The CBJ Writer

It's Draft Day 2022 5th Line!  It seemed like this was a long ways away just two months ago, now it's already time to add to our Columbus Blue Jackets/Cleveland Monsters!  It's an exciting day for the franchise, players, coaches, Jarmo Kekalainen, sports writers and especially the fans.  With that being said, here are my picks for Round One of the 2022 NHL Draft, tonight!   Pick 6 Unless something shocking happens, which isn't unlike Kekalainen, we do have the 6th Overall Pick tonight.  I've read Facebook, Twitter, Listened to Skate Space with Jeff Svoboda and Dylan Tryer, CBJ In 30 with Bob McElligott and fans alike.  After doing so and also watching this team for 3 playoffs and 2 full NHL Season, I think what this team needs most is obvious, Center and Defender.  I'm not copying off anyone, at this point I feel this is just an obvious fact.  With that being said, I'm going to differ on some ideas I've read and seen because of a name I heard...

So, I'm going to take two shots on one goal here, discussing both Boqvist's new contract and highlight his previous season.  So, let's start with his previous 2021-22 NHL Season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, shall we?   Adam Boqvist did have some injuries this last season, however he still played in 52 of the 82 total, regular season games.  In that time he had 11 goals and 11 assists for a 22 point total.  Not bad considering.  He's also a 21-year-old Defenseman.  At 6'1 and 189 pounds, it's a bit obvious, between his points and size, why the Blue Jackets made the easy choice to keep him.  How long?  His contract will continue to the next 3 years, keeping him with the Blue Jackets likely through the 2024-25 NHL Season.  For this he'll be paid a fair amount, 7.8 Million total, roughly 2.6 Million a year.  Wouldn't that be the dream?  Make that much money doing something you absolutely love?  Yes.   Congratulati...

Mark your calendars 5th Line, we have a season start date!  The team will actually start away against Max Domi and the Hurricanes, before coming home and opening with the team we last played, the current Eastern Champions, Tampa Bay Lightning.  Friday October 14th 2022 will have a puck drop time of 7:00 PM EST at Nationwide Arena center ice.  The last time we played them here the Blue Jackets won, led by Elvis Merzlikins in net, 5-2.  It was a great game to close out the season.  Here's hoping it's a great way to open the next!   You can find the full 2022-23 NHL Schedule here, along with the dates to buy tickets by the seat! Link<https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/fans/hockeyisback 5th Line, we're back! Go CBJ!  

It's always interesting to hear from Blue Jackets General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen before an NHL Draft, this year is no different.  After last year's expected moving of Seth Jones minutes before the 2021 NHL Draft, then the unexpected trade of Cam Atkinson the next morning, I'm not sure what moves Kekalainen could make to surprise us more this Draft.  With that being said, for the future of this franchise, I think this is a challenge he takes on with pride.   The comment he made today got me thinking though.  With our team having two high Draft Picks, both 6 and 12, interest from other teams who really need new players is eminent.  Did we make the playoffs?  No.  Should we have had a far worse season with a complete rebuild?  With a brand new Head Coach, young players and especially the multiple injuries we had?  100%, yes.  Many reporters have made this comment and I agree with them, in words of my own of course.  The Columbus...

I started doing these for each player on the Columbus Blue Jackets roster this past season, at the very close of the season.  With Worlds now over and the Stanley Cup now given out, it's time my focus went back to my hometown team.  I'm very happy about that.  I will say, for sake of time and what's to come (NHL Draft, Free Agency, Signings and Camp) I'll likely do more than one of these posts a day, just so each player gets their post before next season starts!   J-F Berube, you're up! When I think of Berube's last year in a Blue Jackets uniform, I think of one game in particular.  February 24th, 2022.  Why?  Columbus had not won a game against the Florida Panthers, who was projected to and did win the Presidents Cup 2022, all season.  Elvis Merzlikins was injured.  Joonas Korpisalo was injured.  Daniel Tarasov was injured.  This left J-F Berube to answer the call, guarding the net for Columbus.  No pressure, right? ...

Normally I write my blog for the Columbus Blue Jackets NHL Franchise on facts.  Today, for this post, that won't be the case.  This will be an honest, heartfelt tribute from myself, to the Columbus Blue Jackets Team, Columbus Blue Jackets Franchise, the sports writers/reporters connected to this team, the 5th Line Fan Base, the country of Latvia and above all else, Matiss Kivlenieks and his family.  I hope I make you all proud in remembering the most difficult two weeks I ever spent writing for this team I've loved since established in 2000, when I was six-years-old.   July 5th, 2021 First I'll say this much, I'm writing this on the early morning of July 4th, 2022.  I want to be sure I edit this properly and give this tribute the respect it deserves.  Further, I don't know if I'm going to cry, so it seems wise to have time to step away for a few minutes, if needed.   I had been up late that night into early morning.  I went to bed around...

An Ohio born Blue Jacket will remain here for at least one more season, but I'll be the first to hope for another extension next season.  Carson Meyer had 3 points last season, consisting of 1 goal and 2 assists.  He managed this in just 13 games during his debut NHL Season, this past year.   If that doesn't excite you, his 27 total points with the AHL Monsters, this last season, should.  Consisting of 16 goals and 11 assists, he's an asset to the depth of this team.  I noticed more this Stanley Cup Playoffs than ever before, without depth, a playoff run is impossible.   Again, his deal will be for this next 2022-23 NHL Season only, for now.  It is also a two-way contract, meaning he'll bounce between the American and National Hockey Leagues.   I can't wait to see how the 24-year-old does this season.  You can read more of his stats, from my NHL.com source, here<https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/cbj-sign-rw-carson-meyer-t...