The Ryan Murray Summer Saga!
By Mark Huss
June 22, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ryan Murray is selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2012 NHL Draft at CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Just last night I posted an article about Ryan Murray. By now you may already be sick of hearing his name, and you are probably just dying to know if he will be playing in a Blue Jackets jersey or not next season. Lets take a look at what this summer has been like for Ryan Murray and how he has impacted our writing at U & B.
It was announced on the CBJ website that Murray’s shoulder was “back to 100%” on June 18th. It was John Davidson himself telling BlueJackets.NHL.com the news…
"Murray’s shoulder is “back to 100 percent” and he’s doing very well in offseason workouts, and should be completely ready for training camp in September.“He’s doing very well,” Davidson said. “By the time September comes around, he’s going to be a well-conditioned young man.”"
On June 21st, Murray himself told BlueJackets.NHL.com how excited he is to lace up his skates up…
"“The shoulder feels 100 percent and I have no limitations whatsoever in any of my training or exercises I’ve been doing on the ice,” Murray said. “It feels great, I’m really excited and now I just need to get that final OK from the doctor to do contact.”"
About a month ago it was announced that Murray was finally cleared for full contact, the last obstacle that was holding him back…
"Murray passed all the check-ups and was cleared for full contact, meaning he can return to playing hockey at the pace and intensity he’s become accustomed to.“That’s the news I’ve been waiting quite a long time to hear. It’s been such a long process, a lot of hard work and I’m really glad to finally get the green light to do everything I could do before…it’s really exciting for me.”"
Here at Union and Blue we also took the opportunity to write about Ryan Murray…
"This morning I caught a few minutes of the TV series called Oil Change on the NHL Network. The series basically has been a look into the Oilers everyday operations and lives of their players and prospects, very similar to what they do with the Winter Classic TV series. The series is beside the point though, in the very few minutes I watched this morning, the Oilers scouting staff and front office were discussing who to pick as the number one overall selection in the 2012 draft, Ryan Murray or Nail Yakupov. It then dawned on me, this could be the first year that we can compare these two side by side and see who may have potentially “won” in that years draft."
Ryan Murray Vs Nail Yakupov posted on July 21st.
June 21, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Top NHL draft prospect Ryan Murray waits to take batting practice as a guest of the Pittsburgh Pirates before the game against the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Majeski also took the opportunity to share his thoughts about Murray…
"Ryan Murray is the future face of the Columbus Blue Jackets defense, but that does not guarantee him a roster spot. The CBJ currently have a wealth of defensive talent.The jump from Juniors to the NHL is a daunting task, even more so when you have missed the majority of the previous season. Whether he is in Springfield or Columbus, Blue Jackets fans will be paying close attention to Murray’s development this season and awaiting his NHL debut."
The Long Awaited Debut Of Ryan Murray posted on July 30th.
Just last night I posted about the different possibilities for Murray and where he will be playing next season…
"Lets take a look at one answer; Murray plays a year in the AHL. Would it be the worst thing in the world? He hasn’t played an actual game since being drafted, and throwing him into the deep end right away might not be the smartest move by management.Second answer; find room for him to wear a Blue Jackets jersey, not just on the roster, but on the ice as well. This is the more complex answer, several different options are viable. Lets take a look at who else could sit, because that is the biggest part of this answer."
Is There Any Room For Ryan Murray? posted on August 7th.
The saga continues on this summer for Ryan Murray and the Columbus Blue Jackets. “When will it end?” you might be asking, it will end when we find out if he will be playing for CBJ or the Springfield Falcons, CBJ’s AHL affiliate.