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Columbus Blue Jackets News Clips

September 10-14, 2015

Columbus Blue Jackets PAGE 02 Zanesville Times Recorder: Column: Get ready for big sports year in Columbus

PAGE 04 Today’s Slapshot: Todd Richards Sees Things Clicking for the Blue Jackets

PAGE 07 Columbus Dispatch: Fans can join players on ice during Blue Jackets’ 5th Line

Fest

PAGE 09: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets notebook | Milano aims for healthier season

PAGE 11 Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | New security measures for CBJ games

PAGE 12: My Fox 28: New Security Procedures at Nationwide Arena for Blue Jackets

Games

PAGE 13: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | Jared Boll reshapes himself in order to keep

job

PAGE 15: USA Today: Columbus Blue Jackets preview: Overflowing with optimism

Lake Erie Monsters/Prospects PAGE 16: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets | Top draft pick Werenski back at Michigan, for

now PAGE 1 8 NBC Sports: Columbus prospect Werenski on return to Michigan PAGE 19: Today’s Slapshot: Blue Jackets Prospects Leading the way in Traverse City NHL/Websites PAGE 21: ESPN.com: Burning questions: Atlantic Division

PAGE 27: Sportsnet.ca: Five players who won’t score as often in 2015-16

PAGE 29: Sportsnet.ca: 2016 World Cup: Who will make Team Young Guns?

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Column: Get ready for big sports year in Columbus

By Sam Blackburn - September 10, 2015

Between Braxton Miller and Ryan Johansen, there will be enough spin-o-ramas this fall and winter to blur our collective vision.

Those two young stars, from different ends of the athletic spectrum, nonetheless are cases A and B as to why it's a good time to be a sports fan around Columbus.

Miller's return to Ohio State's football team was the story of the short-handed Buckeyes' 42-24 win at Virginia Tech. He caught a long touchdown and made another diving reception, all but introducing his new role to a college football world with plenty of questions.

The message was clear: He's going to get the ball in his hands, and he's going to be lighting waiting to strike when it happens.

"The Run" was Exhibit A.

Miller's reverse spin move en route to the game-clinching 53-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter was so felonious, it left would-be tackler Corey Marshall wishing the Virginia state police could investigate the escape tactics. Miller may not have stolen Marshall's belongings, but he robbed him of his dignity and ran halfway to Roanoke with it.

There have been plenty of runs at Ohio State — from Keith Byars' flying sock to Archie Griffin's balancing acts to the power and grace of Eddie George and Chris Wells. I'm not sure any of those had a run that compared to Miller's.

Frankly, it was right out of the Book of Joe. Jackets fans know it cover to cover.

"Joe" is Johansen, the Jackets' star young forward known for his flair in the other teams' zone. The spin-o-rama is a hockey trademark — it's since been banned from the league in shootouts — but Johansen's ability to dazzle with the stick and puck are part of the reason the team draws fans to Nationwide Arena.

Like Miller, he's young and electrifying. And they might be the two best athletes in the capital city.

Their individual talent tantalizes more than anyone on their respective teams. Miller hasn't played in almost two full seasons because of a right throwing shoulder that twice required surgery. The only reason he's catching passes and taking handoffs is because it simply can't yet take the throwing rigors of playing quarterback.

If he were a pitcher, another line of work would be in his future. Thanks to his legs and naturally born athletic gifts, he's got a second chance on the gridiron.

For that, Buckeye Nation is thankful.

Since the NHL season is still more than a month away, the Buckeyes' quest to make history — that's what they're really after — will overshadow what the Jackets will chase once the leaves fully turn. That's just how it is in Ohio.

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But the Jackets have the talent, thanks to a stockpiling of young talent like Johansen, to chase the same kind of dream. The Stanley Cup is something usually reserved for other fans' conversations. Now some are predicting the Jackets have a chance to challenge for it.

It all means big things for the fans, many of whom root on both teams. It also means more trips through the turnstiles and hordes of business for the bars and restaurants on campus and in the Arena District, all of which make for a better atmosphere.

The Buckeyes have been great in football on plenty of occasions. The basketball program has won Big Ten titles and made runs to the NCAA championship game in the past decade. The Blue Jackets have shown glimpses of their big-game potential, too.

Never, though, has there been a season with this potential. As the great Barney Stinson might say, this season could be legendary.

Time to enjoy the ride.

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Todd Richards Sees Things Clicking for the Blue Jackets

By Rick Gethin - September 10, 2015

The smell of fresh paint was wafting through the hallway leading to the Blue Jackets dressing room one week ahead of NHL training camps opening. Almost 30 Columbus players had just come off the main ice at Nationwide Arena after another informal practice, with anticipation emanating from them of the new season that is just around the corner.

That excitement is not limited to the players or the fans. It was also evident in the gait of Blue Jackets’ head coach Todd Richards as he strode down the hallway. Although exuding a quiet coolness, the anticipation was evident as he began ruminating on the past and talked about the future of his team.

There is much about the Blue Jackets that has changed in the four years that Richards has been a part of the organization. Hired in June 2011 as an assistant coach under Scott Arniel, seven months later he found himself behind the bench as the interim head coach after Arniel was fired.

During this time of change within the roster and the organization, he has steadily helped to make the team better. A change of culture, coupled with a drive to succeed that was not evident in previous years and a roster makeover has given the coach the tools he needs to help the club reach the next level. That is the biggest difference between 2011 and 2015.

“It’s great,” said Richards, “because you have options. The other thing you have is it’s easier to move guys around in the lineup, the accountability, as far as ice-time. If somebody’s not going, it’s easy to find somebody that you can move up into a spot. So, the organization has done a great job as far as building the depth of the players. When I got here four years ago (June 2011), we didn’t have that luxury.

“Now you look at the young players… everyone’s excited about (Brandon) Saad and (Gregory) Campbell, guys that we acquired over the summer. And I agree, I’m excited about that, too. But what I’m really excited about is our young guys being a year older. We have some new young guys that are going to be new into the organization this year. So, you’re excited about adding two new guys. But for me, its guys like Dalton Prout or David Savard, Boone Jenner, Cam Atkinson, Matt Calvert, Ryan Johansen, Ryan Murray. It’s our young guys, and I’m probably missing a couple, taking another step in their game.”

Another tool that will help Richards is having the team’s AHL-affiliate Lake Erie Monsters a mere 143 miles north of Columbus in Cleveland. The affiliation was announced in April, 2015 and has many benefits, not only to the team, but to the fans as well. The last two AHL-affiliates were located in Springfield, MA (Falcons) and Syracuse, NY (Crunch), respectively.

It was not an ideal scenario logistically, as players were hard-pressed to make it to Columbus on short-notice in the event of a call-up. But now, the two teams are less than two and a half hours apart by car.

