. Blue Jackets set to take ice, bloody noses

Photo By Terry Gilliam

Posted 09-10-09

When the Columbus Blue Jackets open training camp Saturday,  they'll be aiming higher than last year's first-ever appearance in the NHL playoffs, team leaders said at a news conference on Wednesday at Nationwide Arena.

High expectations from fans and a mid-season break for the Winter Olympics are a couple of reasons the team needs to get off to a fast start, Head Coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Both he and General Manager Scott Howson said they have a good idea who's going to be on the final roster, but how ice time will be distributed is to be determined.
In any case, they're counting on some of the younger players to step up this year.

Players will report for physicals and fitness testing on Saturday, Sept. 12, and will hold their first full day of on-ice sessions on Sunday, Sept. 13.
During the squad's eight exhibition game, the first four will be to evaluate individual players, and the other four, team play.

Once the season gets underway, Hitchcock wants to see a strong showing in the first 33 games.
Last year, the club had to scramble late in the season to make the playoffs. Hitchcock said he hopes things will be different this year.

He wants the team to be well positioned in the standing by the midway mark in the season, at which point the league will take a 17-day break for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Hitchcock is an assistant coach for Team Canada, whose head coach, Mike Babcock, is also head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

During league play, Hitchcock hopes to make life uncomfortable for his fellow countryman.
"Somebody needs to bloody Detroit's nose and it might as well be us," Hitchcock said.

"Our goal is to chase Detroit and capture the division," he said.

The Blue Jackets will open the regular season against the Minnesota Wild on October 3 at Nationwide Arena.

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