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. Bobby Leonard Jersey .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. Clemon Johnson Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. https://www.cheappacers.com/1023k-roger-brown-jersey-pacers.html .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. James Edwards Jersey . 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However, they were only brief, ruthless glimpses and the survival of Vargas was assisted by the decades of fighting and the struggle at the core of Pacquiaos desire -- the senator has been fighting with and without gloves since he was born.Pacquiao at 37 is still big business in the gambling city and a smiling thumbs-up cameo from Floyd Mayweather Jr. at ringside only added to the circus, speculation and desire of the many Las Vegas fixers. Their technical fight, which is the politest way to describe it, last year generated $600 million and a rematch would do even more.Pacquiao added the WBO bauble to the vast horde of boxing belts he has acquired during his lifetime; Pacquiao has won a total of 11 different belts, which is both a testament to his flexibility at gaining 35 pounds over the years and the nuttiness of sanctioning bodies with their desire to make official just about any scrap.In the Thomas & Mack ring there were genuine moments of Manny magic, his feet found their wings, his punches had that bit extra back that has been missing and there was a nasty twinkle in his eyes. A quick ending would have moved a rematch with Mayweather closer because that is what the boxing business needed to help sell a return of last years waltz.It can still be sold, it would be a better fight, but now the emphasis will be on Mayweathers decay and not Pacquiaos rediscovery of violence.dddddddddddd Pacquiao has not stopped or knocked out an opponent since 2009 and that sidelines any sales pitch that pushes his danger and any clear and present threat he poses Mayweather.Vargas was a willing assistant in Pacquiaos latest fight -- his 67th -- and he flitted between nervous, respectful, hurt, bloodied, fearless, desperate and relieved. He knew his destiny long before the first bell, knew he was getting paid a hefty fee to help Pacquiaos endless quest. He also knew that if he was on his feet at the end, his belt might be gone but his reputation would be greatly enhanced.One judge, clearly supping on a heady cocktail of incompetence and perceived independence, helped Vargas by returning a final score that only had him losing by one round. Pacquiao won a minimum nine of the 12 rounds.Vargas was dropped lightly in round two when Pacquiao pulled off a move last seen on the night he ruined Ricky Hatton in 2009. Vargas shook his head clear and banged his gloves together and the moment for closure was lost. Vargas was not afraid to let his punches go and his own fast right repeatedly caught Pacquiao. It was a good fight, not a classic, but there was enough blood and enough wild exchanges to lift it above ordinary. At the end everybody was smiling.Mayweather will fight again and Pacquiao is the only opponent that makes sense. Hopefully we wont have the six-year wait we had last time, which was really when the fire went out of the fight. The next time might just be a much, much better fight. ' ' '