“I think it is huge,” Richards continued, “from a lot of different perspectives. From the perspective of the organization it’s great because we can be more hands-on with our players. Whether its managers or coaches going up and watching them play, we can be more active in what they do. I think it’s great from the perspective of the players, too. It makes traveling easier to get here or to go there, whichever direction they’re going.

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“It makes it easier on us as an organization to call guys up. You don’t have the hassles of something that happens in the morning on the day of a game in trying to get somebody here. It allows us to do those transactions and be more efficient in how we manage the group. Again, from a player’s perspective, that helps them.”

“I also think it is better that our AHL team and players are close to the NHL city where they can watch and follow. They can come down and watch a game, if they want to. They can experience an NHL building and arena.

That experience works both ways, too. It has the added benefit of opening-up new fans on both the NHL and AHL level to hockey. The Blue Jackets have methodically increased their footprint throughout the state of Ohio.

“And the last thing, which is really important to us, is the fans. It’s a chance for the state of Ohio, up in Cleveland and the northern part of the state, for our fans to get attached to the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s a chance for our fans down here (Columbus) to watch our young players up there and become Cleveland (Lake Erie Monsters) fans. So, it’s a chance to become attached to the players and the team. I think it’s really important that we got Cleveland, an Ohio city, involved in it and a part of the organization.”

Another aspect of the heightened expectations became evident as players returned to Columbus from their offseason vacations earlier than is normally expected. Ten days before training camp opens on September 17, there have been approximately 30 players taking part in the informal practices.

“It’s what you want to see,” said Richards, “the commitment in the offseason. You’re seeing it from a lot of players. Today’s game is so different than when I played, from that commitment level where they take care of themselves over the summer. But, you are seeing certain teams where you’re getting a turnout like this.

“I think everyone, from our players, our coaches, the training staff to the staff upstairs, were disappointed at how the season went last year. You go back and you dissect what happened, how you got there, and you don’t want to make the same mistakes. It doesn’t matter if you are a player or a coach.

“That’s part of the commitment that the players have made. They’re sticking around here. We’ve had a lot of guys working out year-round in the weight room. Now you’re seeing a lot of guys make that commitment and coming in early and take part in these (informal) skates, where the players are out there together. To me, it’s a real positive thing.”

Another aspect of this maturing team is the depth that is slowly being accrued. While the team is not nearly as deep as many would like on defense, the forward depth within the organization is a breeding ground for competition among the players for roster spots and ice-time that heretofore was unseen. A slight smile crossed Richards’ face as he addressed the anticipated competitive level increasing.

“There’s going to be competition everywhere on our team. It doesn’t matter if it’s bottom-six or top-six, we’re going to be a four-line team. And we’re going to be a good four-line team because we have the depth up front with our forwards. That’s something that we haven’t had in the past. We’ve got a lot of young guys that are going to be pushing for spots. We’ve got veteran guys that are going to be pushing for ice-time during games, whether that’s your top-six playing power play, penalty kill or whatever it is.”

Having the ability to roll four lines consistently is something the teams that consistently contend for the Stanley Cup do. The options available to Richards are greater than he has ever had in Columbus going into the 2015-16 NHL season.

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“For myself as a coach, it’s a great problem to have when you have that many guys that can play in many different situations. It creates a great environment. At least it should, because of the competition. If you’re looking for motivation, something that drives guys, the best motivator is whether a guy’s playing or how much he’s playing.”

Richards is happy and excited, although not overly so. He’s experienced a season coming off the rails, but he’s also been a part of a team coming together for the greater good. The highs and the lows of the hockey season are a pitfall that he does his best to avoid. Remaining on an even-keel is the gospel, and he preaches that to his players.

With that, Richards continued strolling down the hallway, a bit of a jump in his step.

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Fans can join players on ice during Blue Jackets’ 5th Line Fest

By Allison Ward – September 11, 2015

Avid hockey fan Jessica Peters felt her heart skip a beat as she watched Jack Johnson walk past her a year ago on the upper concourse of Nationwide Arena.

Nerves tried to get the better of her, but she spoke up enough to ask for a photo and an autograph from Johnson, who was dressed in street clothes at the FanFest.

“He signed the hockey puck I had,” said Peters, a 30-year-old Logan County resident who works at a call center in Dublin. “When I met Jack Johnson, I had to sit down for a minute.”

He is, after all, her favorite hockey player.

Such encounters will abound on Friday evening at the Blue Jackets’ 5th Line Fest (the new name of its annual FanFest), hosted by the team to allow fans a chance to meet the players, participate in hockey-themed activities and kick off the season. Not only did Peters meet Johnson, but she said she also talked with about a half-dozen other players during last year’s event.

“When you see them in person, it makes them more down to earth,” Peters said. “That makes you love the team even more.”

Fostering a passion for the Blue Jackets and hockey is precisely why the team decided to host its first fan festival in 2012, said Jim Riley, director of marketing.

“It’s to build an excitement for preseason and the season when games are right around the corner,” Riley said.

Training camp will open on Sept. 18, with the first preseason game scheduled for Sept. 21 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The puck drops on the regular season Oct. 9 at home against the New York Rangers.

This year, the festival underwent a few changes, including its name.

“The name is a tribute to our most devoted fans, the 5th Line, and recognizing a whole movement by the fans,” Riley said.

The event will take place on the ice, in the bowl of the arena, instead of in the concourses as it was in previous years, he said.

Besides allowing children and adults to face off against players in slap-shot contests and video games. Participants will also be able to compete in a hockey combine that tests agility, speed, accuracy and stick-handling to see how their scores match up against those of the Blue Jackets.

The team added the combine at the advice of Marketing Activations Group, a local marketing firm that helped create the All-Star Winter Park for the All-Star Game held in Columbus earlier this year.

Todd Alles, co-founder of the firm, said he wanted to help the Blue Jackets capitalize on the enthusiasm created during the All-Star Game.

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“The atmosphere was ripe and there for the taking to really take the FanFest to the next level,” said Alles, who also works with the Detroit Red Wings, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals to produce their preseason events.

They’re also adding a children’s alley, a hosted question-and-answer session with players and executives and even a Zamboni photo-op.

Peters said she’s been counting down the days until preseason starts, and the fan fest will heighten this passion even more.

“The ice will be down, and we’ll get to smell the ice,” Peters said. “It will have that cold feel in there.”

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Blue Jackets notebook | Milano aims for healthier season

By Aaron Portzline – September 12, 2015

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — In retrospect, Sonny Milano’s face-plant into the end boards barely one period into last year’s NHL prospects tournament was a painful harbinger of what awaited the Blue Jackets last season.

A week later, the Jackets announced that veteran forward Nathan Horton had a serious back injury and promising defenseman Ryan Murray was out indefinitely because of a lingering knee ailment. The cascade of bad news was well underway before the season.

