Vets return to ice

We learn from the Columbus Dispatch this morning that Adam Foote (pictured right), Fredrik Modin and Michael Peca all returned to practice yesterday after missing virtually the entire preseason....and Hitchcock is pleased with that:

"It was good to see those three out on the ice," Hitchcock said. "But we won't get a good read on them until later in the week."

More on the trio:

Peca and Modin skated with Gilbert Brule to form the team's third line. Foote paired with Jan Hedja on the blue line.

Foote, 36, says he got hurt when his skate blade caught a rut while he was going for a water bottle.

Modin, 32, said his back felt good after practice, but the real test will come this morning when he wakes up. He suffered a minor setback while skating two weeks ago. A slight shift to his bottom vertebrae, Modin said, has caused the discomfort.

Peca, 33, was injured in the first two days of drills. He wanted to heal completely so the injury didn't linger into the season. He sounded most confident about playing Friday.

"Physically and mentally, I'm in the right place," he said.

So that is very good news these three are back at it but before we get our hopes up lets see how they respond to a full week of practice. Reading into those comments a little bit it sounds like Peca is fairly good to go but Modin and Foote could still take some time depending how they respond.

In other CBJ news don't look now but Nikolai Zherdev is going to be a regular PKer this season along with Nash:

Nikolai Zherdev will play extensively on the penalty-killing units, Hitchcock said. He believes the winger is a smart player who doesn't get enough credit for his work on the defensive end. Nash also will be a penalty-killing regular.

Looks like Z is definitely next in line for the "Hitch" reclamation project. Remember last year when he first came to Columbus he immediately put Nash on the PK as the first step in getting him more involved and rounding out his complete game and its done wonders. Lets see if the same will hold true for #13.

....and finally more details emerge about the "cannon"!

The Blue Jackets "test fired" their cannon yesterday in the presence of the city fire marshal. The cannon will be shot after Blue Jackets goals and victories. The 105-decibel sound actually comes from speakers above the scoreboard while a plume of white smoke shoots from the cannon barrel. The replica of an 1857 Napoleon field cannon, purchased for approximately $20,000, will be placed behind section 111 in the arena

As always all Dispatch CBJ coverage can be found here.

3 more days until the puck drops for real!!

- LTL