NHL FanHouse

Plus/Minus: Huselius Leads Jackets Over Stars; Fleury Gets Benched

Adam Gretz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Penguins, Thrashers

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

More Coverage: Thursday's NHL Scoreboard
Leafs-Canes In A Surprising Thriller

Plus Of The Day: Kristian Huselius, Columbus Blue Jackets

A lot of the discussion from the Columbus-Dallas game will be centered around James Neal's hit on Derek Dorsett (which resulted in Neal getting a five-minute major and a game-misconduct), and the near fight between goaltenders Steve Mason and Marty Turco in what was a physical, penalty-filled game. The star of the night for Columbus -- which pulled out a 4-1 win on the road -- was forward Kristian Huselius, who scored two goals and added an assist in his team-high 22 minutes of ice-time.

Huselius has now recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in his past three games since returning from a shoulder injury, helping lead the Blue Jackets to their third straight win and sixth in the past eight games.

Minus Of The Day: Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins welcomed Sergei Gonchar and Max Talbot back to the lineup on Thursday night in Ottawa, but were still on the losing end of a 6-2 decision that saw starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury get yanked after giving up five consecutive goals.

Some of the blame can be pinned on a relatively inexperienced defense that, thanks to injuries to Alex Goligoski, Kris Letang, Brooks Orpik and Jay McKee, now consists of Deryk Engelland, Ben Lovejoy, Nate Guenin and Martin Skoula, but that doesn't excuse some of the goals Fleury gave up in the third period, including a pair of bad angle goals from defenseman Chris Phillips.

Fleury stopped just 19 of 24 shots on the night, and was pulled for the second time in his past three road starts (the other being a 5-0 loss in San Jose).

Highlight Of The Day: The Atlanta Thrashers overcame a 2-0 deficit to force a shootout on Thursday night, a comeback effort that saw Nik Antropov score his first goal of the season. Entering the night, Antropov led the Thrashers with 16 assists, but had yet to get his name in the goal column. That all changed when he deflected a Tobias Enstrom shot past Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask.

Plus/Minus: Huselius Leads Jackets Over Stars; Fleury Gets Benched originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikita Filatov Trade Could Bring Bounty For Blue Jackets

Christopher Botta — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, NHL Rumors

The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted a super-skilled freelancing forward a year ago and are now wondering why he's not developing into Jere Lehtinen. So on Tuesday, Nikita Filatov took his sticks and went home to Russia and the KHL -- as the Blue Jackets always knew he could.

Now the big question is, where do the Blue Jackets and their "prized" prospect go from here?

Columbus can continue to live in denial and hope Filatov and head coach Ken Hitchcock meet in the middle next season. (No doubt Hitch will have to design that play). Or they can deal with reality.

The Blue Jackets will likely listen to offers for Filatov between the end of the holiday transaction moratorium and the trade deadline on March 3. Think of the package of veterans general manager Scott Howson might be able to acquire to help put his team over the top. One forward and one defenseman to excel in Hitchcock's system could place Columbus in the top tier of the Western Conference.

It was only five months ago The Hockey News ranked Filatov as the top prospect in the game. While this latest saga does not upgrade his reputation among old school hockey executives -- the kind of guys who'd rather have a grinder from Saskatoon than a 40-goal scorer from Moscow -- don't think for a second that Filatov has been written off as a bust.

As an 18-year-old living on his own last year as a minor leaguer in Syracuse, Filatov had 16 goals and 16 assists in just 39 games with the Crunch. He was one of the standout players with bronze medalist Russia at last year's World Junior Championships. The most intriguing aspect of his trip home is that he'll get to prove himself all over again against players his age at this year's WJC. The better Filatov performs, the more the Blue Jackets' price increases.

And they will trade him. It's just a matter of time. If they don't get equal value before March 3, maybe Filatov will play more games for Columbus next season before everyone realizes there's no turning back. But his best value figures to be in the aftermath of the WJC.

There are no villains in this story, perhaps only mis-managers. Hitchcock has been the best thing to happen to the Blue Jackets organization since it opened shop. It just so happened he was the worst possible fit for Filatov. When you consider what Hitchcock has accomplished in the game -- 1,000 games coached and counting -- and how he helped developed champions in Dallas after introducing them to the defensive side of the ice, no one is blaming him. Filatov, without question, has some growing up to do. He's 19 years old.

When Filatov was learning the North American game in Syracuse last winter, I asked Hitchcock about his young student. "Nik's one of those players who come around maybe once every 10 years," said the coach. "He's a gifted, gifted player. If you give him an opportunity, he's going to score every time. How many guys do you know that can score from the top of the circles?"

I remember thinking at the time that Hitchcock so lathered on the praise, it sounded like advertising. A year later, Filatov is back in Russia and the Blue Jackets are forced to consider dealing him. If they wait too long, they could have another Nik Zherdev situation. If they play this right, they can move off their failed gamble at sixth overall in 2008 and become a much better team in the next three months.

Let the bidding begin.

Nikita Filatov Trade Could Bring Bounty For Blue Jackets originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Cody Goloubef

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Last year, the Wisconsin Badgers were loaded with defensemen. Entering the season, their top four were all high NHL draft picks. Three of those four are back this year, but it seems that junior Ryan McDonagh (NHL rights: N.Y. Rangers) gets a lot of the attention. While people gush -- justifiably -- about McDonagh's skills, junior Cody Goloubef (Columbus) might have become the best of the bunch.

While McDonagh is struggling a bit to start the season, spending too much time in the penalty box and not producing a lot of offense, Goloubef continues to show all-around improvement to his game.

After starting out in 2007 as the youngest player in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Goloubef showed he was mature beyond his years. He picked up ten points in 40 games as a freshman, then improved his output in his sophomore season.

Goloubef is a smart player. He makes great first passes out of his defensive zone, and is very capable offensively. It's very hard to trap the Badgers in their own end with Goloubef on the ice, because he has such a good sense for the forecheck pressure and can get the puck away from heat. He doesn't have a booming shot, but he is effective at finding shooting lanes and getting the puck to the net. While he's a good positional player who is rarely in the wrong spot, Goloubef isn't the most physical, and he can be a bit limited trying to play against bigger forwards.

