Shrapnel - 9/9/11

It's Friday, and that means that everything is right with the world.

You may have heard about this little "Fanfest" get together the Jackets are holding tonight, but you're not sure how to catch your favorite players? Dannie has hooked you straight up.

As the KHL makes plans to move forward with their season, Red Wings goaltender Joy MacDonald has some serious reflections, given that he almost took a contract with Lokomotiv this summer, while the team Lokomotiv had been scheduled to play yesterday, Dinamo Minsk, held a hockey memorial.

We've got a really cool piece of team history from CBJ Pucks 'n' Stuff - a team signed posted from the inaugural season, with a cool little story about one of the signatures...

I forgot to link this when she published it, but Jo over at Puck That Hurts put out a must read look at the medical connections between depression and concussions.

As we mined the interwebs for Jackets news this morning, we hit a massive vein of season previews, from Puck Daddy, SensShot, Fire That Cannon, and Red Light District. The short version? "All these revamps are awesome, but Steve Mason or Mark Dekanich better step up in goal or you're not going anywhere."

In what is either brilliant hockey sense or terrifyingly bad marketing awareness after earlier incidents with Dustin Byfuglien, the Winnipeg Jets have signed Kyle Wellwood to a one way deal. Wellwood is expected to give the team some solid depth down the middle.

Over at Puck Rakers, they talked to Chris Clark about his plans for making the team in Boston.

In one of his last columns for Puck Daddy before taking over blogging for The Score, Justin Bourne has a look inside "Captain's Practices". Admittedly, he focuses on the NCAA, but I'll bet there's a lot of applicable info there at the NHL level, too.

Speaking of Dannie, she also provided a "Know Your Russell" field guide for those trying to tell the twins apart. This is the power of applied stalking, kids.

Regarded as "untradeable", former Jacket Gilbert Brule is looking to prove himself.

DBJ has a brilliant Open Letter to Mick Kern of XM Home Ice, and spends a little time on a promotional shill. Remember, this programming is sponsored by viewers like you, and a grant from the Ultra-Humanite!

John Tavares would love to be the next captain in Long Island. So would Kyle Okposo, Mark Streit, and most of the other Islanders, I'd bet.

The Jackets' prospects will be heading up to Traverse City tonight after going through physicals and will open the tournament against Detroit tomorrow at 7:30 pm. Jas from CBJ Prospects is driving up to Traverse City today and will have live coverage of the games on Twitter!

After a season in Switzerland (or should we call that a Saison?), Richard Park is back in the NHL after signing a 2 way deal with the Penguins.

The Jacket Backers have some awesome news - two buses are sold out for the Nashville trip, so they got a third!

Martini Hockey takes a look at Drew Doughty's ongoing contract mess.

WNCI says Columbus Doesn't Care about the Jackets, the Crew, and the Clippers. I know that some groups have been arranging a phone campaign to show them our displeasure, but I think LTL's idea of writing the stations like 102.5 and 96.3 that choose instead to embrace the non-OSU sports is a better idea. Praise them, share the love, and support their advertisers over the ones on WNCI. Hit them in the wallet if you REALLY want them to pay attention!

James Wisniewski, master of mascot jiujitsu.

Finally, check out Curtis Sanford's new mask!