CBJ of the Day: Dalton Prout

By William Espy

Dalton Prout is one of the players on the Blue Jackets blue line who has an asterisk next to his name on projected lineups. Prout has seemingly become more known for his fighting and hitting rather than his actual strong point, his defense.

Dalton Prout is not a player who will stand out on a score-sheet or help a team in an offensive slump, however if you need someone to take away a passing lane or block a shot look no further. If you take a look at his HERO chart:

You will notice a few things instantly, in a majority of areas he stands out as a bottom pairing defenseman. However, nearly all of those areas are offensive. Look at the defensive categories and he puts up numbers like a second pairing, or even top pairing defenseman. You won’t give a player like that time on the top pairing obviously, however with those defensive numbers he should be a mainstay on the bottom pairing.

Prout is known league-wide for his feud with Milan Lucic of the LA Kings (formerly Boston Bruins), and more specifically this:

STATUS: AVALIABLE FOR THE RIGHT PRICE

For a player like Prout, that price likely wouldn’t be very high however it would take a lot of convincing to move him. He has spent time with the team as a 7^th defenseman and now has taken what appears to be a long term bottom pairing job. Considering this is a contract year, it may be possible he is not resigned next offseason depending on the cap hit of Murray and Savard’s extensions.

Leaf of the Day: Volume 11 - Leo Komarov

By Alex Hobson

The Leafs have lacked a true fan favourite since Tie Domi in the early 2000's, but they have somebody who's on the road to being the next. That man's name is Leo Komarov. What's not to love about Uncle Leo? He plays with tons of heart and gives 110% each and every game, he'll always be throwing around the body, and he can even pitch in points at a steady pace. Last year, he had put up 16 points in 22 games on the third line before taking a hit to the head from Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. Komarov is the type of player you want on a cup winning team. Sadly, the Leafs won't be a contending team until Komarov's contract expires, but hopefully Leafs management will re-sign him to stick around and provide grit and a scoring touch to the lineup in three years.

Komarov was drafted by the Leafs in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in the 6th round, but he didn't make his debut in the blue and white until the shortened 2012-13 season. However, as soon as he did, he was loved instantly by Leafs fans due to his hearty style of play and his willingness to throw the body. He left to play in the KHL for the 2013-14 season, but returned the following year and stated that if he was going to the NHL, he would want to play for the Leafs and the Leafs only. The Estonian born, Russian raised, Finland native can speak four languages and is also a treat to watch on the piano, as shown below.

In general, everyone loves Leo. Some say that his contract is a little too much, but $2.95 million for the next three years for a player who cares more about the team than anyone else and gives his all every game, I think it's a bargain for him. He can play every position on any line, and you can rely on him in pressure situations.

STATUS: SAFE

Komarov is not neccesarily untouchable, but there's really no reason for Leafs management to feel the need to deal him to another team. He has a relatively cheap contract and you can rely on him to give his all and produce a decent amount of points when he's on the ice. Komarov should stay in a Leafs uniform for the next few years.

2015-16 ROLE: 3RD LINE FORWARD/UTILITY FORWARD

As stated earlier, Komarov can fit anywhere in the lineup. He can play centre as well as both wings, and while he might not produce like a first liner when on the first line, he could still slot in and look alright doing it. That being said, the most likely situation for Uncle Leo is the third line. A safe, checking line likely to be featured with players along the lines of Shawn Matthias, Taylor Beck, Nick Spaling, etc. with scoring touch to it as well.

What do you think of Komarov, Leafs fans? Should he stick around during the rebuild or should we deal him? Leave your opinion below.

CBJ of the Day: Ryan Murray

By William Espy

When a Blue Jackets player, more specifically Ryan Johansen, talks about “Norris” in the locker room it may confuse those who do not follow the team very closely. Ryan Johansen has said in the past that his nickname for Ryan Murray is “Norris”, very simply because he feels that Murray has the potential to be the best defenseman in the NHL. While he is yet to become a household name in the league, that is largely due to his injuries. Statistically, he is the Blue Jackets top defenseman if healthy. Look at this chart:

Murray falls into “top pairing” in nearly every category, the only ones he doesn’t are ones that are affected by his young age, injuries or coaching. When Murray was drafted second overall in the 2012 NHL draft behind Nail Yakupov, the Blue Jackets saw something special in him. Something very special. They weren’t the only ones either. The New York Islanders offered their entire draft class for the 2^nd overall pick in order to get Murray and the Blue Jackets are a team who tend to stress quantity over quality it seems. The trade would be denied almost instantly, the Jackets were set on “their guy” Ryan Murray.