Already possessing plenty of international experience, Goloubef is going to be a nice addition to the Columbus organization in the near future. Yes, they've done well populating their team with forwards, but Goloubef can bring them an offensive dimension they really don't have much of right now.

Not only that, but a full season of playing against some of the big, tough, and experienced forwards he'll see in the WCHA is only going to help his pro preparation.

Other Players to Watch

It's not often that a team can boast two five-point performances in a single game, but it happened Saturday. Minnesota Duluth -- off a 3-2 upset loss Friday in which they outshot visiting Michigan Tech 50-19 -- blitzed the Huskies 8-1. Junior Justin Fontaine (undrafted) had four goals and one assist, posting UMD's first four-goal game in nearly 12 years. Sophomore forward Mike Connolly (undrafted) scored once and assisted on four other goals. If that wasn't enough, junior Rob Bordson (undrafted) had four assists.

Sophomore forward Zac Dalpe (Carolina) assisted on two goals Friday, then scored twice Saturday, as Ohio State swept Western Michigan with matching 4-2 wins.

Two years ago, then-freshman goalie Richard Bachman burst on the WCHA scene, leading Colorado College to a league championship and NCAA bid. Now, with Bachman gone to the Dallas Stars organization, another freshman has taken the ball. Joe Howe (2010 draft eligible) stopped 59 of 61 shots as the Tigers swept Minnesota State, Mankato, over the weekend. Howe is now 7-1-1 in nine starts for CC, who has the unexpected early lead in the league (they were picked in the bottom half of the league in preseason polls).

After suffering their first loss of the year Friday at Yale, Cornell rallied to blow out Brown 6-0. Senior Colin Greening (Ottawa) had three assists, while senior Blake Gallagher (undrafted) scored twice and assisted on a goal. Senior goalie Ben Scrivens (undrafted), who was one of the nation's best last year, pitched the shutout with 28 saves.

Merrimack and Boston University split an exciting home-and-home series. The Warriors won on their ice Friday, 6-3, while BU won at home Saturday 6-4. Merrimack freshman Stephane da Costa (undrafted) had four more points (two goals, two assists) on the weekend, and now has 14 points in just eight games. Meanwhile, BU got three points from sophomore forward Chris Connolly (undrafted) in their Saturday win, and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (Colorado) had three points on the weekend.

Hi, My Name Is ... Cody Goloubef originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rick Nash's One-Legged Shootout Goal

Kevin Schultz — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Ducks, NHL Videos

On Wednesday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets were embarrassed on their home ice with a 9-1 loss against the Detroit Red Wings. On Friday night, the team bounced back when the Anaheim Ducks came to town and won, 3-2.

Thanks to Rick Nash, they also received the all important style points. Nash broke out a new move in the third round of the shootout against Ducks netminder J-S Giguere.

With the Blue Jackets up 1-0 in the shootout, Nash had a chance to put the game away if he could beat Giguere. Well, not only did he beat him, but he did it on one leg. Literally. Video after the jump.

Nash pulls a sharp left at the bottom of the circle, picks up his left leg, dekes, and beats Giguere. The goalie seemed to stay with the play pretty well but it seems that the obvious gimmick -- look! a distraction! -- worked perfectly anyway. That would end it and the Blue Jackets would go on to earn their 10th win of the year and staying within two points of the Blackhawks, who beat Toronto by the same margin, in the Central.

Rick Nash's One-Legged Shootout Goal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's Happened to Steve Mason?

Adam Gretz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets

Just a little over a year ago (373 days to be exact), Steve Mason made his NHL debut and stopped 22 shots in a 5-4 win against the Edmonton Oilers. He would go on to finish the campaign with the second-best goals against average in the NHL, lead the league in shutouts, win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, and be nominated as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender.

Through his first 14 starts of the 2009-10 season, things have been very, very different. You can call it whatever you want: a sophomore slump, a plain old slump, Jim Carey syndrome ... it doesn't matter. Bottom line is, he's struggling.

Is it time to panic if you're a Blue Jackets fan in regards to your 21-year-old franchise goaltender? Or is there something much larger going on in Columbus that isn't completely on the shoulders of the man between the pipes?

On Wednesday, Mason hit what had to be rock-bottom for the season when he surrendered eight goals on 27 shots in a 9-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, raising his goals against average to a league-worst 3.67, and dropping his save percentage to .879 (tied with Tampa Bay's Mike Smith, who has made just eight starts, for what is also the worst mark in the league). Before we get too far into this, it's important to keep in mind that Mason is, again, only 21 years old, an age when many goaltenders have yet to make their debut, let alone be relied on to be regular starters.

But how can a player be so dominant one year, and so mind-numbingly awful the next?

If there was one criticism about Mason during his rookie campaign, it was that he was simply a product of Ken Hitchcock's defensive system, to which he responded: "Obviously any goalie is going to benefit from playing in a defensive system. It doesn't mean they couldn't have success in another type of system, but it definitely helps out. I mean, I played on some junior teams that were a lot of offense, but I still handled myself quite well. I'm not complaining about the situation I've been put in with Columbus, it's very goaltender friendly, and if people want to comment and say the success is because of the system, well, they're probably right because any goalie would benefit from playing in a defensive system."

If the system were the biggest contributor to his success, a coaching change could be a plausible answer for the current problems. But Ken Hitchcock is still the man behind the bench. Even so, there appears to be something different going on in Central Ohio.

Let's compare some raw numbers for Mason in his first 14 starts this year, compared to his first 14 starts a year ago:

Steve Mason: The Numbers Through 14 Starts
Year	Shots	Shots per game	Saves	Save %
2008-09	363	25.9	335	.922
2009-10	412	29.4	362	.879

Not only is he giving up more goals, he's also facing about four more shots per game.

Next, let's take a look at where he's giving up goals from. The red Xs on the chart below represent the goals Mason has given up this season. The blue plus-signs are goals he gave up through his first 14 starts a season ago.

It appears as if the biggest difference this season is the number of goals that are coming from that soft spot between the face-off dots: the area every team in the NHL wants to get shots from.

