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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets players and bosses dont believe lack of talent was to blame for last years disappointing -- and admittedly embarrassing -- season.Thus, there were no headline-making deals for the Blue Jackets in the offseason, which probably was due partly to their expensive existing contracts. But it also signals that this team has confidence in its young talent and expects success will come soon. How soon is anybodys guess.Columbus was considered a playoff contender in the pre-season last year but started 0-7, leading to the ouster of coach Todd Richards and the hiring of John Tortorella, who couldnt quite get the train back in the tracks. The Blue Jackets had to win four out of the last five games just to finish 34-40-8.Only three teams in the NHL were worse. The Blue Jackets missed the playoffs for the 13th time in the teams 15 seasons.Were embarrassed, no question about it, team president John Davidson said. We had expectations, we didnt meet them. We really got into a rut early in the season, for whatever reason. But this is a chance for all of us to get back on the horse and prove that this is a good group of players.Things to watch for from Columbus this season:BRIGHT SPOTS: Davidson believes the Blue Jackets have built a good core of talent, starting with a pair of 23-year-old forwards, Brandon Saad and Boone Jenner. Last year Saad scored 31 goals, and Jenner netted 30 -- the first time a pair of Blue Jackets players contributed 30 goals in a season. Saad signed a six-year, $36-million contract before last season, and Jenner inked an extension that locks him up through the 2017-18 season.Veteran forwards Nick Foligno, Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson and Scott Hartnell are proven scorers. Seth Jones and Ryan Murray, a former No. 2 overall draft pick under contract through next season, are an explosive defensive duo.I think thats a good challenge for us right now, to prove ourselves again, Jenner said. Were ready. I think were a hungry group.CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: The Blue Jackets need a much better year from team captain Foligno, one of the highest paid players. A 28-year-old left wing, Foligno had 12 goals and 37 points, a disappointing result after posting 31 goals and 73 points the previous season.I did a lot of self-reflecting, Foligno said just before training camp. I think I didnt play to my characteristics, my attributes, and I think you can probably say that about 95 percent of our team. I think last year was a huge reflecting point for all of us, to come in this year and know what its going to take. Because nobody wants to go through what we went through last year.WHATS UP WITH BOB?: The fortunes of the Blue Jackets will turn also on the play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who was hampered by a groin injury last year that limited him to 37 games and just 15 wins. Davidson said Bobrovsky, the teams franchise player, is healthy and is moving like a cat right now. He showed hes back by playing brilliantly for Russia in the World Cup of Hockey last month. Having him fully healthy will be a huge boost.YOUNG GUNS READY?: Dont be surprised to see some new, fresh faces on the ice for Columbus. A handful of players from the deep pool of talent that helped the AHL Lake Erie Monsters win the Calder Cup are believed to be ready to contribute in the NHL -- including forwards Sonny Milano, Josh Anderson and Oliver Bjorkstrand, and defenseman Zach Weresnki, as well as forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, the No. 3 overall pick in Junes draft.Im going to bring up the young guys, Davidson said. Theyre going to push. Whether theyre going to get there this season or out of camp, I dont know. Well watch. Theyre going to push, and thats a good thing.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyFor some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mitch-stacyCustom NHL Jerseys . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Clearance NHL Jerseys . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/ . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said.BOONE, N.C. -- Freshman Patrick Good scored 16 points and made 4 of 6 3-pointers, all 15 Mountaineers who played scored at least a point and Appalachian State rolled over Warren Wilson 119-51 in its home opener Thursday night.The 68-point margin of victory set a school record.Tyrell Johnson and Jake Babic each scored 13 points, Emarius Logan scored 11 and Ronshad Shabazz added 10. The Mountaineers outrebounded the Owls 54-25 and got 74 points from its bench.Bennett Holleys layup with 8:15 left made it 101-37, and the Mountaineers crossed the 1000-point mark for the first time since Jan.dddddddddddd 26 2016 at Georgia Southern.Leading 57-24 at halftime, Shabazz opened the second half with a 3-pointer to spark a 24-3 run and Appalachian State cruised. Appalachian State (1-2) shot 57 percent from the floor (40 of 70) and 43 percent from beyond the arc (12 of 28).Michael Pomeroy led the Owls, a United States Collegiate Athletic Association member, with 13 points. ' ' '