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. Wayne Hunter Jersey Online . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. John Gerak Jersey Online . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. https://www.cheapjerseysatwholesale.com/ . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Quincy Wilson Jersey Online . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Cheap Jerseys For Sale . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Super middleweight contender Callum Smith, whos in a prime position as the mandatory challenger for the winner of the world title unification fight between James DeGale and Badou Jack, will risk his status.Smith will defend his British title against mandatory challenger Luke Blackledge on the Anthony Joshua-Eric Molina undercard at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, on Dec. 10, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced Monday.Smith will be making the first defense of the vacant British belt he won by first-round knockout of Rocky Fielding last November. Smith (21-0, 16 KOs), 26, has won three more fights since then, including the European title, but the British title was not on the line.DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs), Smiths British countryman, and Swedens Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs), a Floyd Mayweather protégé living in Las Vegas, are due to meet Jan. 14 (Showtime) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, to unify their 168-pound world titles. The winners next fight is supposed to come against Smith, as long as he takes care of Blackledge.The WBC have told both fighters (DeGale and Jack) theyve got to sign before the (Jan. 14) fight and the winner has to fight Callum Smith, Hearn told ESPN.Hearn said he would like to have Smith face the winner in May or June and do it outdoors at a stadium in the United Kingdom.With DeGale, its a big fight, Hearn said of what would be an all-British showdown.Smith is content to defend his British title but anxious for the shot at a world title. Hes?one of the fighting Smith brothers that includes former juunior middleweight world titleholder Liam, former junior lightweight title challenger Stephen and former super middleweight title challenger Paul.ddddddddddddLuke is a good fighter, Smith said. He comes to win, hes game and durable, and it promises to be a cracking fight. Im proud to be British champion, and Ill defend it until I can get a fight for a world title.It was good to see James and Badou finally get their fight signed. I was in Washington [D.C.] in April when they both defended their titles and agreed to meet in a unification, and I didnt think it would take this long for the fight to happen. I didnt think Id have three fights before getting my chance to fight for the world title, but theyre ready to fight, and while its been a bit frustrating, Ive been active and learning all the time, and its exciting that I will be fighting for a world title next year.Smith said he aims to take care of Blackledge (22-2-2, 7 KOs), 26, and doesnt care who emerges from DeGale-Jack.Its a win-win for me. If Jack wins itll probably be in [Las] Vegas, and thats every fighters dream to fight for a world title in Vegas, Smith said. But if James wins, which I think he will, then thats a massive domestic fight, and weve seen that the British fans love those events.Blackledge has won eight fights in a row since suffering a first-round knockout loss to Fielding in a Commonwealth super middleweight title bout in November 2013. ' ' '