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Seeking Vengeance - Aug. 20 2018 - Vol. 72 Issue 2 - Ryan Kennedy

BEWARE, MONTREAL AND Ottawa: Filip Zadina has already put you on blast. The dynamic Czech sniper was crestfallen when he slipped out of the top five at the 2018 NHL draft, and though he was happy to be scooped up by Detroit sixth overall, he had a warning for the Habs and Sens, both of whom passed on him: “I told my agent if they pass on me, I’m going to fill their nets with pucks.”

It was the line of the night in Dallas, and since all three franchises reside in the Atlantic Division, Zadina has a chance to make his new rivals pay frequently. And based on Detroit’s depth chart, he’ll probably get the opportunity to do it as early as this coming season.

"I Had A Clearer Mind": Alex DeBrincat Explains Difference Between First and Second Seasons With Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings acquired a true homegrown star player in the 2023 offseason when they traded for Farmington Hills native Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators, and he immediately began making an impact for Detroit on the scoresheet once the regular season began.

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The Red Wings were an undisputed winner at the draft (see pg. 50), grabbing Zadina and then lucking out again when Drummondville center Joe Veleno slipped to No. 30, allowing Detroit to pick him up with the first-rounder they acquired from Vegas in the Tomas Tatar trade. “Anything can happen at a draft, you just have to stay patient,” Veleno said. “I was nervous the whole way, but I was excited at the same time. Just to hear your name called is pretty special.”

Veleno probably should have been taken in the middle of the first round, but the Friday night of the draft is always a study in chaos. He likely heads back for another season of junior in the QMJHL. A playmaking center who can kill penalties, boost the power play and bring leadership, he upped his game after a trade from Saint John, the franchise with which he won a league title the year before. The Sea Dogs went into rebuilding mode after that, and Veleno seemed suppressed by the pressure of being one of the few remaining weapons on the team.

Detroit actually went into the first round targeting blueliners up top, but changed course when Zadina, a scoring Czech with a great release, became available. The Halifax Mooseheads’ left winger has already made a great impression on Detroit’s fans, dazzling with his stickhandling and shot at the Red Wings’ development camp. For a franchise lacking a lot of high-end skill right now, he’d be a welcome addition on a line with Dylan Larkin or Henrik Zetterberg next season. “I want to do every single step the right way,” Zadina said. “I will do anything for it and hopefully it happens.”

Though he didn’t expect to be a Red Wing, the charismatic kid is already excited for the future – and not just because of his potential linemates. “They have some pretty good ‘D,’ too, like Niklas Kronwall,” Zadina said. “I’ll have to be careful at my first practice.”

That is, if the veteran blueliner can catch Zadina.

Sabres' Tage Thompson Continues Rampage Vs. Red Wings In 5-2 Pre-Season Win Something about playing against the Detroit Red Wings seems to agree with Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, be it during regular season play or in Saturday afternoon's instance, pre-season play. 

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Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week. 

You could make the case that he is the top prospect in the organization, and he has a real shot to make the jump this year. Last season with the Cleveland Monsters, he put up 53 points in 61 games, showing he is more than capable of bringing offense. If he were to stick, he would likely slide into a third- or fourth-line role and give that group some much-needed scoring punch.

Blue Jackets Prospect Eyeing Opening Night Roster SpotWith NHL training camps in full swing, the Columbus Blue Jackets have a big season in front of them. The offseason did not bring a ton of changes, but it still feels like there is room for a few prospects to push for an opening-night spot. And even if they do not make it right away, there is one player in particular fans should be watching closely.

It's preseason, so there weren't many bright spots. Despite the goalies giving up 3 goals, Merzļikins and Greaves didn't play terribly. The first goal Elvis gave up, there was no chance of saving it, as he didn't even see it. The second goal he gave up wasn't his fault either. Greaves flashed his lightning-fast glove more than a few times to make some big saves. The goal he did give up was on an unstoppable snipe by youngster Konsta Helenius to make it 4-0. 

Blue Jackets Blanked By Buffalo In Preseason Game #2The Blue Jackets were held scoreless by Buffalo goalies Alexandar Georgiev and Devon Levi in the first game of a home-and-home series with the Sabres on Monday night. 

They also cut forward Owen Griffin, who will return to the Oshawa Generals for the 2025-26 season. With Oshawa last year, he scored 22 goals and added 29 assists for 51 points in 62 games. He was also impressive in the playoffs, putting up 29 points in 21 games.

Blue Jackets Trim Training Camp Roster By Four PlayersThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced four cuts to their 2025 training camp roster.

