Nineteen-year-old rookie Ilya Protas leads the Bears with 10 points in 14 games and is tied for first in goals (5) with veteran Matt Strome, who scored Hershey's Calder Cup-winning goal in 2024. The last rookie to finish a season leading the Hershey Bears in points was Connor McMichael, who tallied 27 points (14g, 13a) in 33 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. The last rookie player to lead the team in goals was Ethen Frank, who scored 30 goals during the 2022-23 campaign. Both are in the NHL and currently play for the Washington Capitals.
So, they come in the league in 2000. They haven't made round two of the playoffs ever. They haven't made the playoffs since 2020. They've missed the playoffs 20 of 25 times. The best Blue Jacket ever is Rick Nash. They've had 7 team captains: Lyle Odelein, Ray Whitney, Luke Richardson, Adam Foote, Rick Nash, Nick Foligno, and Boone Jenner. I've never heard a single conversation about the Blue Jackets.
The Artemi Panarin contract stalement is front and center for the New York Rangers with no end in sight. In talking with RG Media, former Ranger Alexei Kovalev said Panarin returning to Russia if things with the Rangers don't work out is a strong possibility. Kovalev cited his own experience in choosing Ottawa for the money, a poor choice by his own words, instead of focusing on things that may matter more, like people, familiarity, and environment.