On Friday, Milano emerged from day one of this year’s tournament with a smile — not stitches — on his face. The Blue Jackets scored four unanswered goals, the last an empty-netter by Milano, to open the tournament with a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

“I made it past the first game this time,” he said.

Milano suffered facial fractures and multiple cuts last year when he slammed face-first into the boards, ending his tournament and keeping him out of the lineup with his junior club until Oct. 24.

That’s all behind him now. After putting up 22 goals and 68 points in 50 games with Flint of the Ontario Hockey League, Milano, 19, is moving on to the pro ranks. As the Blue Jackets are loaded with forwards, he likely will play most of the season in the American Hockey League with Lake Erie.

But Milano spent almost the entire summer in Columbus, working out with the Blue Jackets’ strength and conditioning staff and adding bulk. He’s up from 190 pounds in April to 205 pounds.

“I’m known mostly for my offense, so I have to show them I can play without the puck,” Milano said. “I’m going to go (to training camp) and do my best.”

Familiar faces

Fredrik Modin, who played four of his 14 NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets (2006-10), has been hired by the team as an adviser.

Modin is in Traverse City to get familiarized with the club’s prospects, but his duties once the season starts have yet to be determined.

Also, Dan Hinote, who stepped down as a Blue Jackets assistant coach last summer, citing a “family matter,” is back on staff in an undisclosed capacity.

Remember me?

Tonight, the Blue Jackets will face the Minnesota Wild and one of their former prospects.

Defenseman Mike Reilly was drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2011, but — after a three-year run at the University of Minnesota — opted not to sign with the team this summer and became an unrestricted free agent. He signed with the Wild on July 1. Reilly’s father, Mike, is a minority owner of the Wild.

Slap shots

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Goaltender Anton Forsberg is being held out of this weekend’s tournament as a precaution.

He had arthroscopic knee surgery on July 1 after his knee plagued him in the second half of the season. The Blue Jackets, who are counting on Forsberg to be their starter for Lake Erie this season, say he will be ready when training camp opens on Sept. 18.

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Blue Jackets | New security measures for CBJ games

By Aaron Portzline – September 11, 2015

Blue Jackets fans can expect a slower entrance to Nationwide Arena beginning this season.

The NHL announced today that it is tightening its security policy, requiring all fans to clear metal detectors before entering arenas. In most places, including Nationwide Arena, handheld wands have been during the last several seasons.

Fans will be asked to remove keys, phones, wallets, money clips and other large metal items, but not shoes or belts or small amounts of loose change. The league said the policy puts it in line with security measures taken by major-league baseball, the NBA and NFL.

Blue Jackets urge fans to arrive earlier than usual, beginning with the preseason opener on Sept. 21 vs. Pittsburgh.

“The implementation of these procedures will be new for everyone," Blue Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock, "so we thank our guests in advance for their patience and strongly encourage planning ahead to allow adequate time for entry.”

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New Security Procedures at Nationwide Arena for Blue Jackets Games

By Elizabeth Faugl - September 11, 2015

COLUMBUS (Tara Morgan) -- Hockey fans will be greeted by metal detectors as part of a new security

upgrade at Nationwide Arena. It's now NHL policy to have metal detectors at all hockey arenas in North

America.

"I think the league's reasoning it's pretty much becoming an industry standard, Major League Baseball

does it ,the NBA does it," said Columbus Blue Jackets Todd Sharrock.

You will need to take phones and car keys out of your pockets before walking through. "The machines

may look like the airport but we're not going to ask people to take off their shoes take off their belt,"

said Sharrock.

News of the security change was put out the day before the 14th anniversary of September 11th. But

the Blue Jackets wanted to let fans know before they show up for the 5th Line Fan Fest Friday evening.

"We're going to have a lot of fans coming in to interact with our players," said Sharrock.

One fan says he's grown accustomed to security changes like this since America's darkest day.

"The end result is going to be for everybody's safety and with everything in the news you can't tell what

someone's going to do one day," said Giovanni Cannizzaro.

Sharrock says the metal detectors are safe but if fans feel uncomfortable or have a medical condition

they can opt for the hand wands.

"There's going to be a learning curve there's no question so we ask our fans to be patient," said

Sharrock.

Fans will see the metal detectors Friday evening if they come out to the 5th Line Fan Fest, but they

won't be used. That will start September 21st at the first pre-season game at Nationwide Arena against

the Pittsburgh Penguins.

You're asked to arrive early and travel lightly. The bag policy has not changed.

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Blue Jackets | Jared Boll reshapes himself in order to keep job

By Aaron Portzline – September 13, 2015

Jared Boll did not allow himself the typical two- or three-week break after the Blue Jackets’ season ended. He was back in a gym days later.

The longest-tenured player in the organization didn’t stick to his regular routine, either, because the longest season of his career forced him to confront a sobering reality:

“It doesn’t matter what role you’re in now, you have to be able to keep up,” Boll said. “As soon as you lose that speed and guys start passing you, you’re not going to be able to play much longer.”

Boll is no stranger to fighting, of course, but at 29, he’s in a fight for his career. There are two years remaining on his contract, but there are no guarantees.

“That’s kind of how I’m looking at this, yeah,” Boll said.

When he made his NHL debut in 2007, Boll was an undersized tough guy who was asked to add weight and muscle so he could clash and fight against the game’s top heavyweights. Now, eight years later, Boll has worked all summer to get leaner and more explosive, an attempt to recapture his speed.

“Young guys are coming in stronger, faster and more explosive than ever now,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “The guys that last in this league are the ones who change their diets, change their training, change their bodies to keep pace.”

Fighting for a spot

The Blue Jackets had internal talks this summer about buying out the final two years of Boll’s contract, which pays him $1.7 million per season. A glut of forwards was relieved by the trade of four, including fourth-liners Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp, to Chicago in a deal for left wing Brandon Saad.

But that’s not why the Jackets opted to hang on to Boll, Kekalainen said.

“We still believe in Jared,” he said. “A buyout is the far extreme. It’s the dead end you reach when you don’t think things are going to get better. I don’t think we’re there with Jared Boll. We think he’s a big part of our group in the room, and we’re going to give him another chance to prove he’s a part of our group on the ice, too.”

The Blue Jackets, despite the deal with Chicago, still have an abundance of forwards. Left wing Matt Calvert and center Gregory Campbell are locks for the fourth line, but the right wing spot is open.

David Clarkson could end up there, as could Rene Bourque. There’s also a push from a wave of youngsters: Josh Anderson, Michael Chaput, Kerby Rychel, William Karlsson, Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand, among others.

“We’ve got a ton of guys, and there’s a ton of guys coming up who want to make it as fast as they can,” Boll said. “I’ve never seen us be this deep before, but that’s great for the organization.”

New approach

The Blue Jackets made Boll a healthy scratch seven times last season, including the final five games. By then, Boll knew he needed help.

