http://www.yardbarker.com/content/team/108 Recent articles about the Columbus Blue Jackets en-us Browns Fan: After their sixth consecutive season at or near the bottom of the standings, the Jackets hired a new GM in 2007, to go with their fourth (fifth if you count the interim coach in 2006) coach since 2000. The new GM inherited a team in disarray, devoid of talent. Sound familiar? Cavs Fan: The Jackets only have one bona-fide star in left-winger Rick Nash, and are currently trying to build a team around him to loosen up a stagnant offense and thus entice him to sign a contract extension in the summer of 2010, even as writers rush to push him out the door to hockey haven Toronto. Sound familiar? Tribe Fan: The Jackets are small-market free-agent also-rans, and they have been waiting for years for the young talent in their farm organization to make the jump to the NHL and to contribute to a winning team. Sound familiar? Buckeye Fan: Err, well, they play their home games in Columbus. I guess 3 out of 4 ain't bad… The bottom line: the Blue Jackets are in fact the only team in the entire history of the NHL never to make the playoffs. If this isn't an Ohio sports fan's kind of team… Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:14:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/302521 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/302521 30. Its a number that seems to suit big pro sports leagues in America. The NBA has it. Ditto for the NHL. And yes, MLB has it. Currently, only the NFL is the exception at 32. The number of markets at 30 is manageable. The NFL has the advantage of being highly centralized (revenues are shared more evenly across the franchises), and exceptionally popular. Even with that, there are strains (note that the owners recently opted out of the CBA) with the added teams. Of all these, it is MLB that was the last to expand (1998). NHL? 2000 with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild. NFL? 2002 with the Houston Texans. NBA? 2004 with the rechristened Charlotte Bobcats. And, when you look at MLB historically, the stretch in-between expansions currently is the second longest since, well… the Expansion Era: a decade. There are reasons for this, of course. The rapid period of expansion in the ‘60s occurred shortly after Walter O’Malley and Horace Stoneham moved the Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast. The moves in 1957 showed that with air travel, markets west of the Mississippi could be tapped that had never been considered before. When coupled with the growth of television, untapped revenues could be accessed. The AL and NL were also very much separate leagues vying for markets. Now, most all the prime large markets have been sucked up, and television, once simply an over-the-air matter, is a huge factor given regional sports networks. Below is a listing of markets, along with their respective leagues from the time the Dodgers and Giants relocated, till 2008. Expansion or Relocation in the Modern Era Team Year League Angels 1961 AL Senators relocate, become Twins 1961 AL Senators (Part II) 1961 AL Mets 1962 NL Astros 1962 NL Milwaukee Braves relocate to Atlanta 1966 NL KC Athletics relocate to Oakland 1968 AL Padres 1969 NL Expos 1969 NL Royals 1969 AL Pilots/Brewers 1969 AL Second Senators relocate to Arlington (Rangers) 1972 AL Mariners 1977 AL Blue Jays 1977 AL Rockies 1993 NL Marlins 1993 NL D-Backs 1998 NL Devil Rays 1998 AL Expos relocate to DC (Nationals) 2004 NL Select Read More to see the Top 10 Markets for Relocation or Expansion Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:21:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301690 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301690 The Ottawa Senators and Antoine Vermette agree on a two year, 5.525 million contract on Thursday. Last year he had 24 goals and 29 assists in 81 games.... Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:38:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298847 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298847 It was reported today that former New Jersey Devil Sergei Brylin will head over to the new Kontinental League to play for SKA St. Petersburg. He has signed for three years... Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:28:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296255 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296255 The International Ice Hockey Federation is reviewing the contracts of five players. Those players are Alexander Radulov, Nikita Filatov, Jason Krog, Fedor Fedorov, and Viktor Tikhonov. All five have been suspended from IIHF Events... Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:37:47 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292689 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292689 The first ever Maineiac player to be drafted, Alexander Picard, has resigned with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He only played in three games with the Blue Jackets last year. With the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, he had 11 goals and 18 assists in 48 games... Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:08:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291946 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291946 With Hockey madness in full force in Canada it seems appropriate that my first blog discuss the current direction of the NHL's Canadian teams. I'll start it off with Oil Country as the Oilers are leading the offseason charge thus far. With new Billionaire owner David Katz in place the Oilers seem poised to have the financial backing to actively pursue some of the top players and contracts in the league. With the 90 million dollar 9 year contract offer to Marian Hossa, Lowe and company are showing just how desperate they are to bring a big name back to Edmonton. Luckily the likelihood of some of these high profile players choosing Edmonton is minimal and they've avoided some disastrous contracts. I'm not knocking Marion Hossa as a player but I bet years 6 through 9 of his contract would not be so rewarding. The bright side is the Oilers have an excellent young core which is destined to improve and Lowe has done an excellent job finding trades to improve his club. The additions of Erik Cole, Gilbert Brule and Lubomir Visnovsky address some team needs and add youth. On the way out were Jarret Stoll, Raffi Torres and Joni Pitkanen who all failed to reach full potential with the Oilers. With hopes of of being a top line offensive defenseman; Pitkanen has battled injuries and consistency. Visnovsky is certainly an upgrade as he's one of the premier offensive defenseman in the league and is known for having a good work ethic and locker room presence. Erik Cole's combination of heart, grit and scoring touch will be an upgrade over Stoll our Torres and should bring instant dividends. Cole will be a free agent after this season and the audition years have a way of being productive. Former first round pick Gilbert Brule has yet to put up the numbers expected of him but a young potential filled player is not a bad risk to take. Let's hope