Murray’s NHL career has not gotten off to the start he had hoped for, in the 2013-2014 season he only played 66 games for various reasons. That season, he would post 4 goals and 17 assists for a total of 21 points. Not only would that be impressive for any NHL rookie defenseman, it was also Murray’s first year in professional hockey. He spent no time in the AHL prior to the NHL and it didn’t show at all as he would finish tied for 86^th in the league for defensemen.

Then the injury bug hit. He started the season with a knee injury that would sideline him until the tail-end of January. Then three games after he returned, he reinjured the knee. This time he would be out until March however now he would play every remaining game until the season ender on Long Island which he sat out.

STATUS: UNTOUCHABLE

Jarmo Kekalainen whole-heartedly believes that a healthy Ryan Murray would be the Blue Jackets greatest acquisition this off-season. Murray has said that his knee is now completely healed and he has also been working out a majority of the summer. In order to prevent injury, he has changed up his exercise routine and is patiently waiting to hit the ice in preseason.

2015-2016 PREDICTION:

Now that Norris is healthy again, expect him to have a breakout season. Now may be the time when he shows the world that he has the potential to live up to his nickname.

Leaf of the Day: Volume 10 - Nazem Kadri

By Alex Hobson


Dating as far back as 10 years, the Leafs have never had a good drafting record. Their prospects would always be dealt for older players and never be given a chance to prove themselves. Did you know, that since 2009, the Leafs have only drafted two players that would go on to play more than 35 games in the NHL? Those players were Morgan Rielly, the Leafs' top prospect defenseman taken 5th overall in 2012, and Nazem Kadri, who was taken 7th overall in 2009. Kadri is a very interesting case in the NHL. If you're looking for a single word to describe his career in the NHL, then rollercoaster would be an appropriate fit. Let's take a look and see what this means.

Ever since Kadri entered the NHL, he was faced with obstacles along the lines of poor handling by the management, feuds with coaches, and demotions to the AHL. He got his first taste of NHL action in the 2010-11 season, where he appeared in 27 games and posted 12 points. He was moved up and down between the Marlies and the Leafs frequently, and was often mishandled and treated poorly by the old Leafs management. He had a career year in the shortened 2012-13 season, where he recorded 44 points in 48 games. Many Leafs fans began to believe that the Leafs had found their #1 centre of the future, the first one since super swede Mats Sundin. However, the following year, the expectations took a halt, and doubts began. Kadri wasn't performing at the rate he had in 2013-14, and was turning the puck over often and not playing much defense. The year after, his most recent, was even worse. That being said, the 2014-15 Leafs season was one to forget for almost every player. After Kadri was signed to a one year contract a few weeks back, it basically confirmed that he has one more year to prove himself or he'll be shipped out. He got the money he wanted, he'll be given more minutes, so if he doesn't step up, it's likely he'll be dealt next year.





STATUS: AVAILIBLE FOR THE RIGHT PRICE

Much like Jake Gardiner and Jonatahan Bernier, Kadri isn't being shopped around, but if the price is right and the Leafs can't refuse an offer for him, he could very well be shipped out. Head coach Mike Babcock says he expects a big year from Kadri and that he expects him to be elite. If he doesn't live up to the hype yet again, he'll be gone by next year.

2015-16 ROLE: FIRST LINE CENTRE

Please don't confuse his role this year with his ability. Kadri has not lived up to the potential to be a #1 centre and he has the skill set of a #2. That being said, even if Tyler Bozak remains with the team this year, he won't have Kessel to pass him the puck so his production will likely dip significantly. Kadri will more than likely be given first line minutes to play alongside of JVR and possibly a player along the lines of a P.A Parenteau.

What do you think the Leafs should do with Kadri, Leafs fans? Do you still have faith in him? Weigh in below.

Leaf of the Day: Volume 9 - Zach Hyman

By Alex Hobson

On June 19th, 2015, the Leafs made a very interesting trade. The trade involved sending AHLer Greg McKegg to the Florida Panthers in exchange for the rights to Zach Hyman and a conditional 7th round pick. After looking at this trade, the word you'll want to use to define Hyman is interesting. Losing McKegg obviously wasn't a problem, and the Leafs got a conditional pick in return, but Hyman was the main centrepiece to this trade. So without further ado, let's take a deep look into Hyman's history and what we can expect from him in 2015-16.