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He reached out to Prentiss Hockey Performance in Darien, Conn., where several NHL players train, including Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson. Ben Prentiss, the founder and owner, designed a nutrition and fitness program for Boll and put him in touch with Brady Powers, a private fitness trainer in Hilliard who worked with Prentiss.

It marked the first time Boll has sought assistance outside the Blue Jackets organization.

“Jared wanted to get that burst back,” Powers said. “So we got to work on a program that emphasized core and stability, and quick-fire muscles. There was some work to do.”

Boll had surgery to repair a double-hernia after the 2013 season. He had surgery to repair a torn ankle tendon midway through the 2013-14 season. He also has had chronic back pain.

“Injuries are part of the game,” Boll said. “It can’t be an excuse.”

But he said he has felt great this summer. A group of 20-plus players has been skating in the Ice Haus for about a month now.

“I can’t wait to get out there in a game,” Boll said. “You can talk about it all you want, but until you do it on the ice … I feel great, and I feel like I’m moving better. But the real test will be in the exhibition season.”

Boll has never faced a challenge like this, he said. But he has never been this motivated, either, in part because of the criticism he has faced on social media.

“The stuff you see and read and hear, you use it,” Boll said. “Last year sucked, and it’s tough not playing. But it gives you the ammo; it really pushes you to get going.”

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Columbus Blue Jackets preview: Overflowing with optimism

By Kevin Allen - September 14, 2015

2014-15 results: 42-35-5, fifth in Metropolitan

Arrivals: LW Brandon Saad (trade with Chicago Blackhawks), C Gregory Campbell (free agent), Fs James Sheppard and Antti Pihlstrom (tryout contracts)

Departures: C Artem Anisimov, LW Marko Dano (traded to Chicago); C Mark Letestu (signed with Edmonton Oilers)

Goaltending: Sergei Bobrovsky (30-17-3, 2.69, .918) has won a world championship and a Vezina Trophy. He's an elite-level performer who can compensate for the Blue Jackets' lack of an elite-level defensive corps.

Analysis: The Blue Jackets set a team record with a season-ending 12-0-1 run. They were overrun by injuries in 2014-15, but once their expected lineup was mostly in place, they played like a playoff team. C Ryan Johansen had 26 goals and 71 points, and that should become a regular occurrence. Saad strengthens a high-quality offensive team. The Blue Jackets can produce goals from all four lines. This gritty, tough team also is set up for low-scoring playoff hockey.

What the advanced stats say: LW Nick Foligno ranked 16th in the NHL with an average of 2.94 points per every 60 minutes played.

Breakthrough candidate: After being undermined by injury, C Boone Jenner, 22, is more than ready to launch a 20-goal, 50-point season.

Youngster to watch: LW Kerby Rychel, 20, son of former NHL player Warren Rychel, plays with passion and energy. He had 33 points in 51 games in the American Hockey League last season.

What the team really needs: An upgrade on defense. The Blue Jackets have promise, but the group doesn't measure up to the top defenses in the Eastern Conference. Columbus could add a veteran defenseman before the trade deadline.

Key question: Can the Blue Jackets afford their offense? They can now, but they have eight forwards making more than $3 million. At some point, they will have to move people to improve their cap flexibility. That could come in two seasons when Johansen will expect a big raise. Columbus might make moves before then, perhaps trading a forward for defensive help.

Forecast: The Blue Jackets will make the playoffs for the third time in 15 seasons.

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Blue Jackets | Top draft pick Werenski back at Michigan, for now

By Aaron Portzline – September 11, 2015

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Zach Werenski expects to fall out of bed early this morning when his alarm clock rings in his University of Michigan dorm room.

“I’m pretty sure my legs won’t work,” Werenski said. “Right now, they’re Jell-O. Tomorrow morning, they’ll be lead.”

Werenski and the rest of the Wolverines hockey players took part in a time-tested tradition that borders on torture: They run up and down every step — everystep — in Michigan’s football stadium, commonly referred to as the Big House.

“I don’t know how many steps,” Werenski said. “I lost count. It hurts so bad, but it’s great.”

Werenski, the Blue Jackets’ No. 8 overall draft pick in June, is right where he wants to be, back on campus for his sophomore season. While the rest of the Blue Jackets’ top prospects left Columbus yesterday for the NHL prospects tournament, beginning today in Traverse City, Mich., Werenski was settling into life as a big man on campus.

It was not an easy decision, he said. Werenski said the Blue Jackets told him that they would be more than willing to sign him to an entry-level contract that would have ended his college days. But they also let him decide and urged him to only take the leap if he felt he was ready for the NHL.

“I was 50-50 for a while,” Werenski said. “It’s a great position to be in — signing with Columbus or going to the University of Michigan are great options — but it’s a really tough call. Some of the teams I met with at the combine … they made it really clear: If we draft you, you’re going to do what we tell you to do and play where we say you’re going to play. Columbus didn’t do that, and I really appreciate it.”

Werenski finished high school in three years and enrolled at Michigan last fall as a freshman.

“I’m only now the age of most freshmen,” he said. “That’s a big part of the decision. You spend the summer going to the NHL combine, going through the draft, going to development camp. You wear that sweater. So, that’s where your mind is at, and it’s all you can think about. But I’m still really young, and that was a big reason I came back.”

As a 17-year-old, Werenski led Big Ten defensemen with nine goals last season and was second in the conference with 25 points.

“It’s all there for him to be a great defenseman in all facets,” said former NHL defenseman Mike Komisarek, who returned to Michigan as an assistant coach last season. “You talk to him, and you’d swear he was 25 years old. That’s how he plays, too. He’s in control of everything. I’m so excited about where this kid is going to go.”

Werenski is expected to sign with Columbus next summer, but there are other goals for now.

“We’ve missed the NCAA tournament for three straight years,” Werenski said. “That has to end this season.”

New security measures

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Blue Jackets fans can expect a slower entrance to Nationwide Arena this season.

The NHL will implement a new security policy, requiring all fans to clear metal detectors before entering arenas. This replaces the handheld wands used at Nationwide Arena in previous seasons. The league said the policy puts it in line with security measures taken by the other major pro sports leagues.

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http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/09/11/columbus-prospect-werenski-returns-to-michigan/

Columbus prospect Werenski on return to Michigan

By James O'Brien - September 12, 2015

The Columbus Blue Jackets gave their 2015 first-round pick Zach Werenski a choice regarding how to handle his next season of development.

Ultimately, Werenski opted to return to NCAA hockey rather than signing an entry-level deal back in August. He told the Columbus Dispatch why on Friday.

“I was 50-50 for a while,” Werenski said. “It’s a great position to be in — signing with Columbus or going

to the University of Michigan are great options — but it’s a really tough call. Some of the teams I met

with at the combine … they made it really clear: If we draft you, you’re going to do what we tell you to

do and play where we say you’re going to play. Columbus didn’t do that, and I really appreciate it.”

