Ohio Jones
Game on...
CD - Columbus, OH
The Columbus Blue Jackets today announced the signings of a quartet of young free agent blueliners. Coming to the Blue Jackets are Nate Guenin, Brandon Rogers, Richard Petiot and Nick Holden.
"We had some holes in the system on the blueline," said GM Doug Emerson in announcing the signings. "We'd addressed our top four (with the recent trade addition of former Blue Jacket Philippe Boucher), and now these signings help address our depth needs."
Guenin, 25, is a 6-2/210 right-shooting defenceman with two years of AHL experience and 9 NHL games under his belt. The product of Ohio State had 4 goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 77 AHL games in 2008/09, along with a +6 rating and 146 pims (good for second most on a feisty Phantoms roster). His size and aggressiveness may give him an inside edge in competing for the Jackets' open #6 spot with the likes of Aaron Rome and Brian Boyle. He needs work on his mobility and decision making. Guenin agreed to a two-year deal after Columbus beat out a competing bid from Montreal.
Rogers, 26, is a 6-1/190 right-shooting defenceman who has spent three seasons in the AHL after an outstanding NCAA career with Michigan. In 2007-08, the mobile two-way defender potted career highs in goals (4) and assists (24) in 63 games with Houston of the AHL, along with 77 penalty minutes and a team-high +17. He has been a bit injury prone in the past, and needs to prove he can play a full season. Rogers signed a one-year deal.
Petiot, 25, is a 6-2/190 left-shooting defenceman who spent three years in the NHL Kings' organization after graduating from Colorado College. He scored 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 40 games with Manchester of the AHL after losing much of the last two seasons with a serious knee injury. It's hoped that with his injuriy woes now behind him he can put his career as a no-nonsense stay-at-home defender back on track with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. He signed a one-year deal.
Holden, 21, is a 6-4/200 left-shooting defenceman who was a late bloomer in the WHL, having joined the expanion Chilliwack Bruins at age 18 from the AJHL. Holden had a terrfic overage year as the Bruins' Captian, potting a whopping 22 goals (1st in the WHL) and 38 assists for 60 points (3rd in the WHL) in 70 games, to go with a +5 rating and 54 pims. Two years ago, Holden was thinking of hanging up his skates for good and apprenticing as a plumber, but the opportunity to join the Bruins revived his puck dreams, and (in a bit of sim league synchronicity) he recently signed an entry-level deal with the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets, who hope he can develop into a top-4 puck-moving defenceman and PP threat. The HFNHL Jackets hope he can follow in the footsteps of a pair of fellow CHL blueliners signed by Columbus, namely Jim Vandermeer and Dennis Wideman (both of whom have since been moved to other teams). Holden signed a standard three-year deal after Columbus fended off interest from Western-Conference rivals Nashville and Phoenix, among others.
With these signings, the HFNHL Jackets appear to be ready for training camp. Their roster appears to be taking shape as follows:
Whether this lineup will be enough to see the Jackets back in the post season for the first time in three years remains to be seen. If they struggle out of the gate, there will be enormous pressure for the financially struggling club to slash payroll, so a strong start will be absolutely crucial - not just for the club's playoff hopes, but quite possibly for Emerson's job security.
Bring on the season!
Milo Minderbinder
Columbus Discoverer
The Columbus Blue Jackets today announced the signings of a quartet of young free agent blueliners. Coming to the Blue Jackets are Nate Guenin, Brandon Rogers, Richard Petiot and Nick Holden.
"We had some holes in the system on the blueline," said GM Doug Emerson in announcing the signings. "We'd addressed our top four (with the recent trade addition of former Blue Jacket Philippe Boucher), and now these signings help address our depth needs."
Guenin, 25, is a 6-2/210 right-shooting defenceman with two years of AHL experience and 9 NHL games under his belt. The product of Ohio State had 4 goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 77 AHL games in 2008/09, along with a +6 rating and 146 pims (good for second most on a feisty Phantoms roster). His size and aggressiveness may give him an inside edge in competing for the Jackets' open #6 spot with the likes of Aaron Rome and Brian Boyle. He needs work on his mobility and decision making. Guenin agreed to a two-year deal after Columbus beat out a competing bid from Montreal.
Rogers, 26, is a 6-1/190 right-shooting defenceman who has spent three seasons in the AHL after an outstanding NCAA career with Michigan. In 2007-08, the mobile two-way defender potted career highs in goals (4) and assists (24) in 63 games with Houston of the AHL, along with 77 penalty minutes and a team-high +17. He has been a bit injury prone in the past, and needs to prove he can play a full season. Rogers signed a one-year deal.
Petiot, 25, is a 6-2/190 left-shooting defenceman who spent three years in the NHL Kings' organization after graduating from Colorado College. He scored 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 40 games with Manchester of the AHL after losing much of the last two seasons with a serious knee injury. It's hoped that with his injuriy woes now behind him he can put his career as a no-nonsense stay-at-home defender back on track with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. He signed a one-year deal.
Holden, 21, is a 6-4/200 left-shooting defenceman who was a late bloomer in the WHL, having joined the expanion Chilliwack Bruins at age 18 from the AJHL. Holden had a terrfic overage year as the Bruins' Captian, potting a whopping 22 goals (1st in the WHL) and 38 assists for 60 points (3rd in the WHL) in 70 games, to go with a +5 rating and 54 pims. Two years ago, Holden was thinking of hanging up his skates for good and apprenticing as a plumber, but the opportunity to join the Bruins revived his puck dreams, and (in a bit of sim league synchronicity) he recently signed an entry-level deal with the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets, who hope he can develop into a top-4 puck-moving defenceman and PP threat. The HFNHL Jackets hope he can follow in the footsteps of a pair of fellow CHL blueliners signed by Columbus, namely Jim Vandermeer and Dennis Wideman (both of whom have since been moved to other teams). Holden signed a standard three-year deal after Columbus fended off interest from Western-Conference rivals Nashville and Phoenix, among others.
With these signings, the HFNHL Jackets appear to be ready for training camp. Their roster appears to be taking shape as follows:
Dustin Penner - Olli Jokinen - Martin St. Louis
Nikolai Zherdev - Viktor Kozlov - Steve Bernier
Clarke MacArthur - Eric Belanger - Dan Fritsche
Arron Asham/Konstantin Pushkarev - Ryan Potulny/Brian Boyle - Chris Thorburn
Scott Hannan - Philippe Boucher
Keith Carney - Pavel Kubina
Lukas Krajicek - Brian Boyle/Aaron Rome/Nate Guenin
Martin Gerber
Peter Budaj
Whether this lineup will be enough to see the Jackets back in the post season for the first time in three years remains to be seen. If they struggle out of the gate, there will be enormous pressure for the financially struggling club to slash payroll, so a strong start will be absolutely crucial - not just for the club's playoff hopes, but quite possibly for Emerson's job security.
Bring on the season!
Milo Minderbinder
Columbus Discoverer
