Atkinson, 23, has tallied eight goals and eight assists for 16 points with four penalty minutes and a +7 plus/minus rating in 42 games

Cam Atkinson found the back of the net twice for the Blue Jackets in a 3-1 win over Dallas Thursday.

What could have been a solid rookie campaign for Atkinson was derailed by an untimely injury, but he snapped a five-game pointless drought with tonight's effort, which also included seven shots on goal. Mark Letestu added his 13th of the season in the victory.

Cam Atkinson expects the high ankle sprain he suffered in January to irritate him until he can fully rest it this summer but the right winger is feeling better, that much is obvious.

Atkinson was the most dynamic player on the ice on Thursday in the Blue Jackets' 6-4 loss to Edmonton. Coach Todd Richards said he hasn't spoken to Atkinson about his ankle, but his eyes tell him all he needs to know. "We (the coaches) see the same thing," Richards said. "He had one shift in the second period where (Oilers defenseman) Nick Schultz was chasing him and he couldn't catch him. That's the way Cam can have success, using his quickness, the starts and stops and changing direction to separate himself from players. He wasn't able to do that early on." Atkinson is seen by scouts as a future 25- to 30-goal scorer. He had seven goals and seven assists in 27 games as a rookie last season.