Around these parts, we’ll do our best to give you everything you need to know about the Columbus Blue Jackets. We’ll also fill you in on the stories you may not have heard about (or those you didn’t think you need to know about), the social media buzz around the league, along with a few random nuggets for good measure.
Think of it as your morning coffee with a shot of hockey talk.
CAPTAIN CLEANS UP: When you work in sports or sports media, you will be exposed to hundreds of coaches, executives and athletes.
Most of them are wonderful to work with and willing to help with whatever you need, but very few of them are like Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno.
What you see is what you get: honest, endearing, genuine and passionate about his teammates and the Blue Jackets organization. He’s a selfless person who has endured incredible highs and crushing disappointments in his life, but he uses the latter (along with his platform as a professional athlete) to fight the good fight.
And so, his double-dip in the NHL Humanitarian Awards last night in Las Vegas – winning both the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award – is not much of a surprise, particularly when you consider the investment Foligno has made in his family, his teammates and the city of Columbus.
His $1 million donation to Nationwide Children’s and Boston Children’s Hospitals last fall grabbed headlines for good reason, but beyond the bright lights, Foligno is down-to-earth, real, and is one of those unique people who wants nothing more than the best for others.
I know I’m speaking quite highly of Foligno and some of this may seem hyperbolic, but really, it’s not. He, wife Janelle, and the rest of the family are great human beings committed to doing as much good as they can for as long they can. We need more people like them in the world.
Congratulations, Nick, on a pair of incredibly well-earned honors.
Congratulations to @BlueJacketsNHL captain @NickFoligno on winning the King Clancy Memorial Trophy! #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/VxzeMifbKM
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) June 20, 2017
THE BIG REVEALSKI: After months of speculation (thanks to the NHL switching uniform providers from Reebok to adidas), we finally got our first look at the new sweaters for the 2017-18 season. No, the adidas “three-stripe” logo does not adorn the front of every jersey – nor is it prominently in view – and overall, most of the updates to the uniforms look pretty solid.
One that jumps out right away is the first jersey in Vegas Golden Knights history. Hoo boy, that’s sharp. Love the accents of all their primary colors, and on the whole, it feels like an original design with a bold look for the NHL’s newest club. I’m a fan, and I’m sure #HockeyTwitter is in total agreement with me on this.
I'd have to see closeups but damn, the Vegas jersey is beautiful. Colorado with the throwback, Sens still awful, love the Wild. pic.twitter.com/xWqMpuiYtB
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 21, 2017
1st Ohio Battery obtained an early look at the Blue Jackets’ version of the new sweaters featuring adidas’ adizero technology; fans will see minimal design changes but a few tweaks that were good ideas. Updating the name plate font and numerical font was long overdue, and aligning the striping along the collarbone makes the whole uniform look “put together.”
This photo of the new Blue Jackets jersey from @Steinosaur19 is similar to the ones we were provided. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/6pBoi0jnmP
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) June 20, 2017
But of course, even those who are mega-fans of these new jerseys won’t be able to get their hands on one until at least September. Come on, you wouldn’t think the NHL would make a big event out of the jersey release AND let you get one right away, did you?
[maniacal laugh]
STOCKPILING ASSETS: The Vegas Golden Knights have declared themselves “open for business” and GM George McPhee is the most powerful man in the sport right now. Every GM (except Detroit’s Ken Holland, who is too good for side deals) has been on the horn with McPhee in the last few weeks, efforting to get a trade in place that will allow them to retain an exposed player from selection in the expansion draft.
Rumors? We got ‘em. Speculation? Depends on how much you can handle.
This summer has been the NHL’s standard silly season on steroids. First the Stanley Cup Final, then the expansion draft and its trade-a-palooza, then the NHL Draft, and finally free agency to open July.
McPhee gave his colleagues a hard Tuesday deadline to get a trade done in advance of the expansion draft, because he wanted to make his selections later Tuesday and let the players know. A small handful of his expansion draft selections will be on-hand in Las Vegas for the announcement tonight (beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports), but some of the 30 players chosen by the Golden Knights may not be on the roster for long.
They’ve only got 23 spots, after all.
TSN hockey insider and margarita enthusiast Bob McKenzie has been all over it, and now says he is fairly certain in at least six teams who have deals arranged with the Golden Knights.
VGK say they have six trades in place. If we're speculating - emphasis on speculating - likely to be with ANA, CBJ, CHI, NYI, PIT, TB.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 20, 2017
ICYMI: In our latest 1OB staff roundtable, we discuss which direction the Golden Knights could go with their pick from Columbus ... Jeff Svoboda penned a terrific tribute for longest-tenured Blue Jacket Matt Calvert, who is rumored to be in consideration for Vegas ... If the Blue Jackets can keep Jack Johnson and retain their six defensemen, that's a huge win for them ... And finally, more coverage and photos from the Blue Jackets' jersey reveal.
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