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Columbus gives up on Nikita Filatov, deals him to Ottawa

ST. PAUL -- The Nikita Filatov era in Columbus has officially come to an end.

The 21-year old forward was dealt during Saturday's second round to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a third round pick (No. 66 overall).

According to Columbus GM Scott Howson, Filatov requested a trade and had that not happened, he planned to play in the KHL next season.

"It was just time for everybody to move on," said Howson.

Over the span of three seasons, the sixth overall pick in the 2008 Draft played just 44 games for the Blue Jackets putting up six goals and 13 points, while struggling to land full-time spot in the lineup and spending most of his time with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL.

Filatov also famously clashed with former Blue Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock during the 2009-10 season before he was loaned to CSKA Moscow of the KHL

Columbus gives up a talented young player, but one who was more consistent in giving them headaches than producing on the ice.

For Ottawa, it's a low-risk move. Filatov still has a lot to prove and with the Senators currently in rebuild mode, he'll be given plenty of opportunity to live up to the potential that scouts talked about when he was drafted in 2008. Filatov has one year remaining on his current contract before becoming a restricted free agent after next season.

"We felt it was very worthwhile to taking a chance that this young man could come in to a team that's hurting for offense and provide some of that," said Senators GM Bryan Murray.

"There's no risk in this at all."

Finally, it's since been deleted, but Filatov's now former teammate in Columbus, R.J. Umberger, Tweeted out his thoughts on the decision to trade Filatov for a third rounder:

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Five ways people are making money off Dodgers bankruptcy

At least someone is having fun with this Los Angeles Dodgers bankruptcy mess.

Or maybe a better way to put it is that a few entrepreneurs out there have figured out how to cash in on this debacle.

Or they're certainly trying, anyway.

Here are five examples of ventures that might be making more money at the Dodgers' expense than Frank McCourt is probably pulling in.

1. Ask a famous rich guy to buy your team: For any team and fanbase hoping for new ownership, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is the golden goose. It's the sports equivalent of finding out your neighbor won the lottery and hoping he'll pay for your hip replacement. Yes, he could do it, but he's probably not going to.

But a website was created for the movement, allowing fans to post their cherished Dodgers memories and beefs with the McCourt regime. While you're there, why not buy a T-shirt or donate to a billboard to express your desires for new ownership?

2. Offer debt settlement services: You've seen these commercials, especially the later in the evening you watch TV. (Or are we just watching the wrong shows, wrong channels?) A company like J.G. Wentworth could help a team that still owes Andruw Jones $11 million and Manny Ramirez $21 million. And how about making payroll this month?

Here's just such an ad for the Dodgers:

OK, that may have not been completely serious. But we'll dial that number after finishing this post, just to make sure. (h/t�Vin Scully is My Homeboy)

3. Customize a "Chapter 11" Dodgers jersey: OK, this one doesn't quite apply. MLB.com could be making money from people customizing "Chapter" jerseys with the No. 11, but is choosing not to. If you try to request such a jersey, you'll get the following message:

"Your current entry cannot be processed. Language deemed inappropriate, derogatory, or profane will not be accepted. Please create a new entry."

So go ahead and create that new entry. As Busted Coverage pointed out, you can still customize a "Chapter 11" jersey with a tweak here and there. Spell that last name "Chaptur, "Chap Ter," or "Ch Apter," and you can circumvent the system (along with blowing $100). Until MLB.com catches on, of course.

(You can make a "Mexico 7" jersey without a problem, however. Is that joke old now?)

4. Clever puns make great T-shirts: Frank (as in McCourt) rhymes with bank (as in bankrupt). Get it? You've got T-shirt gold! (In appropriate Dodger Blue team colors, that is.) Clothe yourself in a "Frankrupt" tee! It looks almost just like a Dodgers jersey.

Hopefully, we see a few of these babies at Dodgers games in the days, weeks and months to come. They shouldn't be too hard to find because ... well, there are a lot of empty seats at Dodger Stadium. Maybe you've noticed. (h/t:�The Biz of Baseball)

5. Sell a Frank McCourt autographed jersey: Maybe this seemed like a good idea in 2004. Did someone get caught up in the excitement of McCourt buying the team from News Corp? Whoever that was is now trying to cash in by selling that now-ruined jersey on eBay.

