Columbus Blue Jackets News Clips February 10, 2017 Columbus Blue Jackets PAGE 02: Columbus Dispatch CBJ's John Tortorella confused by NHL concussion protocol in handling of Josh Anderson hit, says 'it makes zero sense' PAGE 04: Columbus Dispatch: Injured Blue Jackets' defenseman David Savard returns to practice PAGE 05: Columbus Dispatch: Canucks 3, Blue Jackets 0 | Homestand opens with a dud PAGE 07: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets need to snap out of Nationwide Arena funk PAGE 09: Columbus Dispatch: Sergei Bobrovsky can't do it all by himself PAGE 11: FOX Sports Ohio: Blue Jackets blanked by struggling Canucks, 3-0 PAGE 13: NHL.com: Ryan Miller, Canucks shut out Blue Jackets PAGE 15 ESPN: Blue Jackets adjust to being the hunted PAGE 18: The Hockey Writers: Recap: Ryan Miller’s Brilliance Bewilders Blue Jackets Cleveland Monsters/Prospects NHL/Websites PAGE 20: TSN.CA: Trade Deadline Playbook: Eastern Conference 1 http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20170209/cbjs-john-tortorella-confused-by-nhl-concussion-protocol- in-handling-of-josh-anderson-hit-says-it-makes-zero-sense CBJ's John Tortorella confused by NHL concussion protocol in handling of Josh Anderson hit, says 'it makes zero sense' By Tom Reed – February 10, 2017 John Tortorella said Josh Anderson is not concussed and the Blue Jackets coach remains confused as to why the NHL's new head-trauma protocol and medical personnel did not allow the winger to return to Tuesday's game in Detroit. In fact, he said it "makes zero sense." Anderson practiced this morning and was expected to play against the Vancouver Canucks tonight. A league spotter had him removed from the game in the second period of the Blue Jackets' 3-2 win over the Red Wings, Tortorella said, after Anderson absorbed a hit to the head from Detroit defenseman Brendan Smith. The second-year player said he was frustrated the Red Wings' doctor who examined him – the Blue Jackets' team physicians don't travel – would not let him return to the game. "I told him, 'I think I'm ready to go and play' and he said he didn't think it was a good idea, 'let's just take precaution now,'" Anderson said. Tortorella was told Tuesday night that Anderson had failed his concussion protocol test, the coach said, but when Blue Jackets' team doctors examined the player on Wednesday morning he did not show traces of a concussion. "He's not concussed," Tortorella said. "That was the protocol – which makes no sense to me. Some doctor just pulls him out and says, 'You're concussed' and then we come back here and he isn't. It makes zero sense. And I lose a pretty important player. "(Anderson) was checked the following morning by our doctor. The spotter pulled him out, out of the game, and called down and said, 'he's not playing.' We have diagnosed him not being concussed. Who diagnosed it (Tuesday night)? Was it their team doctor? I don't know how it all works. It doesn't make a whole helluva a lot of sense to me." According to the league's new policy, "the home club physician shall fulfill this function for players on the visiting team if the visiting club does not a physician travelling with the club." This season, the NHL followed the NFL's lead in putting independent spotters in arenas to look out for potential head injuries. There also are four certified athletic trainers or "central league spotters" who monitor telecasts of games from NHL offices and have the authority to directly contact teams and get players exhibiting signs of concussion removed from the ice. Previously, there had been team-affiliated spotters in each arena, but they could only make recommendations to the medical staff. 2 "(The doctor) just said maybe things are a little off, but everything went well," Anderson said. "I did a couple physical things in the room there and everything went well. He just said, 'We're taking a precaution right now and see how you feel tomorrow.'" Blue Jackets forward Scott Hartnell, who attempted to fight Smith at the end of regulation, said he understands the league's intent. "They are looking out for our safety," Hartnell said. "Sometimes, you might think you are alright and your brain tells you one thing and your body tells you another. They are just trying to take the questionable, gray area out of it." There was no penalty on the hit and Smith received no supplemental discipline from the league, which did review the play. Tortorella said he was surprised the NHL didn't take further action, but did not elaborate. 