Author: brian wallace

Detroit sports fan for life!!
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Columbus Blue Jackets, Oliver Bjorkstrand is one of the NHL’s most underrated players

Outside of Columbus Ohio and the rabid Blue Jackets fan base, right wing (RW) Oliver Bjorkstrand is relatively unknown. Other teams know how good Bjorkstrand’s well rounded game is. It is time for the national media and fan bases league wide to start to see what Columbus Blue Jackets fans see game in and game out. Oliver Bjorkstrand is one if not the most underrated player in the NHL.

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 08: Oliver Bjorkstrand #28 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates with the puck against the Washington Capitals during the third period of the game at Capital One Arena on February 8, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Drafted in the third round (No. 89) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Oliver Bjorkstrand came to the Columbus Blue Jackets with tremendous speed and what looked like the making of a solid defender though it took him a while to get there. Scoring was not an issue.

During his development days in the minor leagues, Bjorkstrand would get call-ups to Columbus. The team would let him know what he still needed to work on. Once he cleaned up the areas the organization asked him to focus on, Bjorkstrand made his way to Columbus and did not look back.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, is now one of the top players on the Blue Jackets roster. His play has gotten better and better. He has become a very good in the defensive end while he is a smooth scorer. What has really improved in his game is his passing.

For the rebranding Columbus Blue Jackets roster, Bjorkstrand has cemented himself in as a core player going forward after the roster has been turned over. Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen, knows he has a player in Bjorktrand that he can plug into any line (primarily the top two lines) and get the effort he needs.

COLUMBUS, OH – FEBRUARY 27: Oliver Bjorkstrand #28 of the Columbus Blue Jackets celebrates his first period goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena on February 27, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. This goal was Bjorkstrands 100th career goal. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

At just 26 years old, Bjorkstrand should be in Columbus for a while. The 2022 NHL trade deadline is tomorrow (March 21, 2022.) I say that because, though other names on the Blue Jackets roster have been circulating as far as trade rumors, Bjorkstrand’s name has not. That is a good thing.

Still, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, has been known to make big trades and is fearless in doing so. For a team to pry Oliver Bjorkstrand away from Columbus, would take a jaw-dropping offer. Again, I do not see that happening as Bjorkstrand is a core player.

The rest of the NHL should take some notice, the Columbus Blue Jackets have a very good, very underrated player in Oliver Bjorkstrand.

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Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Mandalorian, Supreme Leader Snoke theory

You know when there is a hot rumor or spoiler and fans lose their minds because they feel like they have the punchline before anything is released? I do not have a rumor or spoiler, in fact the only thing I have is a vivid imagination and a theory about how Disney is going to try to save face with the sequel trilogy using beloved characters and a hot newer Star Wars show (The Mandalorian.)

Back in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, we see Kylo Ren venture to the Sith planet Exegol. He is looking for something but winds up finding Emperor Palpatine. Palpatine goes on to explain that he has been in control the entire time and even created Ren’s boss Supreme Leader, Snoke. We even see clones in pods of multiple Snoke’s.

A man wearing a costume of the StarWars protagonist Din Djarin poses in front of a giant replica of the Razor Crest, a gunship from the StarWars spinoff series “The Mandalorian” used by the hit TV show’s mysterious bounty hunter to roam the galaxy’s outer reaches, in a park of the eastern Siberian city of Yakutsk on March 14, 2021. (Photo by Evgeniy SOFRONEYEV / AFP) (Photo by EVGENIY SOFRONEYEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Season 2 of The Mandalorian the group stumbles upon a clone in a pod. Though the face is blurred, it is clearly a clone. This is where my theory comes into play.

Obi Wan Kenobi takes place 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett for that matter are set in the years after Return of the Jedi.

I believe, Obi Wan Kenobi at some point will stumble on a clone in a pod. I believe the clone in the pod will be none other than a Supreme Leader Snoke. This will be to show that Palpatine had been working on perfecting a clone for some time. It will also show that he did perfect one and give some weight to The Rise of Skywalker.

