BLUE JACKETS NOTEBOOK Springfield's blue line crowded
Dateline: MANCHESTER, N.H.
These days, Rob Riley is part coach, part maitre d'.
There's quite the waiting list to play defense for the Blue Jackets' top minor-league club. And his young prospects are doing everything short of greeting the silver-haired Springfield coach with $20 handshakes.
The Falcons (3-3) have 10 defensemen fighting for six sweaters each game. The franchise never has had such depth at the American Hockey League level and it's producing relentless pressure for players fighting for ice time.
"It's a bit of a tightrope," Riley said. "It creates unbelievable battles in practice, but when you post the lineup on game day you have four guys looking at you like, 'I should be in there.' "
Cody Goloubef scored a goal, played sound defensively and was named one of the game's three stars yesterday in the Falcons' 3-1 win over the Manchester Monarchs.
But until the Jackets recalled veteran Nate Guenin on Saturday -- yes, the Falcons had 11 defensemen -- Goloubef had been a healthy scratch in three of the first four games.
"It's a matter of remaining patient and showing you're a team guy," said Goloubef who played at the University of Wisconsin last season. "It can be frustrating at times, but you got to keep your head down and keep grinding. When you get that chance you have to put your best foot forward."
Goloubef, 20, is one of five defensemen who turned pro this season. The list also includes a pair of prized 19-year-olds in David Savard and John Moore, the club's first-round pick in 2009.
The Falcons also have veterans such as Grant Clitsome, Nick Holden and Jonathan Sigalet.
How unusual is the situation for the Jackets' organization? On Saturday, Riley made Savard, the team's leading scorer from the blue line with four points, a healthy scratch.
"We've never had this many young prospects starting out together," Jackets assistant general manager Chris MacFarland said. "It's good for these guys to go through the experiences, the trials and tribulations, together."
MacFarland and development coach Tyler Wright met with the defensemen before the first game on Oct. 8 to discuss their unique makeup and playing time. Moore, Holden and Clitsome are the only defensemen to appear in all six games.
The Falcons have dressed seven defensemen on some nights and used Michael Ratchuk at wing. Steven Delisle, who suffered a shoulder injury in training camp, has yet to make his debut.
MacFarland said there's no immediate plan to dispatch a few defensemen to the Fort Wayne Komets of the Central Hockey League. Injuries and promotions eventually will relieve the logjam, but until that time there will be some long faces on game days.
"It's easy for us to say be patient," Riley said. "But you know what it's like for kids. Goloubef left college to come play here and he sat out the first weekend."
Who, me?
Funny scene in the visitor's dressing room in Xcel Energy Center on Saturday morning, when coach Scott Arniel summoned a player to his office.
"He called for Derek, and all three of us jumped up," center Derek MacKenzie said, referring to himself and fellow Blue Jacket forwards, Derick Brassard and Derek Dorsett. "He was looking for me."
MacKenzie's been called into numerous meetings like this before, usually informing him of a demotion to the minor leagues.
But the nine-year minor-league veteran had a new lease on an NHL career under Arniel, and this meeting was further proof.
Arniel informed MacKenzie that, with defenseman Anton Stralman injured and out of the lineup, the power play units were getting shuffled around. MacKenzie was joining the No. 2 power play unit.
MacKenzie has played 68 NHL games since 2001-02, but this is his best chance to stick.
"I'm really trying not to look too much into it," MacKenzie said. "It's been pretty tough for me getting here, and I know it's going to be tougher staying.
"That's the feedback I've been getting, just keep the pedal to the metal and hope for the best."
MacKenzie scored his fourth career NHL goal midway through the second period to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead. It came just two seconds after a power play had expired, and MacKenzie was set up beautifully by Brassard for a one-timer from low in the right faceoff circle.
"I would have lost a night's sleep if I didn't put that one in," MacKenzie said. "Brass pretty much gave me an open net to work with."
Slap shot
The Blue Jackets did not practice yesterday. They'll be back on the ice at 10:30 a.m. today.
aportzline@dispatch.com
