Wow...I have been away for too long.

Well, most of you who have read my blog know what's going on right now. A very close family friend, in fact they're just like family, had a heart attack Saturday night. He was coding (his heart stopped) and possibly went without oxygen to his brain for 45 minutes. Since Saturday night I have had my 'little sister' Natalie and have been staying with her every night. This is the first chance I have had to actually sit down and write. Please keep my other family in your thoughts and prayers.

I will be posting about hockey now...because I need to get my mind off of things. Apparently, we have a brighter dressing room now because there are new lights and because guys seem to have hope now. Original Jacket David Vyborny said:

"It's real now," said right winger David Vyborny, who has been with the team
from the start. "It feels real."

Short and to the point but you know how it feels any Jacket fan knows exactly how it feels. We finally have the potential to do something. We have a General Manager who is willing to let our young players mature. We have a coach who won't settle for anything except excellence. Us fans are ready for it. We want to win. We want our boys to win. We want to know what it feels like to watch your team play in May. But, we know that won't happen this year...at least I don't think.

"The general feeling is that we can't wait to get started," Tollefsen said.
"That's why everybody's here so far before training camp. We have lots to
prove."

As far as the Super Series goes...Stefan Legein played amazing so has goaltender Steve Mason.

Right winger Stefan Legein, the Blue Jackets' second-round pick (No. 37) in
June, has played on a checking line and on Canada's top penalty-killing unit. He
also has scored three goals.
"Stefan has played his style," Howson said.
"He's been gritty, high energy. … He's brought a lot to the team."

I am really excited to see what goes on at training camp. It should be amazing...we have talent coming up quick. Let's hope that this season turns out well and that we will prove that we're not bottom feeders. Speaking of training camp, the Blue Jackets will get their first look at Voracek!! His coach told the Dispatch this,

"The first thing you appreciate as a coach is that he never takes a night off,"
Russell said. People say that about a lot of guys, but it's the dead-on
truth about Jakub. I've asked him who he wants to play with (on his line), and
he refuses to give me names. He says, 'I don't care who I play with. You coach,
I play.' "

While it is highly unlikely that Voracek will make the big show this season Howson isn't ruling it out saying like he always does that everyone has a chance at training camp.

"I don't rule anybody out from making the team," Howson said. "Jakub will be
given every opportunity. But we're not going to keep him (on the Blue Jackets)
to play 40 games. We're not going to keep him up here to play on the fourth
line. He's either going to be one of our best top-end players, or he'll go back
to junior and have a great season. Either way, his future is extremely
bright."

I personally am content with letting him do what he does in junior and get him when we can. He seems to have a lot of potential although I was re-watching the draft and TSN said that Jakub was one of the most NHL ready of all the boys.