How many fans would want a jersey autographed by the team's owner? Yankees fans with George Steinbrenner's signature, perhaps? (Big Stein!) Mavs fans with Cuban's autograph? A Rangers Nolan Ryan jersey is a natural choice, but that's really not the same thing, since he played for the team.

It's too bad this eBay sale isn't an auction. (The seller has a "Buy It Now" price of $99.99 listed for the jersey. That means for just $115 ? shipping cost included ? you can own this piece of Dodgers infamy history.) Wouldn't you love to see the bids on this one?

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Blue Jackets send diplomatic envoy to hold Carter?s hand (Update)

(UPDATE: Carter speaks! Check the end of the blog.)

There's no question Jeff Carter was crushed when GM Paul Holmgren told him that the Philadelphia Flyers had traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"He was short [with me]. He's normally a very quiet kid to begin with, but he was very upset," said Holmgren about his phone call to Carter.

Carter's agent, Rick Curran, claims his client's anger stems from having been "assured him that he should not be concerned" with being traded, having signed an 11-year, $58 million contract extension last November.

"I was in the room and I'm not sure I would word it that way," said Holmgren.

Whatever the case, Carter's gone silent since the deal, his simmering anger towards the Flyers evidently having prevented him or his representation from making even the most pithy, perfunctory acknowledgment to the Columbus fans that he's committed to winning or looking forward to the challenge or whatever other canned quote you want to toss out there.

From Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:

It's hard for me to fathom that his agent, Rick Curran, hasn't produced some sort of press release including Carter quotes. You know, something along the lines of "I'm very excited for a new opportunity, and I can't wait to get settled in Columbus."

Trust me, agents have been cranking out "quotes" like this for many years now.

I've spoken to five agents about this situation. They can't believe it. One said: "He's got to turn off his emotions for 10 minutes and make a phone call."

Or perhaps he'll just wait until the Blue Jackets send a diplomatic envoy to his house in order to help him locate his smile. Which they've apparently done.

According to Portzline:

Multiple sources from around the NHL have confirmed today that a Blue Jackets contingent, led by GM Scott Howson, is traveling to meet with newly-acquired center Jeff Carter today.

One source indicated that majority owner John P. McConnell and captain Rick Nash are with Howson, that they were traveling to Philadelphia. Neither Howson nor Nash immediately responded to text messages from The Dispatch seeking comment.� Another source said that Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger plans to meet the contingent and Carter in Philadelphia.

(Can't believe the Blue Jackets didn't include Boomer the Cannon on that travel list. You know, to show how excited the team is to get him.)

Please keep in mind that Jeff Carter is a 26-year-old professional athlete. This is different than, say, being a child who just discovered he or she has to live with their second-favorite parent after a messy divorce.

Some might say: "But what if you were traded from your job to a place that's 10 times worse, huh?! Wouldn't you feel the same way?!"

What a stupid hypothetical. Here's a clue: Jeff Carter had to know that despite his hefty contract ? with the extremely desirable cap hit ? the Flyers needed to cut payroll in order to bring in the high-priced goaltender that the Boss of Bosses wanted to bring in. His no-trade clause hadn't kicked in yet. He was vulnerable and, worse yet, a redundancy in the Flyers' lineup thanks to their strength at center.

Yes, it sucks he was that cap casualty, but cowboy-up and accept that it's a business, and start acting in good faith with your new customers.

From Bob Hunter of the Dispatch:

Carter could help reverse the trend by simply doing what most traded players do in these situations - act like a grown-up. It's easy to understand why he is ticked at the Flyers; he signed an 11-year contract with the team because he wanted to be in Philadelphia, and had been told that the trade rumors were only that: rumors. But Carter's petulance is undermining Howson's efforts to improve the team that he is going to play for and if he doesn't at least act like he wants to be here, Carter might even doom it to more losing.

Early in the franchise's history, Columbus was actually a destination for some players. Many saw a bright hockey future in a clean, livable city with an underrated night life and a great family atmosphere. The city hasn't changed, but poor draft picks, bad decisions and a history of losing have made the franchise harder and harder to sell.

