the only thing Yegor wants is to have more ice time, feel the coach's trust, and help the team win more games. He's very happy after yesterday's game. Felt great on the new line."
“Daemon Hunt is a good, young two-way defenseman that plays a smart and controlled game,” said Waddell in a press release. “His signing provides us important additional organizational depth on our blue line.”
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Read the full article here