He’s mere months removed from Columbus selecting him eighth overall, so the situation must have left

his head spinning a bit. He excelled as a freshman defenseman at Michigan, yet he just turned 18 in July.

Werenski cited his young age – not to mention an urge to get his school back into the NCAA tournament

– in explaining his return to Michigan.

One gets the impression that Blue Jackets management is giddy about him, even if they’re also trying to

respect the patient approach.

“It’s all there for him to be a great defenseman in all facets,” NHL defenseman turned Michigan assistant

Mike Komisarek said. “You talk to him, and you’d swear he was 25 years old. That’s how he plays, too.

He’s in control of everything. I’m so excited about where this kid is going to go.”

First thing’s first, he’s going back to school.

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https://www.todaysslapshot.com/nhl-east/metropolitan/columbus-blue-jackets/blue-jackets-prospects-leading-the-way-in-traverse-city/

Blue Jackets Prospects Leading the way in Traverse City

By Rick Gethin - September 13, 2015

The Columbus Blue Jackets packed their prospects off to Northern Michigan less than three days ago to defend the Championship they won in 2014 in Traverse City. The roster has many familiar faces from last year’s championship team that hopes to bring Columbus their fourth title in 14 years of participating in the tournament.

After two days and two games played, the Blue Jackets lead the Ted Lindsey Division with a record of 2-0-0. They’ve faced two of their three divisional opponents and vanquished them by a combined score of 13-7.

On Friday, Columbus faced the St. Louis Blues and roared out of the gates scoring a goal on their first shift. Forward TJ Tynan netted his first goal of the tournament just thirty-eight seconds into the first period, assisted by forward Oliver Bjorkstrand. St. Louis was able to tie the game midway through the opening stanza on a power play goal from Samuel Blais (11:54).

The Blues would take the lead at 5:05 of the second on a goal from Zach Porchiro. That was all that St. Louis could muster, as penalties began to take their toll. Columbus converted twice with the 5-on-3 advantage in the middle frame. Bjorkstrand scored an unassisted power play goal to tie the game 2-2 at 13:30.

By this point, the Blue Jackets were rolling across the ice of the West Rink and never looked back. Defenseman Veeti Vainio added a power play goal at 14:18 to retake the lead, 3-2. In the final period of play, forward Daniel Zaar scored unassisted (8:58) and wunderkind puck-handler forward Sonny Milano capped off the scoring at 18:57 with an unassisted, empty net goal. The final score was Columbus 5-2 over St. Louis.

The Saturday morning sun cracked the horizon over Lake Huron to the east, spilling its way across the state to reach the shore of Lake Michigan to the west. Traverse City lies at the foot of Grand Traverse Bay, with Lake Michigan twenty miles due west from the city.

The Blue Jackets played the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening in Davids Rink. Tynan once again opened the scoring for Columbus at 6:50 of the first period, with forward Dante Salituro making it 2-0 over the Wild at 8:18. The Wild’s Zack Mitchell would get one back at 15:30, sending the teams to the first intermission with the Blue Jackets leading 2-1.

Minnesota came into the second frame with a head of steam, scoring three more goals before the Blue Jackets could put the brakes them. Minnesota’s Grayson Downing scored (PP goal, 2:47) and Brady Brassart found the back of the net twice in the period (PP goal, 4:10 and short-handed, 17:42).

The second period was full of penalties for both sides, with two fighting majors levied (Oleg Yavenko, CBJ and Hunter Warner, MIN). In all, there were 20 minutes of penalties assessed in the period. The Blue Jackets managed to get within a goal heading into the second intermission, with defenseman Michael Paliotta scoring on the power play. The Wild led 4-3 after 40 minutes.

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The final 20 minutes was where Columbus asserted control and kept their foot on the gas. The Blue Jackets scored three goals in 3:12 of the period. Forwards Paul Bittner (PP, 0:48), Zaar (1:30) and Bjorkstrand (3:12) all scored to give their team a lead it would not relinquish. Jack Walker scored Minnesota’s 5th goal of the evening, to no avail. Two familiar faces closed out the scoring for the Blue Jackets to cap off an 8-5 victory over the Wild. Bjorkstrand and Tynan added the crowning goals to the evening in the latter stages of the third period.

Bjorkstrand leads all players at the tournament with 3-4-7 (+3) in 2 games. His partner in crime, TJ Tynan is a close second with 3-2-5 (+5) in 2 games. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo has played all 120 minutes for the Blue Jackets, with a .865 save percentage and 3.50 goals against average.

The only two teams that remain unbeaten are Columbus and the Detroit Red Wings (Gordie Howe Division). The Blue Jackets lead all teams in goals for with 13.

The team has practice scheduled for Sunday, before they play the last round-robin game within their division against the New York Rangers on Monday at 3:30 p.m. (ET) in the West Rink. If they emerge victorious against the Rangers, the Blue Jackets will once again find themselves playing for the Matthew Wuest Memorial Cup on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. in the West Rink.

Prior to leaving Columbus, many of the players participating in this tournament said they wanted to repeat as champions with fierce determination. Like the players on the Blue Jackets roster in the NHL, the prospects know that they have to give one hundred percent for each game, day after day.

Based on what these kids are showing in Traverse City, the future looks bright for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/13563724/atlantic-division

Burning questions: Atlantic Division

By Scott Burnside – September 10, 2015

Training camps will open Sept. 17, thus beginning the inexorable journey toward a Stanley Cup champion next June. Such a long journey. So many questions as yet unanswerable. Here's a look at some burning questions for the Atlantic Division.

Claude Julien's seat could get hot if the Bruins stumble early in the season. Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

Boston Bruins

What the heck is Don Sweeney thinking?

Actually, that's sort of a rhetorical question, but what seemed like moments after taking over for the deposed Peter Chiarelli, Sweeney sent four every-day players packing -- Milan Lucic, Carl Soderberg, Reilly Smith and Dougie Hamilton -- and replaced them with marginal player Zac Rinaldo, hulking local boy Jimmy Hayes and streaky scorer Matt Beleskey. Sweeney also made Marc Savard's contract disappear, sending it to Florida with Smith in return for Hayes. It was the Hamilton deal, though, that really confounded Bruins fans. The former ninth overall pick has all kinds of upside, but Sweeney didn't think he could get the restricted free agent under contract and so dealt him to the Calgary Flames. Regardless of how the rest of the wheeling and dealing turns out, it's hard to imagine the Hamilton deal won't come back to haunt the defensively-thin Bruins, both sooner and later.

Rebuilding or just resting?

