Blue Jackets Re-Sign Jody Shelley to Two-Year Contract

[Thrillhouse]

The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed forward Jody Shelley to a two-year contract, club President and General Manager Doug MacLean announced Thursday.

Shelley, 30, has spent all four of his National Hockey League seasons with the Blue Jackets, registering 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points with 856 penalty minutes in 277 games played. He is the franchise's all-time leader in penalty minutes and ranks fourth in games played, trailing only David Vyborny (395), Tyler Wright (309) and Marc Denis (294). In 2005-06, Shelley set career highs for goals, assists, points and games played with 3-7-10 in 80 games and led the club in penalty minutes for the fourth consecutive season with 163 PIM.

"Jody is a fierce competitor who has worked tirelessly to improve his game each year he's been with our club," said MacLean. "He possesses tremendous character and has not only become a real leader in our dressing room, but a great ambassador in our community as well."

Shelley spent three seasons playing in the ECHL and American Hockey League prior to making his NHL debut late in the 2000-01 season. He tallied 3-3-6 in 52 games as an NHL rookie in 2001-02 and ranked second among first-year players, 10th overall, with 206 PIM. He led the NHL in penalty minutes in 2002-03 with 249 PIM to go along with 1-4-5 in 68 games. In 2003-04, he chipped in 3-3-6 in 76 games and ranked fourth in the league with 228 PIM.

"I love playing in Columbus and I'm proud to be part of one of the best organizations in the NHL," said Shelley. "I feel really good about our team and I'm looking forward to helping the Blue Jackets take the next step and bring playoff hockey to our fans."

Prior to embarking on his professional career, he played three seasons with Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League where he notched 48-50-98 and 933 PIM in 181 games from 1994-97. Originally signed by Calgary in September 1998, he spent two seasons in the Flames organization before joining the Blue Jackets as a free agent on Jan. 31, 2001. He collected 4-12-16 and 522 penalty minutes in 91 games with the Syracuse Crunch, Columbus's AHL affiliate, during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.

[Captain Crunch28]

Great signing by the Blue Jackets, good to know he'll be back!

[Lars24]

Really glad Shelley will be back. More good news for the fight fans.

[JKidd]

Great news to hear Shell get resigned. A true warrior and whats becoming a shadow of the former NHL tough guy. Great to see he'll be sticking around with the Jackets for a few years to come.

[bengino]

now let's hope they didn't resign him to have him sit most the time. Great news though.

[spiderarms]

Shelley's a good man. A definite top 10 in todays NHL. What's going to happen with Brandon Sugden? He won't be in Syracuse again. He's NHL ready. How about Toronto? A good spot for him if Domi is through. Three hour + ride from Syracuse!

[cashman rules]

Originally Posted by spiderarms

Shelley's a good man. A definite top 10 in todays NHL. What's going to happen with Brandon Sugden? He won't be in Syracuse again. He's NHL ready. How about Toronto? A good spot for him if Domi is through. Three hour + ride from Syracuse!

Rather see him in the lnah

[AVALANCHE FAN]

Shelley gets better every year,he doesnt score alot but but he does a great job of increasing the number of points he puts up every season.

Unless Sugden gets a temp call up from the CBJ or another club I dont think he will be playing in the NHL anytime soon.

[Captain Crunch28]

Originally Posted by bengino

now let's hope they didn't resign him to have him sit most the time. Great news though.

To my knowledge, Jody Shelley played 80 games last year, and gets a reasonable amount of ice time per game

[Humpzilla]

Considering how popular Jody Shelley is with the fans in Columbus, along with with the fact the future of the Blue Jackets is placed heavily on the backs of soft European players - the Jackets should have just locked Shelley up for the rest of his career. Just my two cents...

[kwnger1371]

Good signing just to bad the Red Wings don't have anyone to fight him it would be pretty interesting seens how we play them 20 times a year.

[mongoose]

i ran into aaron johnson 3 weeks ago and had a few pops with him he said that shelley would be resigned ,said he is awesome in the dressing room and that he creates and opens a lot of room for his fellow teammates.

[McDonald19]

Good signing!

now lets hope Sugden, who is a UFA, gets signed by a team who will give him a realistic shot at the NHL next season.

[ProbieRules]

Great news...now if we can get every team in the league (even you Redwings) to sign / play a "Jody Shelley" type player, then I will be a happy man.

[bengino]

Originally Posted by Captain Crunch28

To my knowledge, Jody Shelley played 80 games last year, and gets a reasonable amount of ice time per game

ya, but if teams noticed the success of teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and the regular season success of the Detroit Red Wings. Teams may just be tempted to sit out their HW in favor of young fast players.