If I had to wager a guess as to what's going on in Columbus this year, I'd say it's a combination of Mason regressing a bit, and the Blue Jackets not playing as tight defensively and allowing the opposition to get higher quality shots on goal.

We know they're giving up more shots, but it also appears they're giving up better shots.

What's Happened to Steve Mason? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: Varlamov Steps Up for Capitals; Blue Jackets Get Crushed

Adam Gretz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Capitals

More Coverage: Wednesday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals

Jose Theodore had a relatively short night for the Washington Capitals, finding himself on the bench just six minutes into the game after giving up three goals on five shots. His terrible start opened the door for Semyon Varlamov to come off the bench and help lead the Caps to a 5-4 shootout win -- a shootout that took 11 rounds to decide.

While hockey purists loathe the shootout and everything it stands for, there's no denying that Wednesday's performance was highly entertaining, as Varlamov and Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson matched one another save-for-save for the first 10 rounds. Chris Clark eventually scored what would be the game-winner for Washington before Varlamov sealed the contest by stopping Mark Streit.

Alexander Semin stepped up for the Capitals in the win as well, scoring two goals in regulation (and one in the shootout) and finishing with a game-high 11 shots on goal. He had been held to zero goals and two assists in his previous six games.

Even without the services of two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals have still found a way fill the net and get the job done, winning three of their past four games.

Minus Of The Day: The Columbus Blue Jackets

I was going to give this to Steve Mason for continuing his disappointing season by giving up eight goals on 27 shots in Columbus' 9-1 loss to Detroit (backup Mathieu Garon gave up the other goal), but ultimately decided to give it to the entire Blue Jackets team. Why? When you lose 9-1, in your home building, and get out-shot by a 39-26 margin it can't be blamed on just one person.

It's a total team effort.

That's not to say Mason didn't play a sizable role in the loss. I'm not going to throw around the phrase "sophomore slump" (mainly because I hate it), but there's clearly something wrong with the second-year netminder after his first 14 starts of the season.

After being the toast of the NHL a year ago, winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and finishing as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, Mason has struggled mightily this season, with Wednesday's effort being his worst of the young campaign. His save percentage for the game was barely over .700, while he entered play with a .891 mark for the season, good enough for 37th (out of 40) in the league.

Highlight Of The Day: Alexander Semin scores his first of two goals against the Islanders, this one coming just eight seconds into the game.

Plus/Minus: Varlamov Steps Up for Capitals; Blue Jackets Get Crushed originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cam Ward Taken to Hospital Following Cut on Leg

Adam Gretz — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, NHL Injuries, NHL Videos

Scary moment in Columbus on Saturday night as Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward had to leave the game early in the first period and be taken to a hospital after receiving cut on his leg following a collision with the skate blade of Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash.

Ward was down for quite a while, and as he slowly made his way to the bench blood could be seen on the ice. Video after the jump (and it's not as graphic as you might think. It's hard to even see what happened).

According to Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice following the game, Ward's injury is "significant." Obviously the first thing that comes to mind when talking about players being injured by skate blades are the horrific accidents involving former Buffalo Sabres goalie Clint Malarchuk and former Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik.

Hopefully for Ward's sake, his injury isn't anywhere near as serious.

As for the game itself, the Hurricanes dropped their 12th in a row, 3-2, and fall to 2-11-3 overall. They currently have a league-worst seven points in the standings.

Cam Ward Taken to Hospital Following Cut on Leg originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sharks, Wild, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Huh? Fight of the Week: Marek Zidlicky vs. Sidney Crosby

Sometimes, guys are obviously planning to fight before they drop the gloves. Others are clearly spontaneous. This one falls under the latter. Crosby and Zidlicky had enough of using their sticks, and decided to use fists instead. Watch it here.

Beatdown of the Week: Kent Huskins vs. Jared Boll

Boll is one of the league's real up-and-coming heavyweights, and he dominated this scrap. It started with a hard hit on Huskins by Boll, and quickly became a fight. Just as fast as it started, Boll emphatically ended it. He then proceeded to stand over his conquest like a predator stands over lunch. Watch the fight here.

Runner-Up: Dane Byers vs. Tanner Glass

This was a little quick for most fans' tastes, but some really good punches were thrown. Byers got off to a quick start, but Glass got the last laugh, or "shot," if you prefer. Check it out here.

Fight of the Week: Wade Belak vs. George Parros

Parros is a top fighter, and he got all he could handle in this one from Thursday night. The Predators might not have done much to stay in the game, but Belak more than held his own against one of the best.

There is some solid back-and-forth between the two, and the ending is kind of a surprise. Too bad for the Ducks' TV people that the fight was over by the time they got the "Tale of the Tape" graphic ready.

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin Hurt in Loss to Columbus

Adam Gretz — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Capitals, NHL Injuries, NHL Videos

The Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets played an overtime thriller on Sunday afternoon, with the Jackets picking up the 5-4 win thanks to R.J. Umberger's game-winner (and second goal of the game) at the 1:45 mark of the extra frame.

Perhaps the biggest concern for Capitals fans isn't the outcome on the scoreboard, but the status of the league's leading scorer and back-to-back MVP winner, Alex Ovechkin, who left the game after playing just 7:43.

From the Capitals Web site:

A few minutes before leaving, Ovechkin was involved in an altercation in front of the Blue Jackets' bench. During a break in play barely a minute into the second period, Ovechkin was bumped by Columbus left wing Jason Chimera and Ovechkin responded with a shove and players from both teams skated over to the scrum. Ovechkin, Chimera and Blue Jacket right wing Jared Boll all received minors for roughing, and Boll was also issued a misconduct.

As if the league didn't have enough star players injured through the first month of the season.

The team announced, via Twitter, that Ovechkin is day-to-day with an upper body injury, and that because of an off day on Monday, there won't be an update on his status until Tuesday. He's currently leading the league in most offensive categories, including goals (14), points (23), and shots on goal (85).

The third period saw the two teams combine for five goals, including a pair from Raffi Torres, who tied the game for Columbus with just 16 seconds to play in regulation. Rick Nash opened the scoring for the Blue Jackets early in the second period with this goal that probably won't be showing up on the highlight reel for Washington's defense this season:

Washington has now lost back-to-back games at home following a six-game winning streak, but has still managed to gain at least a point in the standings in nine straight games. The Capitals haven't lost in regulation since their 3-2 loss in Detroit all the way back on October 10.

