Rob points out "Five Quick Questions with Steve Mason":
Which player would you most like to run into the boards hard?
Tomas Holmstrom from Detroit. He gives me a lot of grief in front of the net. We play them six times. He's in the crease too much, the entire period, especially on the power play. With the rules, you can't force him out, he can just stand there and get on my nerves.
Greg from TheMentalJackets.com has posted a great interview with John Buccigross:
Blue Jackets 24/7: You are on record predicting a return to the playoffs for the Blue Jackets. Outside of losing Hejda for a while, it is safe to assume they haven't done anything so far to dissuade you. Now that we're a few weeks in, do you want to refine your prediction?
Buccigross: The Jackets will make the playoffs. Book it.
Read much more here.
The Jackets clock in at #4 on Hockey's Future organizational rankings:
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
Strengths: Russian Nikita Filatov is a contender for the Calder Trophy this year and is considered one of the most offensively gifted players to be stepping into the NHL. Center Derick Brassard hopes his injury problems are behind him so that he can continue turning heads. A strong group of collegiate blueliners await their turn – Cody Goloubef in Wisconsin, Ohio State’s Will Weber and Notre Dame’s Teddy Ruthamong them. John Moore chose the OHL instead of Colorado College and is off to a good start. Matt Calvert will be a key leader for the Brandon Wheat Kings as the host club for the 2010 Memorial Cup.
Weaknesses: The Blue Jackets will need to get a injection of youth into the system soon though, since many of their top prospects are nearing graduation. They are without a top prospect at the right wing position. Depth at center may also be a concern.
Top 5 Prospects: 1. Nikita Filatov, LW, 2. Derick Brassard, C, 3. John Moore, D, 4. Cody Goloubef, D, 5.Maksim Mayorov, LW.
The Hockey Buckeyes lost 3-2 tonight against Lake Superior State. This promising season is shaping up to be a total disaster for a squad that returned most of it's players from it's NCAA tournament birth last year.
On the bright side the Syracuse Crunch pulled out a 'W' by a final of 4-3. Picard, Sestito, MacKenzie & Smotherman all with goals. LaCosta stopped 42 of 45 shots.
Both Sestito and Picard lead the Crunch with 4 goals a piece in 7 games.
-LTL
