This and that

Rick from The Hockey Writers has a great piece on our favorite hockey home away from home the R Bar. Check it out here.

ESPN ranks the Jackets 24th in their first power rankings of the season:

Hard to believe Steve Mason will be able to replicate his extraordinary rookie-season success. If he can't, there will be trouble aplenty in Columbus.

Burnside really has no clue outside of the big market teams does he? Pathetic. Thanks to Chris for the heads up.

Check out this Rick Nash "couch session" over on ESPN:



Check out "Hockey Night in Blogdom" for a look at all 30 NHL teams. You may recognize a contributor!

Nikita Filatov checks in at Hockey's Future #3 overall prospect behind John Tavares and Victor Hedman:

With an uncanny knack for the net, Filatov continues to be one of the NHL’s most exciting up and coming players. The quick Russian forward is a pure goal scorer and uses his world-class wrist shot to wreak havoc on opposition netminders. He is also known for having a great set of hands and the ability to use them at while at high speed. What makes Filatov ever more dangerous is his unselfish play. He is a strong passer and doesn’t hesitate to dish the puck off to his linemates. Despite his tremendous talent, Filatov still has things to work on. He will need to add muscle to his frame if he is to excel at the NHL level. Despite putting up respectable numbers as a rookie in the AHL, his inability to cope with the tougher North American game was at times evident. Filatov will get every opportunity to crack the opening-night roster.

NBC Sports previews all 30 NHL teams. They pick the Jackets to return to the post season:

Outlook: No longer the only NHL team never to make the playoffs, the Blue Jackets still remain the only NHL team never to win a playoff game. That should change this spring with the continued maturation of their young stars, especially Nash and Mason.

Prediction: 95 points (3rd in Central, 6th seed in West)

Actually that is not true as Atlanta has also never won a playoff game.

How about some Crunch news? From Lindsay Krymer's blog:

You want changes on the Syracuse Crunch defense?

Ya got em.

Out: Andrei Plekhanov. He was pulled off the ice during the morning skate on Tuesday and told he's being loaned to a team in Russia.

In: Dylan Reese. He was signed to a two-way deal on Tuesday.

In (or at least a little more in): David Liffiton. He, too, was inked to a two-way deal Tuesday.

Reese was packing up his car Tuesday and heading here from Pittsburgh. He should be here for tonight's exhibition vs. Roch, though obviously not playing.

"I was nervous the last couple of days, for sure,'' he said. "As the weekend approached, I didn't hear much. I thought it was a process that would be over in a couple of days. It took a week. I always believed Columbus' intentions were to add me. It was just a matter of finding room.''

Liffiton skated Tuesday morning. He had been here on an AHL pact.

"They (Columbus) said if I had a good camp, that's what I would be rewarded with,'' Liffiton said. "It's nice to have that and be in their system.''

Good to see Liffiton get a contract but it looks like Plekanov's time in the Columbus system may be coming to a close..

..but probably the biggest news of the blog (also on Puck-rakers) was the following:

Also, Columbus has returned promising forward Matt Calvert to his junior team in Brandon.

Still I don't understand why they don't sign him regardless of if he plays in Brandon or not.

Speaking of looks like about 40% of you were right on the poll! FTR I chose the junior route as well.

Finally a little Ohio State hockey news for ya. Junior John Albert has been named to the preseason all CCHA second team. Albert had a team high 28 assists last season.

..but where is my boy Dalpe?

-LTL