Hyman was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and was held off of signing an entry level contract due to his hockey career at Michigan State University. Hyman recently recorded a 54 point season in 37 games, and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist. This past offseason, after he finished his final season with MSU, Hyman announced that he would not sign with the Panthers. A few days later, the Leafs acquired Hyman via trade. The main reason Hyman decided not to sign with the Panthers was because he wanted to play in the NHL the following year, and the Panthers couldn't provide that oppertunity for him. The interesting part about his case and how it involves the Leafs is that Hyman is still young at age 23, and the Leafs signed lots of free agents to fill in roster spots so that players like Hyman would have more time to develop. This being said, injuries will happen this coming year and when they do, Hyman along with Casey Bailey will likely be the first ones to be recalled. Or, if Hyman impresses in training camp, he might earn himself a spot on the roster. It's extremely hard to tell at this point, but these are the most likely scenarios. Another thing that sets Hyman apart from other hockey players? He's a children's book author. Yes, you read that right. He published his book "The Bambino and Me" in April 2014 as an effort to inspire kids to be themselves and do what they want to do.

STATUS: SAFE

Hyman is yet another player that is not untouchable, yet there's really no reason for him to be traded. He just arrived in Toronto, and unless there was a scenario where the Leafs couldn't say no to an offer, and Hyman was a piece in it, there's not much of a chance that Hyman will be on the block at all.

2015-16 ROLE: BOTTOM SIX FORWARD/CALL-UP

Much like fellow university grad Casey Bailey, Hyman will likely see a fair amount of NHL time this year. It might not be much, maybe only 10-20 games, but he'll see enough for him to understand the speed of the NHL game and when he's not with the Leafs, he'll be having top six minutes with the Marlies.

What do you think of the acquisition of Hyman, Leafs fans? Should Hyman have a regular spot on the team this year? Weigh in below.

CBJ of the Day: Curtis McElhinney

By William Espy

Calgary Flames. Anaheim Ducks. Ottawa Senators. Phoenix Coyotes. Columbus Blue Jackets. Those may seem like a bunch of randomly selected teams to some people. However, to Curtis McElhinney , they have much more significance. The Calgary Flames were the team that drafted the goaltender in the sixth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. In March 2010, he would be traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Vesa Toskala (yes, THIS Vesa Toskala):

Less than a year later, he would be traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning but before he ever played a game in the organization he would be placed on waivers and claimed by the Ottawa Senators. He would leave Ottawa as a free agent and sign in Phoenix, however that wouldn’t last long. Seven months later he would be traded (among other pieces) to Columbus in a trade that would send Antoine Vermette to Phoenix. He would seemingly finally find his new home in Columbus, spending his first season in the AHL however was probably not ideal. He would finally get a full-time backup job for the Blue Jackets in the 2013-2014 season, but he made a very minor impact. Then came the 2014-2015 season. During the 2014-2015 season McElhinney was arguably one of the top backup goaltenders in the league. He had a very slow start to the season, however when Bobrovsky went out with an injury just prior to the All-Star Break he became an all new player. McElhinney began making saves that in the past he would have let in easily. Then the season ended, as did his contract. There were many questions surrounding him, whether they let him go and bring up a player like Forsberg or Dansk to backup Bobrovsky, resign him, or sign someone else. Eventually the team would agree on terms for a $1.6M contract over two years.

Status: ?

McElhinney is probably the most difficult player to predict on the team. He has a very cheap contract, and depending on how he performs may start to gain some trade value. If he has a large amount of trade value at the start of next season then it may be a good idea to trade him before he can walk away as a free agent. It is unlikely that he will ever be a starter, however a good backup can be just as important as an elite goaltender.

Leaf of the Day: Volume 8 - Matt Hunwick

By Alex Hobson


Free Agent Frenzy 2015 was a very busy day for the Leafs organization. President Brendan Shanahan stated that the Leafs would not be very busy that day, which is almost the exact opposite of what really happened. The biggest move, without question, was the Phil Kessel trade, but there were still a couple of notable signings. The first Leafs signing of the day was a player by the name of Matt Hunwick. This was the first of many small one year contracts that the Leafs would have options with moving forward, and while the name may not be familiar to many, Hunwick could still prove to be a vaulable addition. Let's find out how.