3 http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20170209/injured-blue-jackets-defenseman-david-savard-returns-to- practice Injured Blue Jackets' defenseman David Savard returns to practice By Tom Reed – February 10, 2017 Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard returned to practice Thursday morning, but isn't quite ready to resume playing. He's missed seven of the past eight games with back spasms. Savard's next test is "battle drills" in practice. Thursday was just a morning skate with limited contact. "I felt good today and it was nice to be back with the guys," the defenseman said. "It was good to skate around and do drills – passing, shooting, stuff like that. So we're heading in the right direction." Savard has evolved into a key member of the Blue Jackets' defense corps, teaming up with Jack Johnson to give them a shutdown pair. He has registered two goals, 10 assists and a team-leading plus-19 rating. The 26-year-old was unable to finish the Jan. 19 game at Nationwide Arena as he was spotted on the bench standing up, trying to get relief from the pain. Savard returned for the Jan. 26 game in Nashville, but labored through 16 minutes before being removed from the contest. The Jackets have allowed 3.66 goals per game dating to Jan. 19. The club hopes the recent 15-day rest allows Savard to return this time without issue. He had been skating on his own for several days to test the back and for conditioning purposes. "We'll see how it goes in the next couple days," Savard said. "I'll jump back into the battle drills and see how it reacts and go from there. Just trying to get back in shape a little bit. "I can't wait to get back on the ice (and play) and make a push to get a good playoff spot.” 4 http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20170209/canucks-3-blue-jackets-0--homestand-opens-with-dud Canucks 3, Blue Jackets 0 | Homestand opens with a dud By Tom Reed – February 10, 2017 The Blue Jackets could not have handpicked a better opponent to start their longest homestand. The Vancouver Canucks are the NHL road equivalent to opossums crossing four-lane traffic. They had gone splat at a 6-16-3 clip, entering Nationwide Arena with the fewest away points (15) and wins. But when the Blue Jackets play with little emotional investment as they did again Thursday night, bottom-feeders can come in and steal two points. The Canucks were the latest example as they scored twice in the second period on the way to relatively easy 3-0 win before 13,979 fans. It was a brutal beginning to a stretch of seven consecutive home games. In the past week, the Blue Jackets have followed decent road showings in Pittsburgh and Detroit with losses to lowly New Jersey and Vancouver. Coach John Tortorella said he doesn't have an answer as to why his team can't string solid performances a month after its 16-game winning streak ended. The Jackets (34-14-5) outshot the Canucks 33-24 but produced few scoring quality chances against goaltender Ryan Miller. For much of the night, the arena was as quiet as a Memorial Tournament tee box with golfers in mid- swing. "There was zero emotion within the game, and for what reason I don't know," Tortorella said. "Nothing happens right if you don't play with emotion. We've got to get that figured out. "We have to solve a problem here as far as where our consistency is with an attachment to a game. (In) all pro sports, if you are not attached emotionally, you are going to flip-flop as we've have been going on here." The Blue Jackets are 7-9-1 since Jan. 5. They have won two consecutive games only once. They need to start stacking victories during this homestand if they want to gain home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. "We're pretty much here the whole month of February," said Cam Atkinson, who had the club's best chance on a breakaway early in the third period when the Canucks led 2-0. "We have to make it hard on teams coming in here and we haven't done that lately. We've got to get back to working hard and getting a little arrogance in our game." Daniel Sedin, Loui Eriksson and Jayson Megna scored for the Canucks (24-24-6), who snapped a four- game losing streak. It was the Blue Jackets' worst home loss since, well, Saturday night. They were dozy in a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils, a night after playing so hard and well in Pittsburgh in a 4-3 overtime loss. Tortorella spoke Thursday morning of the need for a quick start, which was a club staple earlier in the season when it overwhelmed opponents at Nationwide Arena.