Derek MacKenzie News

Matt Gilroy #97 of the New York Rangers scores against Mathieu Garon #32 of the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 23, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

So what's the fallout down here now that Nikita Filatov has been loaned to CSKA in Russia? Well, one guess would be bye-bye Derek MacKenzie.

"Clean livin', I guess." Commodore was still waiting to get results of the vitamin levels in his blood, but there were no illnesses or viruses detected, increasing the likelihood that his fatigue is due only to conditioning.

The days of assigning nicknames to forward lines have gone the way of wooden sticks, ties and dasher boards without advertising.

Ken Hitchcock doesn't believe in punishment practices, even after one of the worst losses of his coaching career and one of the worst losses in Blue Jackets history.

Staff writer Rochester - The Syracuse Crunch finally cracked the combination on Rochester goalie Alexander Salak on Friday.

Forward Derek MacKenzie arrived from minor-league Syracuse on Wednesday with a couple of shirts, a pair of jeans, a sweat suit and no illusions.

It took a three-goal flurry early in the third period to free the Blue Jackets from the clutches of a classic "trap" game last night in Nationwide Arena.

Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason, who is expected to start tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes in Nationwide Arena, appears to be returning to the form that earned him the Calder Trophy last spring as the NHL's top rookie.

Each Wednesday at noon during the NHL season, Dispatch.com and BlueJacketsXtra.com readers can chat online with either Aaron Portzline or Tom Reed, The Dispatch's Blue Jackets beat writers.

Blue Jackets rookie Nikita Filatov was disappointed with the chance he failed to convert last night.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated defenseman Jan Hejda and added center Derek MacKenzie to the roster on emergency recall from the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse.

Binghamton Senators, 7:05 tonight, Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. * Tickets: $17.75 sides/$16.75 ends.

Big day in the Syracuse Crunch locker room - the annual stall selection process.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Rostislav Klesla to a four-year contract extension that will keep him with the club through the 2013-14 season.

What: Syracuse Crunch vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza Home opener: Oct.

A bloodied forehead is not a flu-like symptom. But Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore was so debilitated in his weeklong fight against the flu that he found himself walking face first into doors.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Blue Jackets trimmed nine players to pare their roster to 27 players in advance of Saturday's season opener at home against Minnesota.

Coach Ken Hitchcock hopes to play the Nashville Predators today with a lineup that bears some resemblance to the forward lines and defensive pairings the Blue Jackets will use in the regular season.

At this stage of training camp, Blue Jackets officials had hoped to be down to 25 or 26 players on the roster.