Blue Jackets well-represented in worlds
The Blue Jackets’ season is over, but you can still watch some of their players and prospects in action the next two-plus weeks at the world championships.
The tournament, which features national teams from 16 countries squaring off in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark, will start Friday and run through May 20.
It will feature seven Jackets players — forwards Cam Atkinson (USA), Pierre-Luc Dubois (Canada), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Denmark) and Sonny Milano (USA); defensemen Ryan Murray (Canada), Markus Nutivaara (Finland) and Dean Kukan (Switzerland). Left wing Artemi Panarin was unable to join Russia’s Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson will represent the United States at the world hockey championships. roster because of a sprained knee suffered during the playoffs.
Four of the franchise’s prospects — goalies Elvis Merzlikins and Matiss Kivlenieks from Latvia, center Alexandre Texier (France) and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (Russia) — will also represent their countries.
Blue Jackets assistant general manager Bill Zito
will serve as Team USA’s general manager.
Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who will attend the world championships, said he was proud of the franchise’s participating players and noted it’ll be “a great experience” for them.
“It will give them a chance to play meaningful games in May,” Kekalainen said. “And I told each and every one of them, we expected to play in May every year from now on. And hopefully in June. So it’s good for them to get into the habit of playing some games in May.”
The Jackets’ season ended April 23 with a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 6 of a best-of-seven firstround Stanley Cup playoff series.
“Every athlete that’s a proud professional athlete is always playing to win,” Kekalainen said. “Now, we’re out of the playoffs. This gives them a chance to win something.”
Bjorkstrand, a late addition to Denmark’s roster, hails from Herning and won the 2011-12 Danish championship playing for the Herning Blue Fox, coached by his father, Todd.
Set to become a restricted free agent July 1, he told the Denmark national team’s official website it was “no easy decision (to play) when I have no contract for the coming season,” but he has acquired insurance in case of injury.
“I have had a burning desire to join this year,” he told the website. “I’m looking forward to pulling my shirt over my head on Friday.”
Many of the tournament’s games will be shown on NHL Network, including a game at 10:15 a.m. Friday between Canada and the U.S., which will pit Atkinson and Milano against Dubois and Murray. Dubois scored in Canada’s 6-1 win against Latvia in pretournament action this week.
Denmark, Russia and France will also play their openers Friday, and Latvia, Switzerland and Finland will start Saturday.
Atkinson last played in the world championships in 2012. Bjorkstrand was part of Denmark’s 2015 roster. Murray, who became the secondyoungest player to ever represent Canada at the world championships as an 18-year-old in 2012, helped Canada win gold in 2016 with five assists and a plus-6 rating in 10 games.
Kukan had one assist in eight games for Switzerland last year, and also was on the Swiss roster in 2015 and 2014.
Milano, Dubois and Nutivaara will make their world championship debuts.