In my opinion this is how Disney will try to sooth things over with die hard Star Wars fans left with a sour taste after the conclusion of the sequel trilogy. Will it work? Will it sooth them over? That remains to be seen. Disney is wise **IF** my theory is correct to use Obi Wan Kenobi to illustrate Palpatine and Snoke clones. After all Obi Wan Kenobi is a beloved fan favorite of Star Wars fans everywhere.

 

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What does the 2022 NHL trade deadline mean for the Columbus Blue Jackets

In a year that at the very least was (and by and large still is) an organizational reset for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team has performed about as expected. With the youngest roster in the NHL the Blue Jackets have looked really good at times and really bad at times, growing pains are not fun but needed. As the 2022 NHL trade deadline is coming, who could the team move? Let’s dive in.

Armed with some very good young prospects and a boat load of 2022 draft picks, the Blue Jackets are in good shape. Can they get better? Yes. So for an organization in good shape, how do they get better? For starters only defensemen Zach Werenski and Jake Bean are signed through next season. Andrew Peeke and Adam Boqvist should be part of the future but another core defensive player should be added.

Canada’s Kent Johnson looks on during the men’s preliminary round group A match of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games ice hockey competition against China, at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing on February 13, 2022. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

With top prospects Kent Johnson and Kirill Merchenko expected to compete for a roster spot in next fall’s training camp the offense will improve even more. Still Max Domi, who started the season slowly while coming back from offseason shoulder surgery is on an expiring contract and could be moved for either a draft pick or prospect.

With the Blue Jackets organization  boasting one of the best goalie pipelines in the NHL, rather than let him walk for nothing, look for the team to trade Joonas Korpisalo.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a team on the rise, even though they have had an up and down season. As I mentioned growing pains are not fun but needed. The Blue Jackets when they have played well have shown what they will be once they gain more consistency.

MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 30: Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Columbus Blue Jackets tends the net during the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on January 30, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

In order to gain more consistency rough patch’s must be navigated through. Brad Larsen in his first season as a head coach has done a pretty good job with this while developing young players. It is not an  easy task and Larsen has done well so far.

The future is bright in Columbus. The fans (5th line) have shown they will show up for games as long as progress is being made. The Blue Jackets are in the top 15 in NHL attendance.

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The mind is willing, the body simply can not

Hard work, sweat for hours on end, this is how I am built. I have always loved physical work. In jobs that I have been blessed to have worked I always felt my best when I went home and dropped from a good hard day. Even doing yard work or washing the car. These days, my mind prepares for a hard day my body however says those days are all but gone. So now I need to adjust to the next phase of my life.

Living with Psoriatic Arthritis has been a day to day adventure. I wake up wondering if the pain from yesterday is gone or at least more manageable than the day before. Often before I attempt to sit up to get out of bed I wonder what’s going to hurt today. The answer is never, or at least not to this point nothing.

The doctor and the foot skeleton,Physiotherapist holding a skeleton feet model in clinic,Medical and Health care concept.

Today for example has been a really bad hand day. I know it is ironic that I am writing about this, but I am only using two fingers, truth be told. The past week and a half my ankles were so bad I thought maybe one or both would give out or break with my next step.

Again, PLEASE do not read this as a pity party!! I am just continuing to share my journey. I actually have a positive outlook even though my arthritis does not give me any positivity. In fact my doctor told me we can just manage the pain, the arthritis is still going to destroy bone and cartilage.

Any break from the pain is and will be welcomed with open arms at this point. Bad days are well very bad. Good days are pretty much non existent. So with that in mind I am now left to transform myself into less of a doer which is difficult.

I do not consider myself a prideful person. I try to serve all with a humble heart and an eye on God. I am very much guilty of serving to a fault. I can not help it, I just do without thinking. If it needs to be done then do it, that is how I am made.

Now that is being removed from me on the level at which I have been doing for years and decades. I know God has both a lesson and a refining for me in this season. So that gives me hope as I move forward into an uncharted areas of living.