The Carter deal should help the team tremendously, but it only added to the team's perception problem. As unfair as it must seem to Howson, he is back at the plate with the game on the line again.

From Light the Lamp, a Blue Jackets blog:

He's got to understand that this is a critical time for the Jackets --- Howson wants to get he, Nash, Umberger and the boys even more help. �His public buy in will only help Howson get that help. �The longer he waits to speak the longer the negative speculation continues and the snowball gets bigger.

It's time to man up. �I know it sucks but as cliche as it is -- it's pro sports. �It's part of the biz. �The chances of any player spending their career with one team these days are remote. �Even with a NTC.

We here in Columbus are excited as hell to have ya - give it a chance.

You know, Dale Tallon of the Florida Panthers has taken some heat for calling the Brian Campbell trade an important symbolic move for the franchise, given that he had to waive his no-trade clause to make the move happen.

But Tallon didn't need to take a group of Panthers owners and players to his house to convince him to leave Chicago. They spoke on the phone, the sales pitch worked, and now the Panthers have an elite talent they can use to hook other talents this summer.

This Carter situation is much more reminiscent of when the Edmonton Oilers made their sad little pitch to Dany Heatley, trying to convince a player that (a) demanded out of Ottawa and (b) had limited options that their destination was the best one for him. The only difference is that the Blue Jackets didn't send Carter an "infotainment package" yet; one assumes it would include a DVD of female Ohio State students walking to class in lingering slow-motion.

Look, it's all going to work out. He'll eventually come to Columbus, blame all the bad feelings on the Flyers and say the right things. And on the ice, it's going to be exciting to see if a sniper at center can mesh well with Rick Nash on the wing.

But for now, even if his crushing disappointment and resentment of Holmgren is at its core, Carter's demeanor here makes Columbus seem like the last place on Earth he'd want to play. They've already had countless free agents and Guy Boucher refuse to join the franchise; they don't need Jeff Carter acting like he's going to spend the next 11 years in Hockey Mogadishu.

? ? ?

UPDATE: Jeff Carter breaks his silence, via Puck-rakers:

"It's been a tough couple of days," Carter said. "I spent six years in Philadelphia. I think so highly of the organization. It was a real shot to me.

"My decision to not talk had absolutely nothing to do with being traded to Columbus. I know it's a team that has struggled in the past, but there's a great future there, a lot of young players. I'm excited to be there."

And on the Blue Jackets flying out to meet him:

"It was great. I really appreciate them making the trip down here to come see me," Carter said. "It shows a lot on their part, that they're excited to have me. We talked for a while about the team, their direction. We talked about the city.

"Just sitting down and talking with them, it got me real excited, and wishing the season would start a little earlier."

So there you go. Pithy quotes, four days later than they should have arrived. More from the Associated Press here.

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Carroll?s ?Win Forever? seminars answer some questions, occlude others

RENTON, Wash. -- NFL coaches are doing different things during the lockout ? writing books, spending time with family, making plans for training camps they hope will actually happen. Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has been spending his time taking his "Win Forever" message around the country in a series of seminars in which he talks to local coaches and business leaders in conjunction with other speakers from different walks of life ? former higher-ups at NIKE, high-school football training specialists, gang and substance abuse interventionists, motivational speakers, and local people with something to add in a motivational sense. He bought his message home to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, the Seahawks' training facility, for a Friday�evening seminar in front a packed house in the VMAC's auditorium.

"This is a great opportunity, not only for us to present, but also for the people who are joining us ? we're talking to the new generation of coaches, and preparing them for the next generation of athletes," Carroll said before the seminar started. "NIKE has found a way to connect us with their [high-school] combines; hopefully we'll have a packed house, and a lot of fun, and we'll tell them what we're all about.

"We're talking about philosophy, we're talking about approach, we're talking about communication. Understanding the learners we're dealing with ? we're talking about everything to do with football except for the Xs and Os. We'll have coaches from different sports, and people from the corporate world, as well."