Born in Warren, Michigan, Hunwick began his NHL career after being drafted in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins. Over the next 10 years, Hunwick would spend time with the Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and most recently, the New York Rangers. The Leafs have loads of defensemen to work with coming into this season, with Hunwick being among the 10 or so that are ready for a full time NHL job. Despite not being as big as other defensemen, Hunwick is still very good defensively and if he has a strong campaign with the Leafs in 2015-16, they, as stated earlier, have options with him. He's a good possesion player and finished last season with a plus-minus of +17, something the Leafs have lacked for the last couple of years.

STATUS: RENTAL

Like I said earlier, Hunwick was signed to a very cheap contract of $2.4 million over two years, with an AAV of $1.2 million. Considering Hunwick's contract does not expire until 2017, there's a larger chance that the team stays put with Hunwick for an extra year, but it's still entirely likely that they flip him for a draft pick or prospect at the trade deadline.

2015-16 ROLE: BOTTOM PAIRING DEFENSEMAN

The reason behind this prediction is that while the Leafs will not be in the race for the playoffs this year, they will still want to boost Hunwick's value so teams will be interested come trade deadline time. He also posts better numbers than players by the likes of Roman Polak and Stephane Robidas, so it would make more sense for the Leafs to play him rather than to sign him, only to bench him.

What do you think of Hunwick, Leafs fans? Could we get something in return for him come the deadline? Leave your thoughts below.

CBJ of the Day: Ryan Johansen

By: William Espy

The 2010 NHL draft is mainly remembered for the Taylor vs Tyler argument that has resulted from it. Taylor Hall would be selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers and many questioned if they passed on a better player in Tyler Seguin who would be drafted by the Boston Bruins. Many players from this draft have had an impact in the NHL already, including Jeff Skinner (7), Vladimir Tarasenko (16) and Nick Bjugstad (19).  The Blue Jackets picked fourth overall in the 2010 draft, and picked a player who is already on pace to break many team records. That man is named Ryan Johansen.

In the 2011-2012 season Johansen would make his NHL debut and would go on to put up 21 points in 67 games. The next year, he would split time between the Blue Jackets and their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons. At the NHL level, he would score 5 goals and a total of 12 points in 40 games. Meanwhile in the AHL, Johansen would have 17 goals and a total of 33 points in 40 games. While the Blue Jackets would miss the NHL playoffs by 1 point that season, following the season Johansen would be sent back down to the Falcons where he would have a very disappointed playoff posting a single assist and going -8 in 5 games.

Then came the difficulty. Following the season, Johansen’s entry level agreement ended leaving the two sides with a negotiation for the first time. After months of worry for Blue Jackets fans, almost no ground had been made. Johansen’s agent Kurt Overhardt has been infamous for hold outs, including Brandon Dubinsky holding out through training camp in New York and a negotiation that required Kyle Turris to be traded to Ottawa. The Blue Jackets faithful feared the worst. Johansen would hold out through the entire training camp but would finally agree to a bridge deal worth $4M a year.

The 2014-2015 would be a difficult season for Blue Jackets fans, however it would be a great year statistically for Johansen. He would be one of only two Columbus players to play in all 82 games, the other would be David Savard. In those 82 games, Johansen showed a new motivation. He would finish the season 16^th in the league in points. That was higher than names like Ryan Getzlaf, Rick Nash, Henrik Zetterberg, and his childhood idol Joe Thornton. During the season, Johansen would be the first overall pick in the All-Star draft. Then he would win the NHL breakaway competition during the All-Star weekend and finally be named All-Star MVP. While it’s very possible (and pretty likely) that a majority of these All-Star related accomplishments only happened because it was being hosted in Columbus, it is still impressive none-the-less.

The 2014-2015 season was not only a growth on the ice, his bond to Columbus and maturity in general saw a massive growth. During the All-Star festivities, Johansen was a proud ambassador of the City of Columbus. He has become one of the first people a player will hear from when they join the team, or in the case of Mike Reilly they will see this:

We didn't want him anyway

— Ryan Johansen (@RyanJohansen19) June 17, 2015

STATUS: UNTOUCHABLE

This one goes essentially without saying. Johansen is a very important part of the Blue Jackets future and can very easily grow into a top player in the league if he keeps up his rate of development. Playing next to Brandon Saad will only improve his numbers for now and the future.


Johansen takes his shots at the NHL Breakaway Competition.