Ovechkin Hurt in Loss to Columbus originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Jackets Livid at Scuderi After Hip Check on Chimera

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Kings, Western, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

As talk of NHL discipline heats up early in the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets would like a little bit of love from the league office.

During a 6-2 pasting at the hands of Los Angeles Sunday night, Columbus forward Jason Chimera carried the puck across the Kings' blue line, and was met promptly by a low hit from defenseman Rob Scuderi. What appeared to be an attempt at a solid hip check was treated as anything but by the Blue Jackets.

First off, a look at the videotape.

Scuderi was not penalized. Chimera was given a misconduct, presumably for chirping at the Kings' bench after he (thankfully) got up after the hit. Derek Dorsett picked up a game misconduct after jumping off the bench to get involved in a post-hit fracas. Dorsett, however, was said to be coming on as part of a line change, and his argument apparently won the league over, as he will not be suspended further.

Chimera was livid after the game.

"It's a dirty hit. There's no room in the game for that kind of (expletive). A guy takes your knees out, what are you supposed to do? It wasn't a hip check at all. It was a direct hit on the knee. That's the way it goes, I guess. And he doesn't want to fight after a hit like that, either. I landed on my face, on the ice. My neck was squished against the ice. I'm lucky I don't have a concussion or something. It's a dirty hit and there's no room in the game for it. Too many guys now are getting carried off the ice on a stretcher. It's just dirty stuff. It shows no level of respect. I don't care if Scuderi's a good player. He needs to stick up for himself. You fight after you do something like that to somebody."

Scuderi did not offer an apology, instead claiming that his hit on Chimera was clean. He also told reporters that he didn't have a problem with the way Columbus reacted, saying they were just standing up for a teammate.

It's not hard to understand why this hit is so controversial. Scuderi tried to throw an old-school hit, but he got a bit too close to Chimera's knees for comfort.

Now, for the $64,000 question: Should Scuderi face supplemental discipline?

It could be argued that he hit Chimera too low, but was it intentional? This isn't as clear-cut as most hits that result in suspensions. For example, you can't argue that Tuomo Ruutu was trying to throw a clean hit on Darcy Tucker. The argument in favor of suspending Scuderi alleges intent that isn't abundantly clear.

While the Blue Jackets' reaction is completely understandable, and Scuderi was wrong not to have fought later in the game when asked, the NHL's hands are virtually tied when it comes to suspending the defenseman. Any supplemental discipline here would open up a huge can of worms that the league isn't prepared to open.

(UPDATE: Scuderi was fined by the NHL)

Blue Jackets Livid at Scuderi After Hip Check on Chimera originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Backchecking With ... Steve Mason

Susan Slusser — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets

We get to know NHL players with five quick questions. Today's subject: Steve Mason, whose Blue Jackets are currently ranked second in the Central Division. Mason is the league's reigning rookie of the year.

What is your earliest hockey memory?

I just played road hockey in the street with my friends in Canada -- that was the thing to do, rollerblades, running around in shoes, whatever. I'm still friends with all of those guys. They definitely think I'm very fortunate, but they don't treat me any differently.

What is your favorite thing about playing in the NHL?

Being able to do something I love. My whole life, my goal has been to be in the NHL. To be able to go around and see all the NHL cities, I'm living the dream. You couldn't ask for more. Plus, I'm around the greatest group of guys -- and I'm not worrying about the bus anymore.

What's the worst part?

I don't think there is a worst part. Obviously, it's a tough schedule, but there are people getting up and going to work at 7 a.m. every day. We play hockey. Everything's good.

Which player would you most like to run into the boards hard?

Tomas Holmstrom from Detroit. He gives me a lot of grief in front of the net. We play them six times. He's in the crease too much, the entire period, especially on the power play. With the rules, you can't force him out, he can just stand there and get on my nerves.

If you could be one teammate, who would it be and why?

It's got to be Nasher (Rick Nash). He's got a lot going for him. He's the captain, he's been on the Olympic team, and he's had a lot of success in the NHL. He's the face of the franchise. That's a good spot to be in.

Backchecking With ... Steve Mason originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Colton Orr Takes Over

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Flames, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Predators, Senators, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Some weeks, this job is just too easy. Our search for the best hockey fights includes a couple dandies this week, including a classic heavyweight battle in Toronto. It's the kind of bout that makes Brian Burke smile. Check out our runners-up, along with video of this week's best fight, after the jump.

Runner Up: Matt Walker vs. Chris Neil

Video here. Walker got some good early shots in, but Neil had a rally in him. This went from being a one-sided affair to quite competitive very quickly.

Runner Up: Jared Boll vs. Brandon Prust

Boll is one of the more underrated fighters in the league. He's big and strong, and also happens to be tough as nails. Prust brought some intensity to this fight, and he didn't back down after Boll landed an early right that would have staggered a lot of guys. Watch Prust make an impressive comeback here.

Runner Up: Zack Stortini vs. Triston Grant

Last week, we showed you Stortini standing and watching as skilled teammate Sam Gagner got in a scrap. No more of that, as Stortini mixed it up Tuesday, as his Oilers were blowing out the Predators. Stortini is a lot bigger than Grant, but the Nashville youngster held his own, mainly by keeping a strong hold on Stortini and limiting his ability to punch. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: David Koci vs. Colton Orr

This is easy. You don't even have to watch the video to know it's awesome, because Koci and Orr have plenty of experience and are more than capable of putting on a show. The heavyweights wore each other down, and there were more than a few punches thrown. Apologies for the lack of sound, but the feed that night had audio issues throughout. It's too bad, because it would be worth money to hear Joe Bowen call a fight this good.

