BJ's "Get Carter"

Very interesting news out of Columbus this afternoon, where the Blue Jackets have reportedly signed Anson Carter to a one-year deal for $2.5 million. Columbus wasn't generally discussed as a possible destination for the former Canuck, and whether they are able to resolve the Nikolai Zherdev situation or not, this is a nice addition to a team aspiring to its first playoff berth.

It's strange to see a 30-goal scoring forward in his prime get only a $2.5 million deal, when you see players like J.P. Dumont or Mike York in comparison. But the player market is a dynamic one, and at this point, there were few bidders left for Carter's services. You have to wonder if Vancouver was taken out of the running by their decision to retain Ryan Kesler, and once that happened, Carter saw his stock declining further. Either way, it's a nice pickup for Columbus, which should put them solidly in the middle of the Central division behind Detroit and Nashville, but well ahead of Chicago and St. Louis.