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Can we talk, I mean really talk

Most days it is a challenge to just put one foot in front of the other. Most days I wake up well before I want to. Most days I grow fatigued as the day goes on. I have Psoriatic Arthritis, I am not alone The National Psoriatic Foundation reports that 1 million people in the United States or 30% have this type of arthritis. I would like to give some tips and pointers how to navigate day to day dealing with constant pain.

As pain interrupts my sleep and some days it is a battle to get out of bed, the real battle is in my head. This is an understanding I have come to both learn and embrace. I have to mentally be ready to endure a moment or two of sever pain to sit up in order to stand up.

I know that God has a plan for me and I have really come to the full awareness that each day truly is a gift and should never be taken lightly or for granted. That helps me and gives me good reason to get up and get moving.

Psoriatic Arthritis attacks the joints in the body. I have it in both shoulders, both wrists, all of my knuckles, both hips, both ankles and I am now starting to feel the same tightness and fatigue in both of my knees, which is what I felt in the other areas as the arthritis began  to move in.

This is not a pity party, please do not read it as such!! I want to be transparent in this journey that I have been chosen to partake in. I have never been closer to Jesus that I am right now. I have come to a better awareness of His grace for me. Perhaps, that is what I am to take away from this season.

Back to the battle in my head. Psoriatic Arthritis destroys joints, there is no way around that. But if my focus was there, I would be melancholy and that is not where God wants me to be.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA – 2019/02/21: Holy Bible text in the cover of the religious book. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10

If you are reading this and are going through something, perhaps worse than I am, God bless you. I will not let my joy be stolen neither should you. Keep pushing, while leaning into God.

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Why now is the time to watch or re-watch Star Wars Rebels

Dave Filoni was one of the executive producers of Star Wars Rebels, which now seems more relevant than ever given current Star Wars content. The fan favorite show quickly made it’s way into the hearts of Star Wars fans, taking place 14 years after Star Wars, Episode III, Revenge of the Sith and 5 years before Star Wars, Episode, IV, A New Hope, at a time when the Empire had full grasp of the galaxy.

With a very original trilogy feel to it, Rebels (as it is known to the fan base) also has a newer feel to it which gave it great balance along with new characters. Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, Ashoka Tano, and Grand Admiral Thrawn who were the main focus of the show. Keep that in mind.

The show did not overshadow the original trilogy characters, instead it created a more layered story to the entire Star Wars arc. Even roughly 15 years after Rebels aired, current Star Wars content is circling back to the show and it’s characters.

STAR WARS REBELS – “Steps into Shadow” – Led by a more powerful Ezra, a rebel mission goes awry, and Kanan returns to help the Ghost crew. Grand Admiral Thrawn emerges as a new threat. This episode of “Star Wars Rebels” airs Saturday, September 24 (8:30 – 9:30 P.M. EDT) on Disney XD. (Lucasfilm via Getty Images)
GRAND ADMIRAL THRAWN

Now, let’s circle back to Ashoka Tano and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Thrawn.) With Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi set to be released this year and possibly The Mandalorian Season 3, it seems likely Ashoka, will be released some time in 2023.

We know from Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Ashoka has set out to find, you got it none other than Thrawn. What is unknown at this time is if some of the other crew (Ezra, Wren, Kanan Jarrus, Chopper, Zeb Orrelios) of the Ghost will be making an appearance.

Given the way Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have brought the likes of Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker back it would not surprise anyone to see other beloved characters brought back as well. A side note Dave Filoni, voiced Chopper (a droid) on Rebels.

BURBANK, CA – MARCH 28: Producer / Director Dave Filoni attends the “Star Wars Rebels” season 2 finale at The Walt Disney Studios on March 28, 2016 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

The fact that both Ashoka and Thrawn are directly from Rebels lends to the thought there very could be other’s from the show making an appearance as well. Which would bring more joy to Star Wars fans as well as continue to layer the overall Star Wars story.