Fight of the Week: Colton Orr Takes Over originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vanek Scores 2, Likely Out 'Weeks' With Upper Body Injury

Adam Gretz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Flames, Sabres, Red Wings, NHL Injuries

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Sabres 6, Red Wings 2: The Sabres scored four goals in seven minutes during the second period of their 6-2 win against the Red Wings on Tuesday, chasing Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood after he surrendered five goals on just 22 shots. Leading the way for Buffalo was Thomas Vanek with two goals, including what turned out to be a costly score when he was injured falling into the boards after poking in a rebound. He left the game and did not return with an "upper body injury" that appears to be fairly serious.

After the jump: Vanek's status, hit of the day, and more

Following the game, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said his All-Star winger could be out "weeks" with the injury.

Vanek missed nine games a season ago, which played a big role in the Sabres missing the playoffs as they went 3-5-1 in his absence and fell short of the postseason by just two points.

Drew Stafford, Patrick Kaleta, Clarke MacArthur and Paul Gaustad also scored for Buffalo, while Ryan Miller stopped 23 shots.

Blue Jackets 2, Flames 1: Columbus continued its fast start with a 2-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday. Anton Stralman scored his first goal as a member of the Blue Jackets, while Kristian Huselius' marker two minutes later proved to be the game-winner. Steve Mason turned aside 22-of-23 shots for Columbus as Calgary dropped its third game in a row, ending what turned out to be a disappointing -- and at times embarrassing -- two-game road trip.

Tuesday's Other Game

Toronto continues its early season struggles. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Go Green Nights return in Tampa Bay. Own a bike? Have a phone book you're looking to get rid of? Then you can see some free (or discounted) hockey on October 22 against the San Jose Sharks.

-- Gabriel Desjardins takes a look at Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala and asks the question we're all asking after his first four starts: does he really suck this much? [Behind The Net]

Video Of The Day

Patrick Kaleta, meet Niklas Kronwall.

Wednesday's Key Games

Pittsburgh vs. Carolina: The Penguins are unbeaten away from Mellon Arena this season and look to go a perfect a 4-0 on their current road trip. It's a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Final. No word on whether or not Bill Cowher will be sounding the Hurricane warning siren.

Edmonton vs. Chicago: Chicago returns to the ice after its record-tying come-from-behind win against Calgary on Monday. The Blackhawks will be taking on their former goaltender, Nikolai Khabibulin, as they host the Edmonton Oilers.

Los Angeles vs. New York: The Kings enter Madison Square Garden riding a four-game winning streak, including three-straight one-goal games. Ryan Smyth looks to be rejuvenated in Los Angeles with eight points (four goals, four assists) in his first five games.

Vanek Scores 2, Likely Out 'Weeks' With Upper Body Injury originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Columbus Jumps Out Fast in Central

Susan Slusser — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, FanHouse Exclusive

Sure, it's the early going, but the Central Division is no joke, with the still-tough Red Wings and two teams pegged for big things in St. Louis and Chicago.

More than two weeks in, Columbus has held its own, showing some very good things, like a near impervious penalty-kill unit, and at the other end of the spectrum, a wobbly power play.

"The team's come along quick," Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash said after a recent morning practice session. "We're getting contributions from the young guys, and we have such a young team, we're going to depend on them a lot to produce. So far, they've been great."

"It's nice to get off to a good start, put our best foot forward," goalie Steve Mason said. "We feel good, we have a lot of confidence and we worked hard this offseason to pick up where we left off."

Columbus would like nothing better than to build on last year's first-ever playoff appearance, which energized the area.

"We'd like to get back there," Nash said, "and make some noise."

Are the Blue Jackets still under the radar, though, after their initial playoff run and their fast start?

"You have to win in the playoffs, then everyone takes you a little more seriously. Until then, everyone's got a 'Yeah, but ...' going. We've got to fight that, because we didn't win in the playoffs."
-- Ken Hitchcock on gaining respect across the NHL"I hope so," Nash said. "We like it that way. It's nice to bring an element of surprise to teams. It's perfect. We're used to being the underdog."

Being in a smaller media market, the Blue Jackets don't draw much national attention, and Mason said that being outside the spotlight suits the team. "We can sneak up on people," he said.

Mason, though, won't be able to sneak up on anyone after being named the Calder Trophy winner as the league's top rookie last season. His emergence made the Blue Jackets a force to be reckoned with.

"He's unbelievable, and so calm," Nash said. "Steve's been our best player since he came up last December. And that's what we need -- teams that win championships have goalies who are the backbone of the team."

The Blue Jackets inked defenseman Rusty Klesla to a four-year, $12 million extension at the start of the month, which Nash and Mason applauded.

"It's huge," Mason said. "He's a big part of the team and he'll be here for years to come."

Head coach Ken Hitchcock can see a lot of places his team can improve, saying, "We can play a lot better. ... We need a lot of work."

This time of year, Hitchcock said, defense tends to lag behind offense because when the regular season starts, the level of play picks up and the games speed up.

"We're like a lot of teams, trying to get a lot of fingers out there plugging holes in the defense," Hitchcock said.

Another trip to the postseason this year won't get the Blue Jackets much notice, according to Hitchcock. The team won't increase its profile until it manages to win a playoff series.

"You have to win in the playoffs, then everyone takes you a little more seriously," he said. "Until then, everyone's got a 'Yeah, but...' going. We've got to fight that, because we didn't win in the playoffs.

"To be a legitimate team, we also have to have a lot better record in our division, and our division is the most competitive division I've ever been a part of."

Columbus Jumps Out Fast in Central originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luongo's Rough Start Continues

Adam Gretz — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3: It's a long season, and when all is said and done I have no doubt that Roberto Luongo will once again be at the top of the pile when it comes to NHL goaltenders. His first three starts of the season, however, have been quite forgettable, and Monday's game against Columbus was certainly the worst. Luongo was lifted after giving up four goals on just 12 shots, including three in a row to start the second period. Through three starts he's stopped just 50 of 61 shots.

After the jump: Video of the day, great minor league fight, Tuesday's key games

With Monday's loss, the Canucks fall to 0-3 on the season, while Columbus, led by Steve Mason's 40 saves, improves to 2-0. Antoine Vermette, Rostislav Klesla, Kristian Huselius, Nikita Filatov, and Fedor Tyutin all scored for the Blue Jackets.