Some of the criticism of the Hamilton trade was born of the Bruins' sudden defensive vulnerability. Captain Zdeno Chara is 38 years old and has a Hall of Fame career's worth of tough miles on his body. Dennis Seidenberg is 34, and last fall the Bruins had to get rid of Johnny Boychuk because of cap issues. Is Torey Krug ready to continue his evolution into a top-four defender, as opposed to being a one-dimensional offensive weapon? Who else is coming to help restore the Bruins to the kind of imposing defensive squad that won a Stanley Cup in 2011 and was back to the finals two years later? Up front, the young blood is promising in the form of David Pastrnak, Ryan Spooner, Hayes and even Brett Connolly, 23, who was picked up at the trade deadline last March but was injured. But is it enough to send the Bruins back to the postseason after an unexpected dip below the playoff Mendoza Line last spring?

Is another shoe waiting to drop?

When the decision was made to fire Chiarelli, the man who built the Bruins into an Eastern Conference power, there was much speculation that head coach Claude Julien would go as well. It took Sweeney and others some time to make a decision, and they opted to keep Julien behind the bench. But what kind of leash will the former Jack Adams Trophy winner have, especially if the Bruins falter early? Fair or not (and we're on the "not" side of the equation), our guess is the answer is shorter rather than longer.

Buffalo Sabres

How soon does Jack Eichel make an impact?

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How about Oct. 8, when the Sabres open the season against Ottawa? One of two generational players in last June's draft (Connor McDavid, the other, went first overall to the Edmonton Oilers), Eichel carries the weight of the franchise on his broad shoulders. He is, by all accounts, ready for such a burden, and given his play as the U.S. won a surprise bronze medal at the world championships, he's not going to be out of place as a first-year NHL player. Look for new head coach Dan Bylsma to shield Eichel, at least in the early going, with Ryan O'Reilly taking on first-line center duties. Eichel is going to make his presence known, though, and it's just a question of how far up the NHL ladder he can help the beleaguered Sabres climb.

Speaking of O'Reilly, how will he respond to off-ice trouble?

Not long after inking what was the most lucrative contract in Sabres history, O'Reilly, 24, responded by allegedly driving his vintage pickup truck into a Tim Hortons outside London, Ontario, in the middle of the night and then fleeing the scene. Projected as the team's top line center, O'Reilly was charged with impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, but it was not the kind of news the Sabres were expecting from a player they're counting on to be a cornerstone of a new era in town.

Is Robin Lehner the guy?

General manager Tim Murray needed a franchise goalie and went to a player he knew well from his days working with his uncle, Bryan Murray, in Ottawa. The Sabres acquired the 6-foot-4 Swede (along with veteran center David Legwand) in exchange for the 21st overall pick in last June's draft. Lehner has a small body of work in the NHL -- he's played in just 86 NHL games since being selected 46th overall in 2009 -- so is he ready to be "the guy" for a team that's looking to quickly go from tanking to contending? He'd better be.

Detroit Red Wings

How does Jeff Blashill replace Mike Babcock?

The short answer is that Blashill can't -- not really. Babcock, now the head coach in Toronto (more on that later), is considered one of the finest coaches of his generation. He won a Cup in Detroit and advanced to the finals in 2008-09, and his team made the playoffs every year he was behind the Red Wings' bench. He also guided Canada to back-to-back Olympic gold medals. And like the void that was felt after Scotty Bowman retired after winning the Cup in 2002, there will be a void that Blashill, the highly regarded minor league head coach (and onetime Babcock assistant), will have to deal with. But Blashill, in spite of sounding like Babcock, is very much his own man, and his knowledge of important young players like Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan (all of whom played for Blashill in the American Hockey League) should help him make a seamless transition to the NHL game.

Mrazek or Howard?

Among the decisions facing Blashill this season will be how to handle his goaltending tandem of Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard. It's not a cut-and-dried kind of thing. Howard is the incumbent with the big contract, but he has struggled the past couple of years both with injury and with consistency. Mrazek took over as the starter in the playoffs and was solid, turning in a .925 save percentage as the Wings were edged by eventual Stanley Cup finalists Tampa Bay in seven games in the first round. Is the 23-year-old ready to shoulder a starter's workload at the NHL level? If he can't, where is Howard at psychologically, having been supplanted as the team's go-to guy? The answer to these questions will say much about whether the Wings are once again invited to the playoff ball next April.

How big will Mike Green's impact be?

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Last season, Niklas Kronwall led all Detroit defensemen with nine goals, while no other Wings blueliner had more than five. Green, who twice topped the 70-point plateau while in Washington, has the potential to change the complexion of the Red Wings' attack from the back end. Consider that the Wings scored just 15 goals in their seven-game first-round loss to Tampa and you get why the Wings are excited at having signed Green to a three-year deal this past summer, at an annual cost of $6 million. Now, Green does come with some defensive liabilities, and his role with Washington was significantly reduced last season in large part because of those deficiencies. But the Wings are willing to put up with those warts given their longstanding search for a high-skill, right-handed shot on the blue line.

Florida Panthers

Is this the year the talent stockpile pays off?

The Panthers made a late-season run at a playoff berth last season, but ultimately fell back and finished 10th in the Eastern Conference. But there remains optimism that players like defending rookie of the year Aaron Ekblad, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad, Aleksander Barkov, former rookie of the year Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trochek and perhaps hulking Lawson Crouse, the 11th overall pick in June's draft, are ready to take this young team not just forward, but into the postseason for just the second time since 2000. Well, are they?

Is this finally it for Jaromir Jagr?

Jagr was acquired by the Panthers at the trade deadline and promptly produced 18 points in 20 games for the Panthers, earning the 43-year-old wonder and Hall of Famer-in-waiting a one-year deal. Jagr's work ethic and his seeming inextinguishable joy for the game should be a boon to a young team that needs to learn how to win on the fly. As befits any 40-something, especially a skilled forward like Jagr, there are going to be ongoing questions about his ability to keep pace and not slow down his talented linemates, but so far the five-time NHL scoring champ seems more or less immune to the ravages of time.

What is the over/under on "relocation" references this season?

Well, how about 11,265, and take the over. That's what happens when you are dead last in paid attendance with an average crowd of just 11,265 (and you thought that number came out of thin air) and have made the playoffs just once since 2000, and haven't won a playoff round since 1996. Yes, new ownership is trying to do things the right way and has pledged patience and the long view. And, yes, commissioner Gary Bettman has insisted 11,265 times (give or take) that the Panthers aren't going anywhere. But with Quebec City well into the expansion process and a new rink nearing readiness, talk of relocating the Panthers won't end until the team turns a corner on the ice, sparking a turning of the corner at the turnstiles.

Montreal Canadiens

What does Carey Price do for an encore?

Last season was one for the ages for Carey Price -- earning him the Hart, Vezina, William M. Jennings and Ted Lindsay trophies -- so it will be more than a little interesting to see what Price has in store this season. The cynic will suggest that a drop-off from a league-leading 1.96 GAA and .933 save percentage is inevitable. And maybe it is. Or maybe that's just the standard, more or less, that Price is going to set as the greatest goaltender on the planet. Still, it is worth pointing out that Price could use a little more help from his teammates if the Habs are going to fulfill what used to be their manifest destiny as a perennial Stanley Cup contender. The Habs were 20th in goals per game and 23rd with the man advantage last

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season. Those numbers will have to improve, especially if Price proves to be even slightly mortal this season.

