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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. Jahlil Okafor Jersey . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. ETwaun Moore Pelicans Jersey . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Customized/ . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Jahlil Okafor Pelicans Jersey . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Finals or no finals, Mitchell Pearce says he owes it to his Sydney Roosters teammates to spend the remainder of the NRL season rebuilding the clubs winning culture.The Roosters fall from grace has been nothing short of dramatic this year and after three successive minor premierships including the 2013 title, the club is near certain to miss the playoffs for the first time under coach Trent Robinson.Due to injury, and suspension over his Australia Day antics Pearce has only played four games this year. In his return from a month out with a calf injury, he earned man-of-the-match honours despite the Tricolours 24-20 loss to Canterbury on Thursday night and has declared he will keep fighting.I want to keep firing for the boys because Ive let them down this year, Pearce said.Sitting out from footy at the start of the season gave me an opportunity to watch plenty of footy.Ive also gone through a lot of maturity off the field. A lot of self-development.So, now Im trying to take my game to another level, trying to take this team to another level.Im 27 and hopefully coming into my best footy.Thats my focus, to be the bestt I can be, hopefully that influences my teammates as well.ddddddddddddPearce said it had been difficult to watch the demise of the Roosters from the sidelines this year.Were winners here, were a proud club and proud players. (But) the culture has definitely dropped off this year, he said.There have been plenty of things happen. A few obvious ones and some struggles. Weve come off three big years where we won three minor premierships and a competition.So, as a club, were looking at this as a little down period ... you can roll over or you can keep fighting.The second-last placed Roosters need to win all of their last nine games to qualify for the finals, a feat Pearce hasnt give up on.The goal is to make the finals, he said.I know that sounds ridiculous when were right down at the bottom of the ladder. But weve got to keep our standards high.Yes, we have to win nearly every game. But if were selling ourselves short on that theres no point turning up at all.Were here to make the finals. ' ' '