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Improved special teams and more consistent play from the blue line has the Columbus Blue Jackets playing well

Just like that the Columbus Blue Jackets are winning hockey games again. The team started the season in solid shape, and then youth proved to be a downfall of sorts. Having a rough December and January the Blue Jackets looked like a team that was rebuilding. When the All Star break came around it was almost like the team and coaching hit the reset button. A 7-1 record in February has given hope again.

COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 23: Andrew Peeke #2 of the Columbus Blue Jackets checks Zach Sanford #13 of the Ottawa Senators into the boards during the second period of a game at Nationwide Arena on January 23, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Two things jump out in the Blue Jackets turnaround, special teams play and the defensive unit (blue line.) Ranking 24th on the power play does not seem all the great. In actuality it is not. However, the power play has improved as it is creating better scoring chances by getting the puck down low.

The Blue Jackets penalty kill ranks 12th. That is pretty good. This unit has been lights out in wins against the Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. In fact the penalty kill allowed zero shots on goal vs Florida.

Speaking of the Columbus Blue Jackets blue line, they seem to have benefited most from the All Star break. The very young defensive crop has had a rough time cutting it’s teeth. That is until after the All Star weekend. Now the unit is rotating to the spot of the puck and forming a wall in front of the Blue Jacket goalies.

For a team that is supposed to be in a rebuild/reload the Blue Jackets are in position to make one of the NHL’s wild card spots for the playoffs. Yes, there is still a lot of hockey to play. The fact they even in this position is promising.

The Blue Jackets are sure to at the very least have one lottery draft pick from the Chicago Blackhawks as part of the Seth Jones trade. If they miss the playoffs there is a chance (all be it slim) the Blue Jackets could have two lottery draft picks.

NEWARK, NJ – JANUARY 06: Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen looks on during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on January 6, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

All and all Brad Larsen has done a very good, very solid job with the team who is fun to watch.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets must extend Patrik Lanie

There have been players like this in Columbus before. Rick Nash, Sergei Fedorov and a few others. For the Blue Jackets organization there has never been a player on the same level as Patrik Laine. While he was unhappy in Winnipeg, Laine is said to be happy these days in Columbus his numbers dictate that is true. A pending restricted free agent (RFA) at the conclusion of this season, the Blue Jackets would be wise in entering contract negotiations now.

COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 23: Patrik Laine #29 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates with the puck during the first period of a game against the Ottawa Senators at Nationwide Arena on January 23, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

While Patrik Laine did miss several weeks due to an injury upon returning to the Columbus Blue Jackets lineup, Laine did not and has not missed a beat. In 29 games played, Laine has 16 goals, 15 assists and 31 points.

Blue Jackets captain Boon Jenner has played in all 48 games this season and has 20 goals, 17 assists and 37 points. In 19 fewer games played Laine has only six fewer points than the team leader Jenner.

It is simple, the Columbus Blue Jackets are a much better team when Patrik Laine’s skates hit the ice. Laine is a feared sniper who can carry a teams offense. When the team signed defensemen Zach Werenski to a massive extension this past summer it began to show that they are willing to sign young talent and keep them.

When the team allowed Artemi Panarin to walk as a free agent, fans were outraged, disappointed and frustrated that yet another star player was leaving Columbus. With plenty of salary cap space, the Blue Jackets must and I mean must sign Laine to a contract extension of 8-10 years as he has not entered his prime years yet.

There is no fair trade value in the NHL, the Blue Jackets would not be able to trade Patrik Laine and get a player back with the same caliber offensive skill set. The organization would be wise to build the offense around Laine. Blue Jackets fans need to keep in mind next season there is a high likelihood Kent Johnson will be in the starting lineup. Johnson projects as a top line center. Having Johnson feed the puck to Laine could be a lethal  combination for the Blue Jackets top line.

COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 27: Patrik Laine #29 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates with the puck as Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers defends during the first period of a game at Nationwide Arena on January 27, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen recently went on a nation radio show and said the team wants to keep Laine long-term. In my opinion Kekalainen would not say that if he did not think a deal could be made.