How will the Alexander Semin experiment work out?

Of all the free-agent signings this summer, perhaps none came with as many arched eyebrows as the one-year deal bestowed on Semin after the gifted Russian winger was bought out of his ill-advised contract by the Carolina Hurricanes. Now, when a team like Carolina, which has nary a penny to waste anywhere in the team budget, pays a player like Semin to go away, you understand how unpopular he was. On the surface, the fit between uncompromising head coach Michel Therrien and the sometimes-disinterested Semin seems right out of the oil-and-water manual. But who knows? Semin will get a chance to play top-six minutes and has the tools to put up 25 to 30 goals, maybe more. If Semin hits those targets, his signing at a modest $1.1 million will add to the case being made for GM Marc Bergevin's genius. If not, little harm, little foul for the Habs.

Is Alex Galchenyuk the answer down the middle?

It's clear Bergevin isn't convinced the answer is "yes," given his tepid comments on the topic at his end-of-season media session. But does the trio of Tomas Plekanec, David Desharnais and Lars Eller sound like the kind of centers who will be bringing home the team's first Stanley Cup since 1993? The short answer is "no." If Galchenyuk can evolve into an every-day pivot, he gives the Habs that key element of size and skill down the middle around whom to build a potent, balanced offense. If he isn't that guy, Bergevin will have to keep hunting, because until the Habs are deeper and more talented at center, it's hard to imagine them making a deep dent in the playoffs.

Ottawa Senators

Did Bryan Murray make the right choice in goal?

The veteran Ottawa GM rolled the dice and dealt Lehner to the Sabres at the draft after signing rookie phenom Andrew Hammond to a three-year deal and deciding not to move veteran Craig Anderson. Hammond saved the Senators' season with his extraordinary run after being called up from Binghamton of the AHL, but gave way to Anderson in the latter stages of the Senators' opening-round playoff loss to Montreal. If he's healthy, Anderson is a top-end netminder. If he's not healthy, Hammond will have to prove the last half of last season was no fluke.

Is this team ready to display an identity?

The Senators made the playoffs in 2012 and 2013 when no one expected them to. Then they folded in 2014 when they were healthy and everyone expected them to. Last season, they started like a team destined for the dustbin again, costing head coach Paul MacLean his job. Dave Cameron turned things around and got the Senators to yet another unexpected playoff berth, but that has set the bar higher for the coming season. Is this team ready to meet expectations, or will we see another step back in part because of those expectations?

Can Bobby Ryan bounce back?

At one point late last season Ryan was asked if he was hurt, but rather than allow some sort of mystery ailment to be used as an explanation for a drop-off in production, Ryan simply said he wasn't playing very well. "I just suck right now," he said. Good on the former second overall pick, who saw his production drop to 18 goals last season, down significantly from his days as a four-time 30-goal scorer with Anaheim. Ryan scored twice as the Sens were eliminated in the first round and saw his ice time and use in pivotal situations also reduced. What is problematic, other than the obvious drop in numbers, is that he has five long years left on his current contract with an annual cap hit of $7.25 million. If Ryan

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gets back to the 30-goal level, the Senators should be a playoff team. If he can't, well, there'll be much talk about how the Senators might best cut their losses.

Tampa Bay Lightning

So, how about that Stamkos deal?

We're sure that at some point GM Steve Yzerman and representatives for Steven Stamkos will settle in and get a contract extension done, one that will keep the Lightning captain in Tampa for the better part of the next decade. Aren't we? The longer a deal takes to get done, the greater the speculation that Stamkos is somehow dissatisfied with his lot in life in Tampa and will explore free agency next July, and the greater the potential for distraction the team can do without. Can't imagine Stamkos in another jersey, especially given the Lightning's standing as Eastern Conference champs with a bright future and a deep-pocketed owner (Jeff Vinik), but until he puts pen to paper, that shadow of doubt will be cast on Stamkos and the Lightning.

Will there be a Cup finals hangover?

Never mind the hangover the comes from actually winning the Stanley Cup (Detroit was the last team to win back-to-back Cups in 1997-98). It's virtually impossible for a team that loses in the finals to return the following season. Pittsburgh did it in 2009, winning a championship after losing the year before, but then you have to go back to the early 1980s and the Oilers, who bounced back in 1984 to win a Cup after losing the previous season. The Lightning have a lineup blessed with top-end young talent at every position with which they'll try to avoid the finals hangover. Still, are they appreciably better than a year ago? Are they any better? The answer has to be "yes" if we're thinking of a return trip to Tampa next June.

What will we say about Victor Hedman's season?

Well, how about, "Here's your Norris Trophy, Mr. Hedman." Or, "Holy cow, he's really good." If there was one player that saw his profile rise exponentially last playoff season it was the big Swedish defenseman. If he can stay healthy -- and that might be the only question mark surrounding Hedman at this stage of his career -- he should be among the finalists for the Norris Trophy, and as long as the Bolts don't take a huge step back might he well be the odds-on favorite to take home the hardware.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Will Mike Babcock lose his mind?

The last time a Babcock-coached team missed the playoffs was in 2004. In fact, since he became an NHL head coach in 2002-03, Babcock has missed the playoffs just once. He'd better get reacquainted with the feeling of spring golf thanks to a team that traded away its most talented forward in Phil Kessel and appears, on paper at least, to be a country mile from contending for a playoff spot. Throw in the throngs of media covering the team on a daily basis and it will be fascinating to see how Babcock, who got a pretty easy ride in Detroit, responds to the daily natterings in Toronto.

How many big brains does a turnaround require?

So, you've got Babcock, a Cup winner, two-time Olympic gold medal-winner and likely Hall of Famer. There's also new GM Lou Lamoriello, special assignment coach Jacques Lemaire and president Brendan Shanahan, all of whom are already enshrined in the Hall. You've got fancy stats guys and former NHLer Mark Hunter all weighing in on the rebuilding process. And this is supposed to work how, exactly? History shows the larger the group of smart hockey people assembled in one place, working toward one

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goal, the better it is for a team. Ask the Los Angeles Kings or the Chicago Blackhawks. Will it work in Toronto? Maybe the better question is, when will it work in Toronto?

Was Kessel really the problem?

Have to admit the "overhaul" of the Leafs' roster has left us a little cold. Was Kessel really the black hole that ate a team that embarrassed itself on an almost nightly basis over the last half of the season? Guess we'll find out. But if that was really the case, we'll be expecting a whole lot more from guys like Nazem Kadri, who was suspended by the team last season for not behaving like an adult; Tyler Bozak, who might or might not be the team's No. 1 center; and the brittle Joffrey Lupul.

