Afternoon Scrum 12/31/09

Hockey headlines for the CBJ and from around the league. Mmmmm... hockey

Jackets play the Predators... again. I was really hoping this Jackets team would continue the play they showed against the Red Wings when they went to the Island the following evening. They didn't. They played just well enough against a crappy opponent to get 1 point via the shootout. Clark and Jurcina were decent, nothing glaringly wrong with their debuts. Jurcina actually played a solid game I thought. He stayed at home and didn't give up any breakaways. Late in the game when the Jackets needed a late goal just to tie it, he picked a couple of spots to jump in and try to get something. Overall pretty good. Sorry, this post isn't supposed to be a review of the last game.

• Predators vs Blue Jackets. Game previews from the Dispatch, Tennessean, and ESPN.

• Preds F Martin Erat (aka Cyber Vermon) and D Kevin Klein will likely miss tonight's game due to injuries sustained in their last game against St Louis. Coach Barry Trots thinks the hits were dirty.

• The boys over at Puckrakers tackle all the important issues facing the Jackets in their podcast, Cannonfodder. Trades, playoff chances, leadership, Olympics... they cover it all. BTW, I really enjoy Michael Arace's writing and he does a fine job of moderating the podcast, but dude has got to stop the heavy breathing into the microphone... sounds like Vader.

• Good news Jackets' fans! The team has decided that now's the time to start competing for a playoff spot... so nothing but wins, points and good times as we ring in 2010. Maybe F Kristian Huselius should wear two of them, just in case.

• Tom Reed over at Puckrakers makes the over-due argument that Huselius has earned a couple games in the press box. I agree wholeheartedly. The point about his continued presence on the top line as a mixed signal to young C Derick Brassard is a prudent one.

• Puck Daddy has completed his NHL Top Ten lists of the past Decade. The final category was Top Ten Goals... yes Nash's winner against the Coyotes makes the list. Check out the whole enchilada to see where he ranks.

• Winter Classic is tomorrow. 1:00 pm on NBC. Check out the time lapse of the Fenway Park transformation.

• Steve Yzerman announced the roster for Team Canada yesterday. I'll be rooting for Team USA, but Canada will be awfully tough to beat. That roster is sick.

• Some international cat fighting going on between the NHL, NHLPA , the IIHF and Team Russia.