There were the usual slightly oversold messages you'd expect in any sort of motivational meeting, and some of the participatory stuff was a bit over-the-top, but there was value in the evening in that people were willing, to a degree, to examine different ways to improve through their own mis-steps. Running audience members through ladder drills to prove the value of encouragement and asking one volunteer to stand on a stool to find out how much practice he'd need to stand on one as tall as the Space Needle ... these were clearly props put in place to make a larger point.

Carroll drove his own message home as much with past failures with the New York Jets and New England Patriots as with his recent success at USC and in Seattle. The moral: Just as it takes a long time to become a person, coaching doesn't happen overnight.

After pointing to the importance of a clear philosophy, Carroll went back and discussed how things went for him when he didn't have one. "I was fired in New England, from my job with the Patriots ? I've been told by my counselor that it's important to bring that up every now and then ? I got fired from the Jets; I got fired a bunch of times. I've had my butt kicked in coaching. But that's not important ? what's important is, where did all those experiences get me to?"

Carroll talked about reading John Wooden's 'Pyramid of Success' after a fan had sent it to him following the New England firing, and how he wrote out page after page in a fit of inspiration, trying to define himself as a coach. Over time, he learned to refine his message and make it hit home. A few months ago, I asked him how he was a different NFL coach now, and I was impressed by the consistency of the message.

If there's one thing I would advise for future seminars, it would be to open the dialogue on what happened at USC from a violations perspective during Carroll's time there. It was unfortunate that this wasn't addressed during this presentation when everything was supposed to be so much about learning from one's past -- the "hands-off" nature of that line of inquiry drew back from the professed line of honesty. Having covered the Seahawks through Carroll's first year with them, I had no trouble buying in to the idea that the man could, in his own vernacular, "coach the heck out of everybody." But I think the opportunity to bring a deeper set of messages was missed, and I hope that changes.

As most coaches say, 'It is what it is.' It was an interesting glimpse into the mind of a motivator.

A few football notes: Before the seminar, Carroll spoke with the media about how this offseason has been different for him. "Well, it's been different in that we're not working with the players ? that's just the most obvious thing. Other than that, we've just been patient in supporting the whole process of the lockout, and we'll just wait and see what happens. We're ready for anything, and we're just going to wait until the announcements come out. Camp is ready to go, and if there's time for minicamps and OTAs, we'll just jump in as soon as we can. Our guys are on call to do that."

It should also be of interest to Seahawks fans that free-agent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the subject of rumors tying him to a dozen different teams when the lockout ends, had several appearances in the seminar's accompanying film presentations. It's clear that Carroll respects Hasselbeck a great deal; just something to add to the speculation.

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The Shutdown Corner Interview: Ndamukong Suh

Thanks to our friends at Subway, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has become a bit of a regular on the Corner, and we were pleased to talk with him again on Thursday. We spoke with Suh as he was bringing the avocado greatness to various Subway shops in the Detroit area, and also talked about his offseason, the lockout, how rookie Nick Fairley may fit in Detroit's already scary defensive line, and what the Lions need to do to take that next step.

Shutdown Corner: First of all, talk about what you're doing with Subway these days.

Ndamukong Suh: Right now, I'm running around on a part-time job with them, bringing avocados to the various restaurants in the Detroit area. It's a lot of fun and I'm enjoying it. And sometimes, when it becomes busy during the lunch hour, I become a sandwich artist and help the rush line move a little bit quicker. Just to help them out. I'm looking forward to continuing it, and I'm out here today helping my second store.

SC: I can imagine that your presence would speed things along if that's what you wanted. Now, do you have previous experience in the art of fast-food service?

NS: Yes, I do ? I did this last year. I've been working with Subway for a while, and it's been fun to be a part of this.

SC: Before we talk about the NFL, tell us about Camp Suh in Detroit. You had your high school coach involved?

NS: We had a great, great camp. We just finished it up yesterday?it was a two-day camp, and the first day was probably the most fun I've ever had. We put on a free impact camp for inner-city kids ? about 120 kids came out, and that was probably the most enjoyable time, because you had them out there having fun and racing around. And it wasn't just the kids; it was their family members as well.

