Grading The Columbus Blue Jackets Offseason
By Mark Huss
Last but not least, free agency. Going into free agency I was not very excited. There wasn’t too many big names this year, maybe that was a good thing though. We didn’t have to wait and wait like last offseason, just to hear that Parise and Suter signed with the same team…shocker.
March 12, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Boston Bruins right wing
Nathan Horton(18) skates up ice with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
I am going to get right down to it. This year it was Columbus that was behind the fishing reel, and we landed one of the biggest fish on the free agent market. Greg Wyshynski from Puck Daddy had this to say about the signing of Horton…
"Horton is a power forward the Jackets need. The $5.3 million cap hit is actually lower than you’d expect a desperate team to hand out. The seven years are about two too long, but who cares? The Blue Jackets won a free agent derby because a guy wanted to play in Columbus and they didn’t pay significantly over market value. Two summers ago, they had to trade for Jeff Carter because no one wanted to play there; now, Horton picked them."
That speaks volumes to the Blue Jackets front office and team as well. JD and Jarmo have done enough work, and have brought success to this team, creating a desire for players to WANT to join the battle with Columbus. Nathan Horton will be a great addition to the team once he is healthy and back on the ice. Until then, we will have to wait and see how this signing really turns out for Columbus.
There were also two other minor signings that added some depth to the Blue Jackets roster this summer. Jack Skille and Frederic St. Denis both joined the Blue Jackets on two-way deals for one year. Both players have had NHL experience, so they each could be called up on short notice.
Free Agency Grade: A