Monday's Other Game

Teenage defenseman leads Rangers' power play [Box Score, Botta's Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole is going to miss some significant time due to a fracture in his lower left leg. [TSN]

-- Great minor league hockey fight between Joe Vitale and Kevin Harvey. [YouTube]

-- The Florida Panthers signed free-agent forward Dominic Moore to a one-year contract. [Litter Box Cats]

-- Columbus and Rostislav Klesla came to an agreement on a four-year contract extension over the weekend. [Puck Rakers]

-- During the fourth quarter of Monday night's Green Bay vs. Minnesota football game (otherwise known as Favre Bowl I), ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico referred to Packers kicker Mason Crosby as "Sidney Crosby." That will likely be the only time a hockey player is referenced by name on ESPN until the Stanley Cup Final.

Video Of The Day

Michael Del Zotto scores his second goal in as many games for the New York Rangers.

Tuesday's Key Games

Capitals vs. Flyers: The Washington Capitals are on pace to score, roughly, a billion goals this season (number may not be accurate) and they take their show on the road to Philadelphia for the Flyers' home opener. Ray Emery has looked solid in net for the Flyers through two starts, and this will clearly be his biggest challenge of the young season.

Senators vs. Maple Leafs: After losing in overtime to arch-rival Montreal in the season opener, the Maple Leafs were throttled by the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The Leafs return home on Tuesday for The Battle Of Ontario as they host the Ottawa Senators.

Stars vs. Oilers: Edmonton lost a point on Saturday when Nikolai Khabibulin turned the puck over to David Moss with less than a minute to play in regulation. The Oilers return to action, at home, against Dallas.

Luongo's Rough Start Continues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filatov Driven to Be an NHL Star

Christopher Botta — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, FanHouse Exclusive

Nikita Filatov, one of the NHL's most dynamic young players, is not going anywhere. He will not be sent to the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate in Syracuse and he will not bolt Ohio to play back home in the Kontinental Hockey League. He will play on one of Columbus' top three lines this season.

And any day now he's going to obtain a license to drive in the United States.

"I have one in Russia, but last season was so busy and so crazy I never took the time to get my license in the U.S.," the 19-year-old Filatov told FanHouse in a phone conversation over the weekend. "I'm taking care of this before the start of the regular season."

Count on him spending this one in Columbus after a year in Syracuse that could be described as an education in every sense.

"I grew as a person," he said. "I lived on my own for the first time in my life. I was still only 18. I had an apartment near the arena and I learned to cook for myself and clean. The experience was really successful and really hard."

That wasn't the half of it. He left the Syracuse Crunch for three weeks in December to play for Team Russia at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa. He scored a hat trick for Columbus against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 10 with his confidence boosted post-WJC. Unable to earn a steady shift under coach Ken Hitchcock because of a lack of polish in the defensive zone, Filatov was returned to Syracuse.

Soon after, the left wing came down with a severe bronchial infection, missed six weeks of action and lost 10 pounds off an already thin, 6-0, 170-pound frame. When he finally built back his strength, he played his best hockey of year for the Crunch and was recalled by Columbus for the team's playoff drive. There he mostly watched and learned.

Otherwise, it was an uneventful season.

"Nikita was a teenager in a new country and a new league," said Syracuse head coach Ross Yates. "It's fair to say he experienced just about everything you could expect a young man to handle. I thought Nikita did extremely well. He's going to have to learn how to play for Ken Hitchcock, and that will take time. But he's an electric player. Offensively, there are few players anywhere in the world with his ability."

While waiting for Filatov to learn the technical aspects of playing in the neutral and defensive zones, Hitchcock has lathered on the praise for his future star's artistic ability.

"Nik's the kind of player who doesn't come around very often," said Hitchcock. "If you give him an opportunity, he's going to score every time. How many guys do you know that can score from the top of the circles?

"He's learning the trust part of the game with the other four skaters on the ice. Keep in mind that every place he was before he joined our franchise, he was the only guy with the puck. He'd never played on the smaller surface, never played the North American style. In time, Nikita is going to be a great player for us."

The second-year pro, just four months older than 2009 first overall pick John Tavares, is going to get every opportunity from Hitchcock to be that player this season. Over the last few months, Filatov -- regarded across the board by Columbus and Syracuse personnel as a bright and gracious young man -- has said and done the right things.

He added 12 pounds of muscle after a summer of working out in Moscow with personal strength coach Alexander Troshin and players Ilya Kovalchuk, Sergei Zubov and Nikolai Zherdev. He turned down overtures from the KHL, saying his commitment was to the Blue Jackets. (The first year of his three-year Entry Level contract will kick in this season).

The threat of Filatov joining the KHL if he does not receive quality icetime in Columbus seems to never go away. But pressed by FanHouse, the 2008 sixth overall pick was incredulous.

"I understand the rumors to a certain point," said Filatov, "but I think I've made it very clear my goal is to play in the National Hockey League. This has been my dream for a long time and all I have said since before I was drafted. Look at everything that happened last year. I went through it to eventually be in the NHL."

Asked if he would listen to offers from the KHL if demoted to Syracuse, Filatov said, "I don't see any reason to even talk about it."

If Filatov wasn't a virtual lock when camp opened to start the season in the NHL, he is now. Veteran left wing Frederik Modin is out a month with a sprained knee. In back-to-back games over the weekend, speed wing Jason Chimera and tough forward Tom Sestito suffered serious head injuries.

For his part, Columbus general manager Scott Howson is not concerned about his potential 40-goal scorer leaving for Russia.

"Nikita sees what's happened the last few years with the big Russian stars like Ovechkin and Datsyuk," Howson told FanHouse this afternoon. "He saw Ovechkin practically own the NHL Awards show last season. There's no doubt in my mind that he's driven to be a star in the NHL."

Asked if he has watched how his countryman and video game cover boy Alexander Ovechkin has become arguably the NHL's biggest star, Filatov said, "Yes. It is an amazing story. Alexander is a model for many Russian players, someone to look up to."

Filatov laughed. "Hey, right now I just want to make the Columbus Blue Jackets."

Then he amended his objectives. "I want to make the team," Filatov said, "and I want to be a real part of the team."