The bottom line is that by keeping Patrik Laine, the Blue Jackets rebuild will not take as long. By trading him it would set the rebuild back.

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Detroit Lions remembering fullback (FB) Cory Schlesinger

Fullback is not a glamourous position by any means. The fullback gets charged with blocking, be it for the running backs or on a passing down. They get to carry the ball minimally. In today’s pass happy NFL the fullback position has nearly gone extinct.  But the good fullbacks they get remembered. In 1995 the Detroit Lions drafted a fullback out of the University of Nebraska in the sixth round, Cory Schlesinger who would become a Lions legend.

DETROIT – SEPTEMBER 10: Cory Schlesinger #30 of the Detroit Lions during a game against the Seattle Seahawks on September 10, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Seattle won the game 9-6. (Photo By Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Cory Schlesinger, is still remembered fondly by Detroit Lions fan’s as a player who laid devastating blocks for Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders. Schlesinger was also a special teams standout recording 118 tackles for the unit during his career.

Detroit Lions fans still get a charge out of how many face masks Schlesinger is said to have broken with his all-out style of play. The number of broken steel cages is said to be around the 200 mark.

Cory Schlesinger, was a Lions fan favorite. He also had the love and respect of his teammates and coaching staff. Being a student of the game has helped Schlesinger in all aspects of his life.

PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 7: Wide receiver Jeff Chadwick #89 of the Detroit Lions looks on from the sideline during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on December 7, 1986 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Lions 27-17. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

Former Detroit Lions legend, Jeff Chadwick holds a Legends Camp, where former NFL players come and instruct children in the finer points of the game. The former NFL players offer a lot of insight as they go through drills with the children.

For a student of the game like Cory Schlesinger, children can learn a lot from Cory and other former NFL players. The camp prepares young athletes for the next phase of football, where ever they fall.

The Legends Camp is action packed and is a great way for children to bond not only with fellow peers and people they may not know, but also former NFL players who  take time out of their own busy schedule to help children reach full potential on the football field, which they can carry with them in their own lives.

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Detroit Red Wings rookie, Moritz Seider’s impact is being felt

Sometimes a rookie comes along and is so good he lifts his team to a new level. It does not happen often, but when it does it is news worthy. For the Detroit Red Wings rookie defensemen Moritz (Mo) Seider is that rookie. Seider’s play has overshadowed fellow rookie teammate Lucas Raymond who is having his own fantastic rookie season.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 30: Moritz Seider #53 of the Detroit Red Wings looks on against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 30, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

When Red Wings General Manager, Steve Yzerman strolled to the podium in 2019 and announced Moritz Seider as the teams first round draft pick (6th overall) it left the NHL experts calling the draft scrambling. No one saw Seider to Detroit coming.

Flash forward a few seasons and Seider is enjoying a nearly unbelievable rookie season. To illustrate just one small aspect that shines the light on how good Mo Seider has been February 9th’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers was exclamation point to how good Seider is and has been.

The February 9th game caught the eye of the NHL world, fans and media alike. To be clear all fans be it Red Wings or other teams and all media. You see in that game Mo Seider killed an entire two minute penalty by himself. Yes, you read that correctly.

Before the season even kicked off, the Red Wings had every intention of allowing Seider a roster spot. Since day one Mo Seider has gotten better and better. While still at the tender age of 20, and looking like a star in the making, Seider may be on his way to cementing a spot on the Red Wings blue line for years to come.

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 27: Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) reads the play during the Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on October 27, 2021 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

What is scary is the Detroit coach’s, teammates and national media believe Moritz Seider can get even better. This is what Yzerman and the Red Wings scouting department saw in the young defensemen when they drafted him. While it shocked many at the time, it looks golden now.

This is Steve Yzerman, a GM who fearlessly goes off the beaten track and finds absolute gems. What seems like a head scratcher at the time turns up roses for Yzerman both in his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning and now with the Detroit Red Wings.