Page 44 - Sports Illustrated Kids (October 2018)

Pittsburgh

BLUE JACKETS PENGUINS

This offseason, the Penguins
signed defenseman Jack Johnson
to a five-year, $16.25 million contract. Johnson was a

1
Blue Jacket for the previous 6 ⁄4 seasons.
“I’ve been looking to be in a winning culture and a
place where the expectations to win are as high as they
can be,” Johnson said about joining Pittsburgh.
At the same press conference, Penguins GM Jim
Rutherford speculated about Columbus holding Johnson
out of the lineup at times last season. Rutherford’s and
Johnson’s comments earned strong rebukes from Jackets
GM Jarmo Kekäläinen and coach John Tortorella.
This rivalry didn’t need the extra fuel. Since the 2013
NHL realignment moved the Blue Jackets to the East,
they’ve been a thorn in the Penguins’ side. Now Columbus
is a legitimate threat.
“Against Pittsburgh, it has a different feeling, more than
anybody else in our league right now,” says Blue Jackets
defenseman Seth Jones. “There always seems to be a scuffle
or fights. Just the intensity—it seems a little bit faster.”
That intensity showed on December 21, 2017, in a game AL TIELEMANS (CROSBY); JAMIE SABAU/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (BLUE JACKETS)
in which Jackets captain Nick Foligno fought Evgeni
Malkin and Jones wrestled with Sidney Crosby.
“It’s not a surprise,” Malkin told reporters after the
game. “It did not start yesterday; it started a long time
ago. We hate each other.”

Tampa Bay

LIGHTNING

To onto

MAPLE

LEAFS