Filatov Driven to Be an NHL Star originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Jackets Give New Meaning to 'Fantasy Hockey'

Kevin Schultz — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Fantasy Hockey

It's every fan's dream to own an NHL team, and I'm sure we've all spent some time thinking about what we would do if we actually did own one. Maybe take the Zamboni out for a spin? Challenge the star player to a bit of one-on-one? Or -- if you're really thinking this one through -- you can split up your players and draft fantasy teams during training camp and have a full-on competition. That's exactly what the Columbus Blue Jackets are doing during their first two days of training camp.

According to the Columbus Dispatch the idea was thought up by coach Ken Hitchcock as a way to get management more involved without stepping on any toes and to familiarize the players and owners with each other -- two groups that sometimes are very unfamiliar with each other. The team's four owners got together and drafted four teams which will play each other in a mini-tournament during training camp. They each drafted 16 skaters as the goaltenders will rotate throughout the teams.

There's no word on who got first pick and Rick Nash -- does that just go to the majority owner? -- and the draft order is being kept under lock and key. They certainly don't need a real life version of the South Park episode in which the girls make a list of the cutest boys and all hell breaks loose. Personally, I'm putting my money on whichever team happens to end up with Steve Mason.

Now if only I could get the money to buy a hockey team myself. This sounds like way too much fun to pass up. I guess I had better start buying some lottery tickets!

Blue Jackets Give New Meaning to 'Fantasy Hockey' originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Rick Nash (No. 20)

Adam Gretz — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 20 is Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash.

The Columbus Blue Jackets qualified for the NHL playoffs for the first time in franchise history this past season, and leading the way was team captain Rick Nash with a career-high 79 points. His season was highlighted by a pair of hat tricks against the Detroit Red Wings, including one in an 8-2 rout that featured Nash scoring three unassisted goals. It was the first time a player recorded three unassisted goals in a single game since Rocket Richard in 1948.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Rick Nash
Rick Nash	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Career Totals	194	161	355	436
Average Per 82 Games	36.0	30.3	65.6	81.1

Draft Year: 2002

The No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft, Nash was selected ahead of goaltender Kari Lehtonen and defensemen Jay Bouwmeester, Joni Pitkanen and Ryan Whitney. He's the only player ever selected by the Blue Jackets to score at least 100 goals in the NHL (Nikolai Zherdev, a member of the New York Rangers this past season, is sitting on 99).

Why He's On My List

Nash is turning into one of the elite goal-scorers in the NHL, and he's nearly impossible to knock off the puck once he gets his 220-pound frame rolling. He's already led the league in goals once (2003-04) and has finished in the top-10 in goals-per-game three times, including this past season when he lit the lamp 40 times. His numbers and accomplishments are even more impressive when you consider the Blue Jackets haven't had a true No. 1 center to compliment him on the top line.

Obligatory YouTube Video

One of the best goals of the 2008 season, this is a combination of world-class skill from Nash and terrible defense from Phoenix.

NHL's Top 50: Rick Nash (No. 20) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zubov Not Going to Columbus; Starting the Islanders Bandwagon a Year Early

Adam Gretz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, Islanders, Rangers, NHL Free Agency

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, we'll look at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

No Zubov For Columbus

On Sunday, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus-Dispatch reported on how Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson is prepared to enter the season with the team's current defensive lineup, and that despite a connection between free agent rearguard Sergei Zubov and current head coach Ken Hitchcock, the team has no interest in the veteran. Actually, he doesn't seem to have interest in anybody at this point. Even with Howson's desire to enter the season as is, the Blue Jackets could certainly use some punch from their defense.

Seidenberg And Babchuk Not Returning To Carolina

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford told the News & Observer's Cane's Now blog that the recent trade for Aaron Ward (yeah, that Aaron Ward) means Dennis Seidenberg and Anton Babchuk will not be returning to the team for the 2009-10 season. Seidenberg, still an unrestricted free agent despite his career-year, would be a solid fit for a team that lacks a puck-moving defenseman that can also block some shots (Hello, Columbus).

As for Babchuk, Rutherford had this to say, again from the News & Observer: "We've moved on from him. He's either going to get traded or I guess his other option is to play in Russia." He scored 16 goals for the Hurricanes in '08-09 and has an absolute cannon for a shot.

Bandwagons Aren't Just For Good Teams Anymore

Robby Krevat, a self-proclaimed life-long Rangers fan, admitted on Bleacher Report this past Sunday that he is now rooting for the New York Islanders because, in his words: "I can relate to them, because of what I think they are going to do for a sport that I love, around the corner from my house. I would love to see the Cup in my neighborhood and I believe the Islanders at this moment give New York it's best shot."

New York's best shot? Look, we're all excited about John Tavares, but let's not go crazy here. Then again, he's not the only one giving up on the blue shirts. Ryan Dixon of The Hockey News recently suggested that the Rangers could be "awful" this season, and that the Islanders just might be the most interesting team to watch in the New York market (Devils included!).

It's important to remind everyone in these crazy offseason times that the Rangers and Devils were both in the playoffs this past season, each playing in a Game 7, while the Islanders are likely headed for the draft lottery yet again.

Loose Pucks

-- The Hockey Writers have some impressions from the Calgary Flames prospect development camp.

-- Goon's World breaks down the Boston Bruins' current salary cap situation following the signing of free agent defenseman Derek Morris.

-- This can't be the start the St. Louis Blues were looking for, especially after all of the injuries the team played through this past season. Defenseman Eric Brewer may not be ready for the season opener according to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Zubov Not Going to Columbus; Starting the Islanders Bandwagon a Year Early originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Chats With Columbus Blue Jackets Goalie Steve Mason

Adam Gretz — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, FanHouse Exclusive

Steve Mason was a key part of the Columbus Blue Jackets' first trip to the playoffs this year, as the 20-year-old Oakville, Ontario native took home the Calder Trophy (pictured) as the NHL's rookie of the year. He was also nominated as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, thanks in large part to his league-leading 10 shutouts.

We had a chance to catch up with him this week and discuss his rookie season, being a "system goalie," and which players in the NHL he doesn't want to face on a breakaway (along with the ones he wouldn't mind facing).

