The Columbus Blue Jackets made a big move in free agency, committing to a long-term deal for a power forward who is about to undergo shoulder surgery. Numbers Game looks at Columbus signing of Nathan Horton. The Blue Jackets Get: RW Nathan Horton. Horton, 28, has been a part of one of hockeys better trios in Boston, playing with Milan Lucic and David Krejci. While they havent been as consistent as some other high-powered lines, they have been crucial to the Bruins run to the Cup Final twice in the last three seasons. In Hortons case, he had 36 points and a plus-31 ranking in 43 playoff games during the 2011 and 2013 playoffs, has had strong puck possession over the last three years and his 2.65 shots per game last season matched his previous career-best. Those were high points, however, and Horton has endured a number of challenges in recent seasons. Horton was a blossoming power forward who could score and scrap, if need be, but a concussion caused him to miss 36 regular season and seven playoff games in 2011-2012 and that, coupled with a chronic shoulder problem, may have taken away some of the bite in his game (22 penalty minutes in 43 games in 2013 was a career-low PIM rate). Going to Columbus will present challenges for Horton, not least of which is finding linemates with whom he will have the same chemistry that he did with Krejci and Lucic. Hortons shoulder surgery should leave him out for four-to-six months, so he could miss half of next season while he recovers. If he returns to the lineup prepared to take a leadership role, go to the hard areas to score and bang bodies, then Horton can be a valuable addition. The concern anyone will have is the term which the Blue Jackets have committed. Seven years and $37.1-million (a $5.3-million cap hit) is a major investment in a player whose scoring rates last season (0.30 gpg and 0.51 ppg) were his lowest since his rookie year. Hortons young enough that he could be a productive scorer for the majority of the deal, but thats going to depend on who the Blue Jackets end up playing him with, because Horton doesnt carry the puck a lot; he does some, and he can dangle, but his game is predicated on being a big body forward who can go to the net and score from in close. If the Blue Jackets have a playmaker that can get Horton the puck in position to score, he very well could be a 25-to-30-goal scorer and if a healthy Horton is more a more physical presence, all the better. Surely part of the Blue Jackets reason to sign Horton so seven years is that it helped make the salary cap hit more palatable, but a healthy Horton scoring goals will be what provides value to Columbus. A team that ranked 25th in goals last season (2.40 per game) made a move to help address that shortcoming. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Discount Nike Roshe Shoes .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Nike Roshe Sale Cheap . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. http://www.discountnikeroshe.com/ . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Outlet Nike Roshe . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Clearance Nike Roshe . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons.VANCOUVER -- Martin Rennie had things easy the past couple of weeks. But after having the luxury of keeping his lineup intact for two games, the Vancouver Whitecaps coach has no shortage of tough decisions to make heading into an important Major League Soccer game Saturday in Portland against the Timbers. Suspensions, a potential injury-induced absence and the need to kick-start a club that has lost its past two games will force the Vancouver coach to act. The fifth-place Caps (9-7-5) are seeking their first-ever MLS win over the Timbers (8-3-2), who are tied for second, as both clubs try to keep pace in a tight Western Conference. The starting goalkeeper choice ranks at, or near, the top of Rennies decisions list as the coach contemplates whether to give newcomer David Ousted his first start of the season or keep going with Brad Knighton. The second-year goaltender has lost his past two games after helping the Whitecaps go unbeaten in their previous six. But Rennie does not regard his goalkeeper pick as a difficult decision. "Its a lot better than our centre backs are doing, for example, where we dont have any choices (after several injuries)," said Rennie. "Its nice to have choices. "Not only that, but (former No. 1 and now No. 3) Joe Cannon is a great goalkeeper and (No. 4) Simon (Thomas) is a good goalkeeper, too. Its a good position for us." Ousted, a 28-year-old former Danish Superliga star, signed in June and did not become eligible until an international transfer window opened July 9. If the Greve, Denmark native gets the call, he will be the third goalkeeper to go between the posts for the Whitecaps this season after Knighton, 28, wrestled the starting job away from Cannon, 38. "I think that (Knighton) has been doing well and (Ousted) is looking really sharp now," Rennie said. Ousted spent the past three seasons with Randers FC in the Danish Superliga, earning 35 clean sheets in 103 appearances. He is eager to play after honing his craft in practice and watching games from the bench. Although he is willing to be patient and wait for his chance, the goalkeeper has found it very difficult to watch. "I hate being on the bench," Ousted said. "I always have. I think every footballer wants to play, and Im the same.dddddddddddd. I want to play every time." Portlands Weld-Jen Field is known for being a hostile environment. The Whitecaps have never beaten the Timbers there or anywhere else since the two clubs entered MLS in 2011. But the Caps earned a home tie against Portland in May. "If there was some good spectators there and a couple of boos in there, thats something I thrive on," Ousted said. "I love that. It just makes me play even better. So Im not nervous getting in there. Im just waiting for my chance to prove myself." Coach Rennie also has a potentially tough call to make up front as striker Kenny Miller battles a groin injury suffered in a 1-0 loss to Philadelphia last weekend, when the Whitecaps played down a man for all but eight minutes. Depending on Millers availability, Kekuta Manneh, 18, the clubs top draft choice (fourth overall) this year, is a candidate for his second start of the season. "It would be great to start the game," Manneh said. "Its a big game for the club, and everybodys looking forward to it, and its a really important game for us. So, if it is a matter of playing one minute or 90 minutes, I will try to add as much as I can and try to be a big part of the team." The Gambian speedster has excelled while coming off the bench, producing two goals and an assist in just 274 minutes of playing time in 12 appearances. Midfield also appears to be a concern as Jun Marques Davidson and Gershon Koffie serve one-game suspensions. Davidsons suspension stems from the red card he received for head-butting a Philadelphia player in the back last weekend. Fortunately, he avoided further punishment from the leagues disciplinary committee. Koffies ban is due to yellow-card accumulation. Despite the need for changes, Rennie still likes his clubs chances against a Portland squad that lost two of its four games in July but has suffered just a league-low three losses. "If we execute well, weve shown that weve got a good chance against any team," said Rennie. NOTES: Centre back Brad Rusin is slated to play after recovering from a hip injury that forced him out of the game against Philadelphia. ' ' '