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http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/five-players-who-wont-score-as-often-in-2015-16/

Five players who won’t score as often in 2015-16

By Jonathan Willis – September 10, 2015

The NHL is a tough league and the players with real value aren’t the ones who enjoy just one or two great seasons, but the ones who can keep putting up good seasons year after year. Sometimes, though, it can be hard to tell when an outstanding performance is a one-off, or when the bottom is going to fall out from under a previously reliable player.

Analytics can help. While they don’t offer the certainty of a crystal ball, they can make it easier to pinpoint players who exhibit troubling trends, thereby providing an early warning of an impending decline in production. The following are five players who may be bound for such a drop-off.

Tyler Bozak, Toronto Maple Leafs

Nobody is going to miss Phil Kessel in Toronto more than Bozak. Over the past five seasons, Bozak recorded 112 of his five-on-five points playing on a line with Kessel and managed just 11 points in his shifts without the goal-scoring winger. With Kessel, Bozak scored a mediocre 1.63 points/hour; without Kessel he tallied just 0.84 points/hour. For the sake of context, the latter figure equals the scoring rate of Jets’ defenceman Grant Clitsome over the past five seasons.

Special teams should help cushion the blow, assuming that Bozak continues to get significant power play time, but his even-strength numbers are likely to suffer in the absence of his regular winger.

Trevor Daley, Chicago Blackhawks

It really doesn’t take much more than a glance at the 31-year-old Daley’s shooting percentage to confirm that he’s likely bound for an offensive correction this season. He set a career-high with 16 goals in 2014-15, while shooting at an outrageous 14.2 per cent clip. Not only is that number more than double his career average (6.5 per cent) but it’s also well beyond what we generally think of as sustainable for any defenceman. Over the past five seasons combined, no NHL rearguard has scored more than 20 goals while posting a shooting percentage of 9.0 per cent or higher.

Jiri Hudler, Calgary Flames

At the age of 31, Hudler set career highs in goals (31), assists (45) and points (76). Unfortunately for both the individual and the Flames, those totals look a lot more like an aberration than a late-career breakout.

One factor is shooting percentage. Hudler’s 19.6 shooting percentage is significantly higher than his career average of 15.1 per cent and the difference between those two numbers is responsible for one-quarter of his goal production last year.

Another factor is what’s called individual points percentage. In 2014-15, Hudler picked up a point on 90 per cent of his team’s goals when he was on the ice. Over the three preceding years, that number was more like 70 per cent. There’s an element of randomness involved in whether a player picks up a point on his line’s goals, and in Hudler’s case it appears that last season he cashed in on a disproportionate amount of his line’s offensive production.

Kevin Klein, New York Rangers

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Another old defenceman with a ridiculous shooting percentage, Klein is a hard player to avoid on a list like this. After scoring nine goals over his previous three seasons combined, he suddenly exploded with nine in 2014-15 at the age of 30. None of them were scored on the power play, and his shooting percentage (11.8 per cent) was more than double his career average of 5.0 per cent. More than one-third of the goal production in his 498-game NHL career came in 65 contests last season.

Klein’s assist production doesn’t look particularly stable either. From 2010-14, Klein recorded 23 primary assists and 22 secondary assists at even-strength. In 2014-15, more than two-thirds of his assists were secondary assists. These tend to fluctuate from year-to-year, especially for defencemen, and likely do not represent a real step forward for the player.

Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators

Stone has always had soft hands, but even for a one-shot scorer the numbers he managed in that department as a rookie are going to be hard to repeat. After scoring 30 goals in his previous 91 AHL games (0.33 goals/game), Stone took basically the same clip to the NHL, recording 26 goals in 80 games (0.33 goals/game). He managed that thanks to an exceptional 16.6 shooting percentage.

How uncommon is a shooting percentage that high? Of the 197 forwards who totaled at least 500 shots over the past five seasons, just four have managed to top 16 per cent. Even more remarkably, Stone’s shooting percentage wasn’t power play-aided; he converted at a 16.2 per cent clip at even-strength.

It’s possible that Stone is the exception, the next Alex Tanguay (a notoriously finicky shooter with an outstanding percentage) or Steven Stamkos (less finicky, almost as deadly) but for the most part when a player manages that kind of shooting percentage as a rookie there’s a correction in his sophomore season.

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http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/2016-world-cup-of-hockey-team-young-guns-roster-projected-connor-mcdavid/

2016 World Cup: Who will make Team Young Guns?

By Luke Fox – September 13, 2015

The most compelling team at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, even more than the squad comprised of European all-stars, will be Team North America (originally dubbed the North American “Young Guns“).

Can a bunch of less-experienced, smaller men really hang with the globe’s best players 24 years and older? Or better/worse: How will it look if the Young Guns actually defeat Team USA or a stacked Team Canada?

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the reason to introduce mashup teams Europe and North America is two-fold: (1) to include more NHL stars in the international tournament, and (2) to compensate for the drop-off in skill once you go beyond the big four European hockey powers.

“There won’t be any easy or bad games,” Bettman assured fans.

The Young Guns squad will be co-run by USA Hockey and Hockey Canada, and headed up by general managers Peter Chiarelli and Stan Bowman. There is no quota for how many players must be represented from each country, just that they must be under the age of 24 on Oct. 1, 2016.

Selections will be made in March.

Here is our projected North American Young Guns roster for the pre-season tournament, set to begin Sept. 17, 2016 in Toronto.

(Note: Player’s age as of Oct. 1, 2016 is listed in brackets.)

FORWARD

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (21) Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (19) Jonathan Drouin, Tampa Bay Lightning (21) Brandon Saad, Columbus Blue Jackets (23) [our pick for captain] Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres (19) Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes (21) Ryan Strome, New York Islanders (23) Alex Galchenyuk, Montreal Canadiens (22) Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames (21) Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets (23) Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers (23) Boone Jenner, Columbus Blue Jackets (23) Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers (23) Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames (23)

On the bubble (a.k.a. outrageous snubs): Jonathan Huberdeau, Sam Bennett, Bo Horvat, Linden Vey, Curtis Lazar, Matthew Nieto, Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair

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DEFENCE

Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers (20) Damon Severson, New Jersey Devils (22) Seth Jones, Nashville Predators (21) Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets (22) Dougie Hamilton, Boston Bruins (23) Ryan Murray, Columbus Blue Jackets (23)

On the bubble (a.k.a. outrageous snubs): Morgan Reilly, Cody Ceci, Mathew Dumba, Noah Hanifin, Griffin Reinhart

GOAL

John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (23) Malcolm Subban, Boston Bruins (22) Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets (23) On the bubble (a.k.a. outrageous snubs): Zachary Fucale, Eric Comrie, J.F. Berube, Thatcher Demko