The Blue Jackets are in the news today and thankfully none of it has to do with the finances of the organization or other potentially negative press. There is a great article featured on The Hockey News about one of the CBJ’s sophomores Jake Voracek. Here’s an excerpt:
The summer program Hitchcock talked involved a few Blue Jackets in California, a place – and lifestyle – Voracek took to immediately.
“I went out there to see how he was doing and he said he’d come by and see me for a visit,” Hitchcock recalled. “We had dinner together and I didn’t even recognize him, his hair was so long. He was definitely enjoying the California lifestyle.”
Voracek’s hair has taken on a life of its own. It’s like a good Canadian hockey mullet, but Czeched-out Jaromir Jagr-style, which is why it’s being called the ‘Kladno Cut,’ the city Voracek and Jagr both hail from. (See Aaron Portzline’s blog for more on the hair and Voracek’s musical tastes.)
Jackets’ defenseman Jan Hejda was featured on NHL.com in a Central Division Focused article. The article speaks to how Hejda came to find his home in Columbus:
He offered Jan the same contract package the Oilers told him they would make with him by mid-July. But there was a very big difference between the two offers. Edmonton’s proposal was just a promise that something would be done in the next week or so. Howson’s offer to Hejda and his agent was guaranteed money right there in front of them.
Another difference; the Jackets’ offer was good for only the next three hours. Five hours later, Hejda’s agent called Howson back and said if the deal was still on the table they’d take it. That was on July 5, 2007 — and it’s a date that the Columbus GM often looks back on and wonders how lucky he was to get this defenseman under contract.
Tomorrow’s a big day for lots of reasons, but it should be known that Aaron Portzline reported that the Red Wings will start Goaltender Jimmy Howard in Nationwide Arena… I’m not sure why, but I feel like a kid on Christmas right now.
