Optimism is fading that Horton, 29, will be able to play this season and there is growing concern that his career might be finished. Horton signed a seven-year, $37.1 million dollar contract last summer and has only suited up in 35 games with Columbus. Horton has been diagnosed with "degeneration" of the entire lumbar region of his spine. Surgery has not been scheduled or ruled out, but it is viewed as a last resort. It's a delicate procedure, with no guarantee of relief.

Sergei Bobrovsky and the Columbus Blue Jackets are ready to get this season started as the team raised their pre-season record to 6-1-0. Without the services of some top forwards in the likes of Ryan Johansen (contract), Boone Jenner (injury) and Nathan Horton (injury), the Jackets are getting balanced scoring throughout the lineup. Cam Atkinson would be the likely choice to succeed in Horton's absence while Alexander Wennberg is getting a good look at Center. Bobrovsky, a former Vezina winner, is your first choice when looking at the Jackets roster for your fantasy squad....The Buffalo Sabres exploded for 6 goals against the Capitals last night with 5 different scorers.  Matt Moulson scored twice and is one of the main cogs on offense for the Sabres. Even though the team ended up near the bottom of the Eastern Conference last year, they did play with spirit. The additions of veterans Brian Gionta and Andrej Meszaros will bring stability and with Tyler Ennis and Cody Hodgson entering their prime, it should make for some interesting hockey in Buffalo this season.....Bobby Ryan gets a 7-year extension in Ottawa. You may not recall but Ryan was scoring at a point-per-game clip until he suffered an injury mid-way through the season limiting his production.  The injury wasn't revealed until later in the season.  If fully healthy, expect a return to the ppg level.....You know we are getting close to the season opener as top goalies start to play more and establish themselves once again.  Marc-Andre Fleury posted a 2-0 shutout over Detroit while Carey Price made 31 saves in the Habs 3-1 win over Chicago. If there were any concerns about these two being ready, consider them washed away.

Horton has had a really hard time staying healthy in recent years. Since signing a seven-year, $37.1 million dollar deal last July, Horton has only suited up for 35 games. He seems poised to miss a decent amount of time with this back condition. With Horton out, Boone Jenner out and Ryan Johansen still unsigned, the Blue Jackets entire projected first line is unavailable.

Columbus Blue Jacket Center Boone Jenner sustained a broken hand and will be sidelined for the beginning of the season. Nathan Horton is also out with back issues, so Columbus will be without 3 of their top key performers if they don't sign Ryan Johansen before the season starts. Expect the Blue Jackets to sign the RFA Johansen as expectations are riding high this year in Columbus....Speaking of high expectations, Tyler Seguin potted 3 goals and an assist in Dallas' 5-4 win over Florida. Some people are saying that Seguin could possibly battle for the NHL Scoring title this season.  I wouldn't bet against that....The New York Rangers' future looks bright and we are not talking about another run a the Stanley Cup this season.  The Rangers' young guns scored 5 of the 6 goals in last night's exhibition tilt against Philadelphia.  Jesper Fast (2G). Ryan Haggerty (2G, A) and Anthony Duclair (G, A) were the main components of the 6-3 victory. Kevin Hayes pitched in with 2 assists. The Rangers need not look very far to find some offensive spark this year if they need it...Jason Pominville had a natural hat trick last night scoring three straight goals in the third period of Minnesota's 4-1 win over Pittsburgh. Pominville should benefit from the arrival of one-time Buffalo team mate Thomas Vanek, so keep Pommer in mind in those mid-to-late rounds of your draft. Darcy Kuemper was solid in net for the Wild....Edmonton defeated Winnipeg by a score of 3-1 as G Viktor Fasth turned aside 27 SOG to earn the win.   For those who are thinking Ben Scrivens is a lock to be the Number 1 starter for the Oil, you better have Fasth as a handcuff just in case he steals the job. Edmonton needs to win now as the faithful are getting a bit restless in Alberta.

