All These Injuries

from Tom Reed of Puck-rakers at the Columbus Dispatch, The Blue Jackets top four defensemen are all sidelined with nagging strains to the groin or hip flexors and management wants to determine if that’s more than coincidence. Add Rusty Klesla (hip flexor), Mike Commodore (groin) and Marc Methot (hip flexor) to a growin list that already includes Fedor Tyutin (hip flexor) and forward R.J. Umberger (hip flexor).... General manager Scott Howson is seeking answers. With the help of the coaching staff, medical staff and players, he’s trying to figure out what’s at the root of the problem. Howson even has taken to calling around the league to see if other teams are sustaining similar injuries. He said Phoenix and Minnesota are dealing with the same issues. Among the possibilities: -- Ice quality in various rinks, including the Dispatch Ice Haus. -- The high pace to the start of camp, which included intra-squad games on the first two days and an exhibition game in Pittsburgh on the third. more While on the Blue Jackets topic, Doug MacLean on Fan590 today mentioned Columbus is trying to find a dman to run the point on the power play.  Both Raffi Torres and Jason Chimera are being offered, but no takers so far.