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Columbus Blue Jackets News Clips September 14, 2017 Columbus Blue Jackets PAGE 02: The Athletic: Blue Jackets ready to test others if Josh Anderson is absent PAGE 04: The Athletic: Evaluating top prospects Pierre‐Luc Dubois, Vitaly Abramov in Traverse City PAGE 07: Columbus Dispatch: Puck‐rakers | Notebook: Optimism abounds at media day PAGE 09: Columbus Dispatch: Depth will increase competition at camp Cleveland Monsters/Prospects NHL/Websites PAGE 11: The Hockey News: Top 10 Hart Trophy Candidates for 2017‐2018 1 https://theathletic.com/101198/2017/09/13/portzline‐blue‐jackets‐ready‐to‐test‐others‐if‐josh‐ anderson‐is‐absent/ Blue Jackets ready to test others if Josh Anderson is absent By Aaron Portzline – Sept. 13, 2017 Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said he still believed right wing Josh Anderson would be on the ice Friday for the start of training camp. But if Anderson doesn't report? “Him not being here would be a bad, bad decision,” Kekalainen told The Athletic. The Blue Jackets held media day Wednesday in Nationwide Arena, basking in the optimism created by the franchise’s best season, a 50‐win, 108‐point surprise in 2016‐17. Even the idea that Anderson could become the second Blue Jackets’ player in four years to hold out of training camp didn’t dampen the mood for the club’s management or coach John Tortorella. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, nothing had changed in talks between Blue Jackets assistant general manager Bill Zito and Anderson’s agent, Darren Ferris, sources told The Athletic. Anderson is continuing to skate in Toronto. The Blue Jackets sought to minimize Anderson’s importance to the club by stressing their organizational depth. Like a player being injured, a player out of camp in a contract stalemate is met with a “next‐up” mentality. “We just move ahead,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to coach the players that are here, make our decisions from there and keep pushing forward. “There are other people right on your ass, looking for your job. We're talking about a young player who’s not in camp. He may lose his job. That’s the way it works. That’s healthy. That’s not a threat, it’s healthy.” Truth be told, the Blue Jackets don’t have anybody on the depth chart capable of playing Anderson’s style. He’s a 6‐foot‐3, 220‐pound bulldozer with the potential to be a game‐changer. He scored 17 goals last season in his first full season in the NHL. The Jackets do, however, have talented players who could be difference‐makers in their own way, Kekalainen said. Diminutive right wing Vitaly Abramov has spoken openly about his goal of making the Blue Jackets’ roster out of training camp, and he continued to open eyes with his indefatigable performance at the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich. Right wing Sonny Milano, a first‐round pick in 2014, does not have a clear path to the NHL yet again this season, but this could be his opening to finally stick. Forwards Tyler Motte and Jordan Schroeder, also smallish players, both have NHL experience and can play on the wing. Pierre‐Luc Dubois will likely get a long look to replace third‐line center William Karlsson, but he's a big‐ bodied forward who can also play on the wing. Others with an outside shot would be young forwards Sam Vigneault, Paul Bittner and Calvin Thurkauf. 2 “We have some guys who really have strong attitudes and are coming in here to push for jobs,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said. “Players have to understand … they better realize that some guys are pushing, and that’s a good sign for our organization.” Anderson is one of five restricted free agents who remained unsigned across the NHL on Wednesday. The others: Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno, Boston’s David Pastrnak, Colorado’s Nikita Zadorov and Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou. “Andy will be here, it’s just a matter of time,” Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson said. “There’s a business side of the game, and this is the crappy side of the business side. “I don’t hold a grudge because every guy goes through this at some point. It’s your life. You’re going to do what’s best for you and your family.” Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno joked that if he held a grudge against Anderson, he’d have to hold one against his own brother, a holdout with the Wild. “The only thing I’ll say is, it’s tough because Andy is so young,” Foligno said. “Training camps are important for young guys. That’s the tough part for me. But he’s a good enough player. I’m sure things will get done and he’ll work twice as hard to catch up.” NOTEBOOK • LW/C Boone Jenner has what Kekalainen described as a “middle body injury.” Asked how the injury was suffered, Kekalainen mentioned “training aches.” It doesn’t sound too serious, but Jenner will be limited early in camp. “We won’t rush him, either,” Kekalainen said. “But he should be in for enough exhibition games to be ready for the season opener.” • Atkinson will get first dibs on skating at right wing with center Alexander Wennberg and left wing Artemi Panarin. That's high‐rent real estate, folks. “That would be a great spot. I would love to play with them,” Atkinson said. “Obviously a lot can change within a day. I say this now, and tomorrow Torts will have me on a different line. But if I get the opportunity to play with them, I'll try to seize the moment and hopefully the chemistry kicks right in.” • Other training camp lines to ponder if the Blue Jackets are present (Anderson) and healthy (Jenner, Dubinsky): Calvert – Dubinsky – Anderson; Jenner – Dubois – Bjorkstrand; Foligno – Sedlak – Motte; Hannikainen – Vigneault – Milano. • At the start of camp, it appears Zach Werenski and Seth Jones, and Jack Johnson and David Savard, will skate together. The other top defensive pairs are Ryan Murray and Gabriel Carlsson, and Markus Nutivaara and Scott Harrington. • C Alexander Wennberg has taken longer than expected to get his work visa approved. Kekalainen said Wennberg should be in Columbus by late Thursday. • It’s still unclear how much center Brandon Dubinsky will take part in training camp or the preseason. Again, patience will guide his progress. “He’s getting better day by day, not going to take any chances, make sure he's at 100 percent healthy before we get him started into an exhibition game.” • The Jackets have 60 players on the training camp roster — 34 forwards, 21 defensemen and five goaltenders. Make that 59 if and when Anderson arrives. 3 https://theathletic.com/100475/2017/09/12/portzline‐evaluating‐top‐prospects‐pierre‐luc‐dubois‐ vitaly‐abramov‐in‐traverse‐city/ Evaluating top prospects Pierre‐Luc Dubois, Vitaly Abramov in Traverse City By Aaron Portzline – Sept. 13, 2017 TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Two prospects, two very different skill sets. Vitaly Abramov is impossible to ignore. Pierre‐Luc Dubois requires closer examination to fully appreciate. The Blue Jackets wrapped up the annual NHL prospects tournament on Tuesday, and Abramov and Dubois were two of the driving forces toward a second‐place finish. The Jackets (2‐2) took a 2‐0 lead in the first five minutes of the title game on goals by Calvin Thurkauf and Hayden Hodgson, but their grip on the game slowly eroded until the Blackhawks won 1:34 into overtime. Now it’s on to main camp, beginning on Friday in Columbus. Abramov and Dubois are expected to get long looks in training camp, and they did nothing to hurt their chances here. They played on the same line, with Thurkauf on the left wing. “I feel a lot better (than last year),” Dubois told The Athletic. “I feel like I’m myself a bit more (than last year). I didn’t know what to expect at Traverse, didn’t know what to expect at camp. This year I’m older, and I’m having a lot more fun with it. I want to have the same feeling at camp (in Columbus).” Dubois had three goals, one assist, a plus‐2 rating, 10 penalty minutes and just five shots on goal in the four games. He has a strong chance to make the Blue Jackets’ as a third‐line center. He was given a long look in Columbus last fall after the Blue Jackets took him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but clearly wasn’t ready for the NHL. So he went back to the junior ranks. “Last year, I went in putting pressure on myself, wanting to make the team,” Dubois said. “This year I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I still want to make the team, still want to prove I can play and help the team win. “But I know if I put that pressure on myself, I don’t play the best hockey. So I’m going to relax and have fun and play my best, just like I did here.” Dubois is appreciated more by scouts than laymen. There’s not a “wow” factor, but you gain appreciation over time. “He’s not a flashy guy,” Blue Jackets development coach Chris Clark said. “But if you watch him closely, he makes a lot of premiere moves.” Premiere moves? Clark was asked for a detailed explanation. “Look at his ability to make plays in traffic,” he said.

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