the Oilers stay the course and not lose their focus trying to bring in a big name who may hurt the team in the long run. Glencross signed on in Calgary and although he seems to be on the right path to success this year free agent signings have proven to be expensive and an overpriced Glencross is not what the Oilers need. It looks like the Oilers will be a playoff team in the upcoming season and with the youth they have it may be the beginning of a good stretch for Oilers fans. That's part 1 of Canaduh Oil Country edition. Hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to check back for the Flames edition shortly. - Rib Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:02:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286528 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286528 NHL free agency is less than 3 days old and already the NHL's landscape has undergone some big changes. Which teams have taken advantage of free agency, and which teams were in better shape on June 30th? It's time to break down the winners and losers in free agency thus far. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:41:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285659 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285659 After the 2007-08 campaign it was no secret that the Flyers were going to address a big need on defense during the off-season. It appeared early on that the Flyers were going on an all defensive diet next season, but the roster is now a little more balanced and clear after a couple of days of free agency. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:19:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285377 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285377 According to TSN, the New York Rangers have traded defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche. Now that's what I'm talking about. Zherdev is a 23-year-old Russian right wing, drafted by Columbus in 2003 with the 4th overall pick. After a breakout '05-'06 season in which the sniper recorded 27 goals and 27 assists, Zherdev was a bit of enigma to the Jackets in '06-'07 when he scored just 10 goals and finished with 32 points. The kid's slump was short-lived, however, as he bounced back last season, recording 26 goals and 35 assists. Without question, Zherdev is the first-line scoring wing that the team so desperately sought to partner with center Scott Gomez. Does this mean the end of the Jaromir Jagr Era on Broadway? It sure looks that way, though the team technically still has the cap space to squeeze Jagr in - that is, if his feelings aren't too badly hurt. It certainly appears as if the team is moving on, however - a season too late, in my opinion. Jagr's ticket out of town was punched the day he proved incompatible with Sather's free agent prizes from a year ago, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. Neither pivot was brought here to watch Brandon Dubinsky assume the role of first line center. With Jagr now out of the mix, the team can resume its efforts to build around the pair, with Drury presumably assuming the team captaincy, and Gomez shouldering the offensive load along with the newly acquired Zherdev. This is a dream scenario for yours truly, who, at season's end, urged the Rangers to ditch Jags and find a scoring winger to pair with Gomez. Marian Hossa seemed the obvious candidate, but the younger and cheaper Zherdev trumps that hypothetical scenario. Fritsche, meanwhile, by all accounts is a serviceable third line player with size and decent offensive skills. With the free agent signings of Aaron Voros and Patrick Rissmiller, and now the acquisition of Fritsche, there promises to be a fair amount of competition for roster spots on the team's third and fourth lines. Going into training camp, nothing is guaranteed for guys like Blair Betts, Colton Orr, and Ryan Hollweg. I also wonder, if perhaps another move is on the way, to alleviate some of the clutter amongst the forward corps. In addition to coming out on top talent-wise in this swap, the team bought themselves some cap relief - a precursor, perhaps, to another move, surmises the Journal News' Sam Weinman. Exciting times on Broadway. More as it develops. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:50:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285197 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285197 The NHL Draft is under way and several teams have made big moves, including the Flyers. The Flyers, unable to afford the recently signed Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger and a top defenseman in Free Agency, have created cap space for themselves by trading Umberger and the 119th pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for two 2008 draft picks, the 19th pick of the first round and the 67th pick in the third round. While I hate to see Umberger go, the Flyers were smart to deal him now after his hot playoff run. Umberger scored 10 goals in the playoffs, so his value was never going to be any higher. Plus, the Flyers are dealing from a strength, since Umberger is really a center and the Flyers are loaded down the middle. Of course, this deal makes sense only if the Flyers do go out and bring in one of the top free agent defensemen, like a Brian Campbell, with the extra money they now have. The 19 pick in the draft will also be used for someone who will help down the road. Another nice move by Paul Holmgren. Umberger was a great player, but the extra cap space and the high draft pick are too good to pass up. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:02:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280536 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280536 This evening the Flyers sent center RJ Umberger as well as the 119th pick overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for the 19th and 67th picks in this year's draft. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:48:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280534 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280534 The 2008 entry draft is two days away. At this point too many things are happening to believe no trades will take place. Here are some final rumours. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:49:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279618 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279618 What does free agency have in store for the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues? What can the Blue Jackets do to become a legitimate contender in the West? Can Detroit strengthen their already loaded lineup? Will this be the year the young Blackhawks make the big leap forward? Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:17:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277411 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277411 This is part three of a six part series. The Top 5 prospects rankings are according to Hockey's Future... Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:09:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/275737 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/275737