Catt’s torture test challenge

Check out this link from BC Local News for a great read on a couple of Jackets offseason workouts. The players included are Nick Holden, Derick Brassard, Jared Boll and Derek Dorsett.

Tyler Wright remembers the fire hose pull. Recalls all the burpees and lunges. Oh, and he treasures the sprints and tough agility drills personal trainer Rhonda Catt used to put him through as a NHL player.

He loved the experience so much he arranged to have four members of the Columbus Blue Jackets spend this week under Catt’s torture test challenge.

Wright is the Development Coach with the Blue Jackets, and he watched with glee as former first-round draft pick Derick Brassard, disturbance specialists Jared Boll and Derek Dorsett, and prospect Nick Holden sweated in the Okanagan heat and smoke at the Kidston School grounds.

“These are kids that I obviously have a great deal of interest with, and a good relationship with, and I just kind of thought it was a good way to break up the summer and come out do a little bonding session, get a little training in and just kind of see where they’re at as far as their training,” said Wright, who now calls the Coldstream his main home, along with his wife Christie and children Tanner, Kennady and Ava.

Check out much more here. Also thanks to snappy for the heads up!

As Viqsi noted in the comments of another post the ESPN insider article on the Jackets has Umberger trending up and Commodore trending down.

I agree on Umberger but disagree on Commodore. In fact I think Commodore will have a better season this year because 1. it's no longer a new team for him and 2. he'll be more prepared mentally and physically to handle the minutes.

I also disagree with ESPN in that they say a forwards best years are from age 23 to 26 and that defensemen trend down after the age of 30. Alot of fowards don't even hit the NHL until they are age 23 and there are tons of examples of defensemen playing well into their prime after 30 years old. Besidese every player trends differently so those are pretty weak arguments if you ask me.

Here is their player to watch:

On Dec. 18, when Brassard suffered a dislocated right shoulder in a fight with Stars winger James Neal, the Jackets' 2006 first-round pick (sixth overall) was tied for the league's rookie scoring lead with 25 points in his first 31 games. Unfortunately, Brassard needed surgery to repair the problem, forcing him to miss the remainder of his freshman season.

Fast-forward nearly eight months and Brassard's hardcore rehab has helped him go from 172 pounds to approximately 191. The weight gain will make him more difficult to push off the puck. So much so that Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock figures his young pivot (who will turn 22 on Sept. 22) is poised for a breakout season.

Last year, before the injury, Brassard was nearly a point-per-game player despite getting very little (if any) power-play time. This season, Hitchcock plans to use Brassard on the first PP unit and to center the club's top line with star winger Rick Nash. With those offensive opportunities, Hitchcock believes the talented sophomore could put up 70-plus points.

If the long-successful bench boss is right, the Blue Jackets will be a much more dangerous team. In 2008-09, they earned their first playoff bid despite finishing 21st in goals-per-game average and dead last in power-play percentage. Brassard appears to have the talent to help in both of those areas of need. No doubt he figures to be a very important piece of the puzzle during the upcoming season in Columbus.

More and more folks are jumping on the Brassard wagon and for very good reason. I love everything about this kid including his passion for the game and hatred for the Wings.

Uh oh. Looks like Patrick Kane had one to many adult pops last night:

Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane and his cousin were arrested early Sunday morning for assaulting and robbing a cab driver in Buffalo, according to several news sources in that city.

According to a police report, the 20-year-old Kane and his cousin James M. Kane, 21, were arrested around 5am et after allegedly punching the cabbie after he said he did not have proper change for their trip fare.

The report says the cab fare was $13.80 and the Kanes handed the driver $15. He claims he had only $1 change and was not in possession of another twenty cents to give back. According to the police report, both Kanes took their money back and punched the cabbie in the face and head.

Both men have been charged with second-degree robbery, fourth-degree criminal mischief and theft of services

Sounds a bit far fetched to me although those are some serious charges. I've had a few run ins with some cabbys over the years and let's just say they aren't all exactly "innocent". It will be interesting to hear the other side of this story.

-TLTL