Blue Jackets Acquire Dick Tarnstrom for Power Play Help

The Jackets traded 24-year-old Curtis Glencross this afternoon for 33-year-old Dick Tarnstrom. Here is the what TSN.ca has to say about Tarnstrom:

Assets

Can move the puck very well up the ice. Has the ability to find the open man with a quick, accurate pass.

Flaws

Owns a below average shot. Has been prone to injury throughout his career. Has occasional defensive meltdowns.

Career potential

Power-play specialist.

You think just maybe the Jackets could use this guy's skill set? Uhhh...just slightly. This move addresses an immediate need while not sacrificing the future. We severely lack skill on the backend. Its fits the criteria in terms of the type of move I was expecting Howson to make.

A huge problem with this Jackets team is their inability to move the puck up the ice and to work the point on the power play. Tarnstrom should help in both of these much needed areas.

Tarnstrom only has 1g, 4a in 29 games but by all accounts he was only used on the 2nd power play unit as both Sheldon Souray and Joni Pitkanen were the primary points on the PP in Edmoton. Transrom has also recently been scratched to make room for some younger Edmonton defensemen.

The piece the Jackets traded, Curtis Glencross, was a nice player for the Jackets who came over as part of a trade for Joe Motzko and Mark Hartigan (we also got Zenon Konopka) but unfortunately for him he played wing which is the deepest position within the organization. He has also been scratched regularly the past month. As Howson states in the Dispatch, he was an asset in a deep position they were willing to part with to fill in a need. In other words, Columbus has lots of Curtis Glencross players in their system. Pineault, Murray, Picard, Dorsette and Konokpa -- all these guys can fill that role.

Really Glencross was a throw in as I think this was pretty much a salary dump by Edmonton. Tarnstrom is making 2 mil this year and then will be a UFA. The Oil certainly didn't want 2 mil sitting up in a press box.

So good on Howson for going out and getting a piece that should help now. From what I'm told Tarnstrom should be better than anyone we have on he PP and is smart and will find the weak side of the ice every time. He's not a Niedermeyer or Lidstrom or any of that so lets not set some outlandish expectations for this guy but with more ice time and a larger role he should certainly be able help us on the power play and transition. I'm looking forward to seeing him contribute and I'm sure Hitch will get everything he can out of this guy.

Lets not also forget that Howson should know what he's getting here. After all he was the assistant GM at Edmonton before landing the job here in Columbus. Remember that guy no one heard of in Jan Hejda?

The only downside here - he's not going to be here until sometime next week due to immigration paperwork issue. Tarnstrom is Swedish (Freddy Modin can show him around Cbus!) and since he wasn't playing for an American team he's got to pass through US immigration. According to Howson we should see him sometime next week.

I don't think Howson is finished either. If there are more deals out there that make sense he'll move on them.

This deal also shows that indeed the check book as been opened. The Jackets certainly took on salary in this deal and I don't think they'll hesitate to take some more on in the future.

Now the question is who sits on the d-line? I see like this:

Foote Hejda
Hainsey Klelsa
Russell Tarnstrom

Tollefsen scratched. Methot sent back down.

Good luck in Edmonton GlennX. Welcome to Columbus Tarnstrom!

-LTL