Mike Rupp - 2006 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 1998, and then by the New Jersey Devils in 2000. (re-entry)

The Cleveland, Ohio native played 39 games for the Jackets in 2005-06, scoring four goals and totaling six points, after being traded to Columbus on on October 8, 2005. 

Rupp famously played for the Danbury Trashers during the lockout of 04-05 in the UHL. If you haven't watched that documentary on Netflix - DO IT! He retired in 2014. 

Nowadays, he can be seen on The NHL Network as an analyst. He was also a broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins for 8 years.

20 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #20The Columbus Blue Jackets have 20 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #20. 

Konopka spent two seasons with the Crunch from 2006-08, where he helped lead them to the second round of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs. He served as captain during his time in Syracuse and remains a fan favorite to this day. In 82 games with the Crunch, he recorded 33 goals and 42 assists for 75 points while also tallying 264 penalty minutes.

Former Blue Jackets Forward To Be Inducted Into Syracuse Crunch Hockey Hall of FameFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Zenon Konopka has been named to the Syracuse Crunch Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2025.

For Columbus Blue Jackets fans, Episode 2 is the one to watch. It follows Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan through the tragic loss of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

Werenski and Monahan were two of Gaudreau’s closest friends, so the episode shows how they navigated the loss while also highlighting how the Blue Jackets’ season unfolded as they narrowly missed the playoffs.

Blue Jackets' Werenski & Monahan Among Stars In FACEOFF: Inside The NHLYesterday, Prime Video released the trailer for the second season of their FACEOFF: Inside the NHL docuseries. 

Liam Foudy - 2020-2024 - Drafted by Columbus in 2018. 

Foudy played 90 games as a Jacket in five seasons, scoring 7 goals and totaling 19 points. He also had 35 points in 41 career games for Cleveland.

He was put on waivers on October 21, 2023, and picked up by Nashville. He signed with the New York Islanders for the 24-25 season and is slated to play for AHL Bridgeport this season. 

19 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #19The Columbus Blue Jackets have 19 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #19. 

The 19-year-old Elick, who stands at 6-feet-4, was drafted in the second round of the 2024 draft by Don Waddell. He has played three years in Junior but won't be eligible for the AHL until after January. We could see him in a Monster uniform if they make a run in the playoffs. 

Blue Jackets Send Charlie Elick Back To Junior TeamThe Blue Jackets have announced that they've loaned young prospect Charlie Elick back to the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. 

Robert Kron - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Vancouver in 1985.

Played 118 games for the Jackets from 2000 to 2002. He never played another NHL game after Columbus. In March 2001, Kron broke his ankle when he fell over awkwardly after taking a puck to the face. It was truly one of the oddest moments in CBJ history.

Nowadays, Kron is the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Seattle Kraken. 

18 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #18The Columbus Blue Jackets have 18 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #18. 

Last year, Greaves set a Cleveland Monsters single-season franchise record for wins while ranking second among AHL goalies in victories (30-12-4), earning his first appearance at the AHL All-Star Classic. In the post-season, he posted an 8-5 record with a 2.17 goals-against average, .926 save percentage, and one shutout in 13 games to help Cleveland advance to the Eastern Conference final. The Blue Jackets subsequently rewarded Greaves with a two-year extension.

From The Archive: Please Remain SeatedThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Steve Maltais - 2001 - Drafted by Washington in 1987.

Maltais played 26 games during the first season of the CBJ's existence and scored three points. Before joining Columbus, he played several years for the IHL's Chicago Wolves, where he captained the team for a total of 10 years. Those years came before, and after his time in Columbus. 

He retired in 2005 as the Wolves' all-time leading scorer and has his number retired in Chicago. 

17 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #17The Columbus Blue Jackets have 17 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #17. 

Jordan Dumais has been plagued by injuries so far in his young hockey career. After missing the start of last season due to injury, he made his debut and played 21 games for the Cleveland Monsters and totaled 11 points. 

Injury Report: Jordan Dumais Expected To Miss Three WeeksPer The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, young forward Jordan Dumais is expected to miss the start of the season.

Per Chris Johnson of TSN and The Athletic, goalie Ivan Fedotov was placed on waivers today by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Per Report: Ivan Fedotov Put On WaiversPer Chris Johnson of TSN and The Athletic, goalie Ivan Fedotov was placed on waivers today by the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Mike Sillinger - 2002-2003 - Drafted by Detroit in 1989. 

Sillinger is best known for playing for 12 different NHL teams and being traded nine times. He played 155 games for the CBJ and had 86 points. He retired in 2008 after playing 1089 games for 12 different teams. 

