Fitting in The New Pieces: Columbus Blue Jackets

            Now that the dust has settle from the beginning of free agency, we get a chance to look at where all the new faces may fit in on the team.

            Huselius was brought in as a possible compliment to Nash based on the assumption that Iginla and Nash are the same type/style of player so any line that includes Nash is going to include Huselius at least until they have gotten through a couple weeks of camp.
What we are most likely to see when camp opens and lines are formed is a Nash-Brassard/Umberger/Peca- Huselius. Umberger is the most likely to get a shot at the top line first. Brassard will start off as the #2 center and Peca as a #3. Malhotra will be in at #4.

            Trying to guess the wing pairings for lines 2-4 is like trying to win the pick-3 lottery, there are just way too many possibilities there. Torres and Voracek on a line together could work but only if Brassard can take over the #1 center and Umberger slides back to #2. If Voracek doesn't make the big team Modin, Chimera, and Novotny will battle for the last spot on the #2 line. The two that lose that battle with be the #3 pairing, with Murray and Boll most likely on the 4th. Murray could make a case as a winger on lines 2-4 also. It gets even uglier when Filatov gets to the big club next year.

In my perfect world we would see:

Nash-Brassard-Huselius
Torres-Umberger-Voracek
Chimera-Peca-Murray
Boll-Malhotra-Sestito/Dorsett/Modin

            We're not going to give goalies nightmares from the start but don't be surprised to see more 5 and 6 goal games from this team.

Sorry but Modin just doesn't give me the woody he gives Hitch. The guy played scared all of last season ever since his back injury. Until he can prove he can play games balls to the wall he rides the 4th line at best. I wouldn't be against trading him. We just picked up two guys that are as good, or better than him and we could use him in a package to get a proven #1 center or an offensive defenseman.

            Our defense got a whole lot better. Russell is now 6th on the depth chart most likely on the third pairing with Hejda. Big red and Rusty will probably be the top pair with Backman and Tyutin on the second pair. I could also see Commodore and Backman as the top pair and Rusty and Tyutin as the #2. Russell really needs to be paired with Hejda so he can have the confidence to go forward when the opportunity is there. O.K. Tollefson and Rome will battle it out for the 7th spot/regular healthy scratch.

            LeClaire is #1 and Lacosta and Norrena battle it out for 2. Mason starts in Syracuse.