SC: You came into the NFL ? very structured situation. Your head coach [Jim Schwartz] is a D-line guy; [defensive coordinator] Gunther Cunningham obviously does it the old-school way. So you had a structure that allowed you to bring your talent to the league and really get it done. How are things different through this offseason with the lockout?

NS: For me, it's my first NFL offseason, so there hasn't been that much to adjust to. I guess you could say that going off my prior offseason as a rookie ? I had great OTAs that I got to go through with my teammates and the other rookies. That was a huge part of my development in a successful rookie season, and I feel bad for all the rookies this year, because they don't have that same opportunity ? they're going to have to learn it on the fly. My offseason changed in that aspect, as well as having surgery, so it's been kind of twisted all around. But I've been able to manage and get to the position where I am now, and I'm just looking forward to getting into the 2011 season.

SC: Obviously, everyone's talking about the potential havoc created by the interior duo of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. Based on what you've seen of Fairley, what's your take on him, and how you see that combo working out? I assume you two have talked?

NS: We have spoken ? I talked with him at the Super Bowl for about an hour at lunch. I had no clue that he was coming to play for us, and I then had a great opportunity to speak to him after he was drafted. He seems very eager and ready to become part of the defensive line. I think we'll be able to be a great tandem. Hopefully, it can be like it was at Nebraska in my senior year, with myself and Jared Crick, and him coming and being a real impact guy. He relieved pressure off of me I relieved pressure off of him, and we became a dominant unit inside.

SC: When it comes to team leadership, do you see younger players now coming to you, and how important is that role to you?

NS: That's going to be interesting, to see how younger players talk to me in the NFL. I know I've had a little bit of that reaction with my own rookie peers with the Lions. Not only that, but friends I've had from playing in the Big 12. I definitely want to hone in on that and take it by the reins. One rookie in particular, Prince Amukamara, who was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round ? he went to my school. So, it's something that I've embraced. Fairley was actually one of those guys that reached out to me after he won the Lombardi award, and we had won it in back-to-back years.

SC: Yeah ? I talked with Prince a few months back and he said that you've been very helpful. You obviously came in to the NFL without too much of an adjustment issue; you were blowing stuff up pretty quickly. But when you think about your game as it stands now, what would you like to improve?

NS: My overall game. I know it sounds like a clich�, but I feel that I had a good season as a rookie and I need to improve on betting faster, stronger ? moving my feet and hands on a daily basis. That's something that's always true, even in the middle of the season ? you're never in a position where you have the perfect hands and feet for the whole season. You continue to build and work on new things, and continue to beat offensive linemen, week in and week out.

SC: You've had some pretty positive things to say about the progressions in the lockout talks ? do you get the feeling that we're close to a resolution?

NS: I definitely want to stick with the positive vibes and thinking that we're going to have a full season. At this point, I think we're still in great shape to get it done. It comes down to crunch-time and where there needs to be some heavy movement, and I think we're at that point right now. I think we're getting to the point that if it's longer than a week or two [from now], you never know ? but we as players, and me not being a player rep or a huge name in the NFL, don't always get the information right away. When we do get it done ? hopefully soon ? I'll definitely be excited to get the season started.

SC: Everybody seems to be drinking the Kool-Aid when it comes to the Lions this year ? three great drafts in a row, unified front office and coaching staff, very solid personnel at a lot of positions. In your mind, what do you guys need to do in order to take the next step?

NS: We need to build off that four-game winning streak at the end of the season ? that's the biggest thing. We were in every single game and we have the talent to be in every single gave, but it's a matter of being in the right situations. The game of football, especially in the NFL, is all about situations, and coming out on the big end of that stick.

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Puck Daddy?s NHL hockey rumors live chat!

The NHL Free Agent Frenzy begins Friday, and boy it's going to be exciting to see where Brad Richards and a bunch of fourth-liners end up!

Please join us beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT today for our weekly chat that includes a revolving door of panelists like Lyle "Spector" Richardson of Fox Sports; David "Dave" Pagnotta of The Fourth Period Magazine; as well as your friendly neighborhood knuckleheads from Yahoo! Sports, Puck Daddy and Buzzing The Net.

You bring the funny; we bring the abrupt changes in tone and Hamburger Women. That's how it works.

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