Of course, nowadays, he's best known for being the father of Jackets forwards Cole and Owen Sillinger. 

16 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #16The Columbus Blue Jackets have 16 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #16. 

Next, they have placed Dysin Mayo, Hunter McKown, Zach Sawchenko, and Owen Sillinger on waivers for the purpose of reassigning to the AHL.

They have also loaned Caleb MacDonald and Guillaume Richard to the Monsters, as well as assigned Roman Ahcan, Riley Bezeau, Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm, Will MacKinnon, and Ryland Mosley to AHL contracts with Cleveland.

Blue Jackets Announce More Roster Moves As we enter the second week of preseason, it is now the time where NHL teams make tough decisions on who they are going to cut. For the Columbus Blue Jackets, they just announced more roster moves to their training camp roster.

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Seamus Casey made his preseason debut for the New Jersey Devils last night in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders.

The 21-year-old had been sidelined at the start of preseason due to injury and, aside from playing one game in the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, had not seen ice time until two nights ago.

Casey played 14 games with the Devils last season after being drafted 46th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, recording eight points in the NHL.

Ahead of the game, Casey spoke with NHL.com about how he felt going into his debut:

“Body feels great. I’m ready to go,” he said. “It’s been a great week of preparation. It’s so exciting. I’ve been waiting since last year to get a game going.”

On the ice, Casey made an immediate impact, tallying two points on assists. Reflecting on returning to action, he added:

“It’s been a long summer. I’m just pumped to get out there with the guys. I missed the first two games, so I’m just excited to be out there.”

Despite the strong start, Casey emphasized that he knows it’s a long process:

“You have to prove it every day. It’s ‘what have you done for me lately.’ You can’t be happy with the way things went in the past and think that’s going to carry you forward. I have to keep getting better, and it starts tonight. It’s going to be a long season of getting better and adding more consistency. It starts now.”

Head coach Sheldon Keefe also acknowledged the progress Casey has made:

“You look for him to take a step in his confidence, sense of belonging—just be himself, go out and play. I felt he did a good job of that last year, that’s why we felt comfortable putting him in. This year the circumstances are a little different. There are maybe more expectations since he played last year and is more comfortable.”

With defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic out at the start of the season due to an injury sustained last year, there’s an opportunity for Casey to secure a more permanent spot on the roster.

Keefe praised the young defenseman’s performance last season, saying:

“I really like the way that he played for us last year when he was up.”

The Chicago Blackhawks had the pleasure of having Marc-Andre Fleury on their team for 45 games played over the course of his 1051-game career. He helped make what turned out to be a rough 2021-22 season for the Blackhawks better. 

At the trade deadline of that season, the Blackhawks traded him to the Minnesota Wild, where he would finish out his days in the NHL. At the end of the 2024-25 season, Fleury played his last game before retiring. 

During the off-season, however, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that he would return on a PTO to play one preseason game so he could retire with the team where he became a legend. While in Pittsburgh, Fleury was a big part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams. 

That game took place on Saturday night in Pittsburgh against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He came in for the third period, didn’t give up a goal, and the Penguins won. They also allowed him to be the goalie in a shootout for entertainment purposes once regulation ended. 

He was saluted by the Penguins crowd, which is an organization that will always have him around going forward. Fleury’s legacy in Pittsburgh is right up there with some of the greats of every sport. 

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kristopher Letang played a key role in the celebration process, as those three helped Fleury form the winningest core in Penguins history. 

To say that the Penguins got everything they expected and more out of Fleury when they took him first overall in 2003 would be an understatement. The NHL and the entire hockey community are better for knowing Marc-Andre Fleury.

Next up for Fleury is the Hall of Fame. It shouldn’t take long to get him inducted now that his playing career is over. He will likely make it on the first ballot. 

Fleury will go out with his three Stanley Cups, a Vezina Trophy, a Jennings Trophy, a record of 575-339-97, 76 career shutouts, a 2.60 goals against average, and a .912 save percentage. Retiring on their own terms makes sense for a player of his caliber. 

Expect this to become a new tradition for all-time greats who may not end with their original teams. It’s a cool new idea that we’ve never seen before, but it won’t be soon forgotten as the first of its kind. 

Fleury actually got to play, and play well, with the Penguins one last time. It's a memory that will last a lifetime.

The Blackhawks were such a small part of his journey, but a part of it nonetheless. He deserves all of his “flowers” as he impacted so many people at every stop he made in a positive way. If there were a Hall of Humanity, he’d be in that, too. 

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