Westcott fined

According to the Dispatch blog Duvie Westcott (pictured right) was fined $1,000 dollars for the hit to the face of Colorado Avalanche forward (enforcer) Scott Parker.

Apparently NHL VP Colin Campbell took Westcott's previously clean record into hand when handing down the penalty.

Really just a slap on the hand although nobody likes to toss good money away. Duvie is historically a very clean player who was clearly frustrated by the team's performance at the tail end of Columbus' 5-1 loss to the Avalanche so I like the restraint by Campbell in this situation. That's no excuse for cross checkign a guy to the face, even a goon like Scott Parker, but I think it was more of a reaction than an intent to injure.

In other Blue Jackets news Fredrik Modin did not practice today but is expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday. I think we can expect this kind of pattern from Modin most of the year unless he takes off a couple of week all together to let that groin heal -- he's too valuable to this lineup to do that so don't count on it.

..and of course the players on the lines go round and round another day:

Nash -- Peca -- Zherdev
Glencross -- Fedorov -- Vyborny
Brule -- Novotny -- Fritsche
Chimera -- Malhotra -- Boll/Shelley

Hitch is still looking for that all important chemistry. Interesting to note that David Vyborny and Rick Nash have been busted up. Quite frankly Vybes is off to a pretty disappointing start thus far but we all know he scores in bunches. A friend of mine pointed out to me that if you break down Vyborny's numbers he much more effective at home than on the road - I don't think that is going to cut it under the new regime so #9 is going to have to elevate his game both home and away if he wants that shiny new contract (he'll be a UFA at the end of the year).

I like that Chimera and Manny have been kept together and I think Boll compliments that line very well. Dan Fritsche is another guy who has really struggled early on this year, especially with turnovers and seems to have lost a lot of confidence from last year. I would like to see Gilbert Brule get more time but paired on a line with Novotny and Fritsche its probably not gonna happen -- unless he gets more PP time.

..and of course we can't forget about Sergei Fedorov. I have to feel for Hitch with this guy as he clearly just collecting a check at this point. Personally I'd love to see Hitch scratch him but then who do you replace him with? We Columbus fans are just gonna have to ride #91 out until at the earliest trade deadline time. Hitch will have to do his best to get what he can out of him, for instance if Feds only wants to play defensive hockey and not drive to the net and try to score then welcome to a checking role. No more powerplay time until you commit yourself to both ends of the ice on game days.

-LTL