Goaltender Pascal Leclaire is not making the trip to St. Louis. It's believed he has a viral infection that is causing dizzyness. Should be a day to day situation. Not sure what's going to happen in terms of a back-up. The obvious choice is to call up Karl Goehring from Syracuse, as the Crunch don't have a game until Friday. I believe the Blue Jackets are researching the process for getting Steve Mason out of his junior club. It can be done if there are enough injuries, and the Jackets' organization have incurred lots of goalie injuries this season.
update..
The Blue Jackets recalled goaltender Steve Mason from his junior club in Kitchener. This is a very unusual move, but the Blue Jackets really had no choice.
A few thoughts:
-- First, for the folks who have opined that the Blue Jackets are "rushing" Mason. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's highly unlikely Mason is going to play, and it's highly likely that he'll head back to Kitchener on Wednesday or Thursday. This is not a rest-of-the-year decision. It's 24 to 72 hours, tops.
-- This move was predicated because the top three minor-league goaltenders are hurt: Tomas Popperle, Adam Munro and Daniel LaCosta.
-- Former Blue Jackets goalie Karl Goehring, currently the man in Syracuse, is signed to an AHL contract with the Crunch. The Blue Jackets would need to sign him to a two-way deal before he could be called up.
-- Look at it this way: Mason flew back from the Czech Republic on Sunday. While he was there, helping Canada win a gold medal in the WJCs, he was traded from the London Knights to the Kitchener Rangers, which means he's moving in with a whole new host family, getting a new address, new teammates, dressing room, coaching staff, equipment, etc. Very disruptive time for the young man. If the Blue Jackets choose to play it this way, they could treat this as a reward for a job well done. Mason won the MVP of the WJCs, no small feat, so now he gets a few days in the NHL. Not such a bad thing.
-- I'm told Mason was going to be given a few days off to get settled in Kitchener before he would have played a game anyways. Now he's just spending those days in Columbus.
-- Mason does not have to clear waivers. He is the Blue Jackets property. Nobody else can claim him.
-- Pray Norrena doesn't get hurt. Not that Mason can't play, but the Blue Jackets can't withstand anymore goaltending injuries. This is getting ridiculous.
update..
The Blue Jackets recalled goaltender Steve Mason from his junior club in Kitchener. This is a very unusual move, but the Blue Jackets really had no choice.
A few thoughts:
-- First, for the folks who have opined that the Blue Jackets are "rushing" Mason. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's highly unlikely Mason is going to play, and it's highly likely that he'll head back to Kitchener on Wednesday or Thursday. This is not a rest-of-the-year decision. It's 24 to 72 hours, tops.
-- This move was predicated because the top three minor-league goaltenders are hurt: Tomas Popperle, Adam Munro and Daniel LaCosta.
-- Former Blue Jackets goalie Karl Goehring, currently the man in Syracuse, is signed to an AHL contract with the Crunch. The Blue Jackets would need to sign him to a two-way deal before he could be called up.
-- Look at it this way: Mason flew back from the Czech Republic on Sunday. While he was there, helping Canada win a gold medal in the WJCs, he was traded from the London Knights to the Kitchener Rangers, which means he's moving in with a whole new host family, getting a new address, new teammates, dressing room, coaching staff, equipment, etc. Very disruptive time for the young man. If the Blue Jackets choose to play it this way, they could treat this as a reward for a job well done. Mason won the MVP of the WJCs, no small feat, so now he gets a few days in the NHL. Not such a bad thing.
-- I'm told Mason was going to be given a few days off to get settled in Kitchener before he would have played a game anyways. Now he's just spending those days in Columbus.
-- Mason does not have to clear waivers. He is the Blue Jackets property. Nobody else can claim him.
-- Pray Norrena doesn't get hurt. Not that Mason can't play, but the Blue Jackets can't withstand anymore goaltending injuries. This is getting ridiculous.
