Afternoon Scrum 10/20/09

Some puck headlines to feed your fix. Look for a pre-game breakdown later in the day.

• The Calgary Herald takes a look at Rick Nash and his sterling 3-zone play thus far this season. As fellow JR poster Pepper Brooks noted in his most recent entry, Nash's name is bound to come up in the Selke discussion if he keeps playing like he has thus far.
• More from the good folks up in Alberta. This time its their game preview of tonight's tilt between the CBJ and the Flames. Predictions seem to boil down to Kiprusoff vs Mason in the nets. I can't disagree. There is, however, some discord on which Flame will ultimately square off against Jared Boll. My prediction there: Flames better watch out for Derek Dorsett.
• We here at Jackets Required are new to the blogging scene, so we've yet to encounter either the warm-fuzzies of being welcomed by our teams' media relations department, or the shame of being denied access to the free pretzels and water in the press box. But Puck Daddy can testify to both. He recently took part in a symposium on the current and future relationships between leagues/teams and the bloggers. Did I mention it took place in Vegas? Enjoy.
  
• Tom Reed over at the Dispatch reports that the Jackets have traded away Stefan Legein to Philadelphia for Michael Ratchuk. Last season Ratchuk had 5-12-17 and a -7 in 77 games for the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL. Ratchuck is a lefty. Check out his player profile here.
  
• In yesterday's Afternoon Scrum, I included a story about a topic I find fascinating: the current state of the NHLPA. Ken Campbell of The Hockey News has a slightly different take than I. Is he really advocating for another lockout?
  
  

Finally, don't forget to tune into the game tonight to see YOUR Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Calgary Flames. Game time is 9:30 pm. FSN-O has the tv coverage with their crappy low-def cameras. Good God that network drives me crazy. Carry the Flag!

Afternoon Scrum 10/19/09

Some NHL tidbits for ya. Don't forget Sharks vs Rangers tonight on Versus at 7:00.

• Remember Gilbert Brule? Looks like he may finally be rounding into an NHL level player. Dude has 4-3-7 and is a +3 in 7 games. Pretty solid numbers to start the season with. Let Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal fill you in on the nitty-gritty.

• Good news ladies, Blue Jacket's defenseman Mike Commodore's pulled groin looks to be back and ready for action. According to the good folks at the Columbus Dispatch, the only issue remaining is Commodore's conditioning. Learn all you ever wanted to know about Mike Commodore's groin here.

• The Colorado Avalanche are off to a waaaay better than expected start. The Avs are 6-1-1 and sit two points ahead of the Flames for 1st place in the Northwest. I don't think they stand a snowballs' chance in hell of actually making the playoffs, but they are making things interesting for the time being. Part of the surprise in Denver has been the play of rookie C Matt Duchene. So happy are the Avalanche brass with Duchene's play, they have notified his Junior team that he will not be returning.

• The Bruins have traded F Chuck Kobasew to Minnesota for F Craig Weller, a prospect and a 2nd round pick. TSN has the details, for what it's worth.

• You remember the lockout, don't you? Isn't it fair to assume the players remember the lockout too? Why, oh why, then can't the Players Association get their collective heads out of the sand? The most disorganized players union in all of professional sports held a conference call to discuss some rather serious matters recently, only to have 22 teams participate. That's right, the apathy amongst today's players is so high that 8 teams didn't even have a rep on the phone for a conference call. Folks, the current CBA is set to expire in 2010-2011. That is NEXT YEAR. Granted, the Union has the right to extend it for an additional season, but this is the same union I just write cant get players on the phone! They don't even have an elected leader. Darren Dregger has more.