Our Susan Slusser recently spoke to your general manager, Scott Howson, and he pretty much said that nobody in the organization expected you to be this good, this fast. What were your expectations coming into the season? Were you expecting to be the No. 1 goalie at some point, or were you just hoping to get a taste of the NHL?

Yeah, obviously when I first went into training camp I was rehabbing a knee injury, but my goal was to make the team. Obviously getting hurt in camp kind of diminished those hopes, but at that point I went down to Syracuse, played well there and had an opportunity to come back up.

I told myself if I ever got that opportunity to get back up I wanted to make the most of it and be a starter in the NHL.

Were you expecting to win the Calder Trophy and be nominated for the Vezina in your rookie season?

Well, you always set goals for yourself. Obviously for myself it wasn't to win the Calder or win the Vezina, or even be nominated, I just wanted to come in and do a good job, play consistently and give the team a chance to win. I think without the group of guys on our team I wouldn't have been close to having the success I had, especially earlier in the season, which allowed me to win the Calder.

Early last season, after a game against the Detroit Red Wings, Chris Osgood said that your style reminded him a lot of Tom Barrasso. Are there any goalies, past or present, that you've tried to model yourself after?

I don't think I've really tried to model my complete style after anybody, but growing up I always liked watching (Martin) Brodeur, and watching the way he handled the puck and acting as a third defenseman back there. When I was younger that was always something I tried to incorporate into my game and hopefully that can continue to benefit my game moving forward as I work on it.

If there was one piece of, let's call it skepticism, I saw this year regarding your play, it's that sometimes people would point to Ken Hitchcock's defensive system and how beneficial it can be for goalies. Every once in a while I would see somebody point to the numbers Pascal Leclaire put up a season ago as an example. How do you react to the belief -- and I should emphasize that it's not a particularly large belief -- that it's "the system" that created your success this season?

Well there's always people that are going to have their opinion, and they're entitled to it, but, really, it's no lie. Obviously any goalie is going to benefit from playing in a defensive system. It Doesn't mean they couldn't have success in another type of system, but it definitely helps out. I mean, I played on some junior teams that were a lot of offense, but I still handled myself quite well.

I'm not complaining about the situation I've been put in with Columbus, it's very goaltender friendly, and if people want to comment and say the success is because of the system, well, they're probably right because any goalie would benefit from playing in a defensive system.

Do you ever pay attention to hockey blogs or message boards and get an idea of what people are talking about, or do you just try to avoid all of that?

I try to stay away from it, and I think any athlete would be better off doing that. People are allowed to have their opinions, good or bad, but I think it's just best to stay away from it and focus on the task at hand, and for myself that's just getting better every year. Moving forward you can't really worry about what people are thinking or saying about you.

You had a pretty eventful season off the ice, and one of the big things was you going through mono. How much of a challenge was that for you to get back into the swing of things and the challenge of playing in the NHL?

It was extremely difficult. I was probably playing with it for a couple of weeks before I found out about it, and those weeks were tough because I didn't know what was wrong with me. I was just extremely tired, and there were times I just wanted to pass out on the ice, but I didn't know what was wrong until I finally got tested for it. It was almost kind of a calming feeling when I found out that it was mono and that it wasn't something else that was going wrong.

It was extremely difficult finding the energy to play the games. You know, we're playing every other night and it takes a toll on you, especially when you have a sickness like mono, it just makes it even harder. I think once the organization found out that's what I was dealing with they were really good about giving me some time off.

The other big one was the incident with the Calgary Flames fan, when he placed some threatening calls to the arena during a game. Is that something you think about when you're on the road or mingling with fans?

Not really. The organization handled it really well and they made sure I felt comfortable. I didn't even find out until after the game that something had gone on like that. When I was the star of the game and I wasn't allowed to go out and salute the fans, that was kind of the first indication that something was wrong. Honestly, it's not something I really think about anymore. Obviously there are people out there that want to have their five minutes of fame or whatever, but it's not something I worry about anymore. It's not something you want to deal with, obviously, but it's one of those things that just kind of happens.

One of the big moves the team made this offseason was signing Rick Nash to a long-term contract extension. How important is it for you guys to have him in Columbus as a building block going forward?

It's huge. Obviously he's the heart and soul of the hockey team. Without him it's entirely different and I think it's good for the organization and will help to attract players. When they see Rick Nash is locked up long-term and that the organization is committed to winning, it might help lure players that might not have considered Columbus. Considering he's shown that type of commitment to the team it's also great for the younger guys looking to win because, again, without him it's an entirely different team.

Columbus is still a relatively new hockey market. What is your opinion of the fan base there? Is it a city you think has a chance to continue to grow as a market and be successful long-term?

Oh, absolutely. It was my first year playing for Columbus, but it was a great experience. The fans are top-notch, they really like their hockey and they were really supportive down the stretch and obviously in the playoffs. It's a lot of fun to play here and I think I speak for all the players when I say that after a road trip they look forward to coming home and playing in front of the home fans. They're some of the loudest in the league and they definitely support their team very well.

Favorite hockey movie?

I'd probably have to go with Slap Shot. The original.

Not a fan of the sequel?

No, not at all. Absolutely not.

Were you ever a big fan of the hockey video games, like, for example, the old EA Sports NHL series on Sega?

Oh, yeah, I was more of a fan when I was younger, not so much anymore. I mean I used to play all the time, but now I try to stay away from it.

Who is the one player in the NHL you don't want to see coming at you on a breakaway?

Oh, man ... probably (Sidney) Crosby or (Evgeni) Malkin.

No Alex Ovechkin or Pavel Datsyuk?

Well ... I don't know, that's a good point. Let's go with Crosby or Ovechkin.

OK, who is the one player in the NHL you wouldn't mind facing on a breakaway? And don't be afraid to be honest.

(laughs) Um, if I can say guys on my own team I'd probably go with a Jared Boll or Derek Dorsett.

As a goalie, do you like the idea of a shootout deciding tie games in the regular season?

It's exciting, I think it's good for the fans and obviously with the goalie it's a lot of pressure on you, but if you come out on top it's a great feeling.

FanHouse Chats With Columbus Blue Jackets Goalie Steve Mason originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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