it's nice to finally talk about how players are performing in games, but keep mind in that statistics in exhibition contests are entirely misleaading. As a fantasy owner, you are paying attention to possible line combinations and power-play units that are clicking during the pre-season. A few notable performances to mention during the first night of live game action: Justin Schultz scored a goal and an assist for Edmonton in the 3-1 intra-squad victory over Calgary. Here is a rising defenseman who should easily build on his mini-breakout season of 33 points. With the Oiler's young guns poised to take a big step forward, Schultz will move into the top 15-20 tier of fantasy defensemen. Love his upside.. Vladimir Tarasenko is also one to watch for St. Louis, collecting a goal and an assist. Even on a balanced offense where coach Hitchcock evenly rolls out three lines, the young stud winger is easily the most talented and can make a run at 50-55 points... Keep your eye on Columbus RW Cam Atkinson (2 goals), as he should play big minutes while Nathan Horton recovers from injury. And even if he does, the oft-injured winger should miss enough games to allow Atkinson to be the top RWer for an extended period of time. Ryan Johansen gets all the love, but Atkinson is a pure goal scorer. He will bust out soon. Solid late-pick. -Bobby Ryan apparently got his "bell rung" after colliding with Kyle Turris during an Ottawa practice. Speaking to reporters after the incident, Ryan appeared to be ok and is listed as 'day-to-day' and will likely miss their exhibition opener.. Jonathan Drouin missed another scrimmage for Tampa Bay due to an upper body injury. Coach Cooper stated that the youngster should be ready to go for their exhibition games. The Lightning start Tuesday night against Nashville.. Christian Ehrhoff has been paired with Paul Martin during Pittsburgh's first few days of camp. The former Buffalo rearguard should be highly regarded in fantasy as a return to his 40-point days are coming.. Minnesota coach Mike Yeo has been pleased with the Thomas Vanek-Mikko Koivu pairing so far. The Wild are loaded at left wing, as Zach Parise should be primed for another big year. In terms of fantasy worth, regardless of where these two wingers line up, both figure to get time on the primary power-play unit.

After claiming the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, Columbus battled Pittsburgh "tooth and nail" only to lose in 6 hard fought games during last season's quarterfinals. With the team on the upswing, their biggest offseason acquisition was Scott Hartnell that arrived via a trade for RJ Umberger. Along with the return of a healthy Nathan Horton, the Jackets are ready to make big strides but contract negotiations with future star Ryan Johansen are still hanging over their head. Elite level talent and depth on defense, plus stellar goaltending have them primed for another playoff run, perhaps a lengthier one. On the fantasy front, the list of elite options is a short one but there are many fantasy players to consider on this up-and-coming roster. Goalies Sergei Bobrovsky proved his Vezina cup winning season was no fluke by following up with another superb campaign-32-20-5 record, 2.38 GAA and .923 SP. The 25-year old should continue to flourish with a strong defense in support as is evident by his 9 shutouts over his 2 years with Columbus. Curtis McElhinney will continue to serve as his backup and get minimal playing time as Super Bob should be in line for 65- 70 starts. Defense James Wisniewski shook off the injury label last season with a 52-point monster effort. The question isn't whether the hard shooting defenseman will rack up points but whether durability concerns will limit his game action. Fantasy owners should tread with caution if considering drafting him early. The "Wiz" is a great value pick if he can be had on the cheap in the middle rounds given his huge upside. As for Jack Johnson, an Olympic snub resulted in a huge offensive resurgence over the second half. He has the ability to put up 40+ pts with his eyes closed but his dedication and compete level is not always there. As a result, he tends to fall in most drafts. Keeps tabs on this potential bargain pick as a rebound should be coming. Rookie Ryan Murray will be entering his sophomore season after collecting 21 points in 63 games. While he possesses plenty of upside in dynasty leagues, he doesn't figure to get much power-play time behind Wisniewski and Johnson. Don't overrate but he is worth a late-round stash, considering his fantasy stock can skyrocket if any injuries limit any of the top two blueliners. The same holds true for ol' reliable Fedor Tyutin who could seamlessly slide onto the top PP unit if "Wiz" or JJ miss time. Forwards Coming off a 33-goal season, good for 11th in NHL...

One of the knocks on Horton in recent years has been his inability to stay healthy. Including this season, he has missed 122 games over the last six seasons. To put that in perspective, he has missed 26.6% of regular season games played since 2008-09. In his first of seven years of a $37.1 million dollar contract with the Blue Jackets, Horton amassed four goals and 14 assists (18 points) in 35 games. Should Columbus advance to the Eastern Conference finals, Horton could be back in the lineup. If not... See you in 2014-15 Nathan.

Horton returned to the lineup on Tuesday after a four-game absence. He only made it one-shift into the second period before retiring to the dressing room. He will be the first player in NHL history to score a goal in a game that he will not play in. Tonight's game is the make-up game for the game which was postponed after Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench. Horton will be credited with the goal as they start 1-0, but they will play a full 60 minutes.

Horton was listed as a game-time decision on Monday, but based on the morning skate it looks like he will be back in tonight vs. the Coyotes. Horton is skating on a line with Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner--monitor his status following the a.m skate.

Horton skated with the Blue Jackets this morning, but will talk to the medical staff and coaches later today before they make a decision. Horton has missed the last four games.