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Nathan Horton has ‘degenerative’ back condition; could hurt Blue Jackets

By Catherine Silverman

Mar 28, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Nathan Horton (8) battles for the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins left wing James Neal (18) at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Nathan Horton (8) battles for the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins left wing James Neal (18) at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports /
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When Nathan Horton left the Boston Bruins to sign a 7-year, $37-million dollar contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, a lot of Boston fans were less than pleased.

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    • Now, with the money crunch Boston is in, they’re probably a little bit relieved- if conflicted about the relief- that they don’t have to place another player on LTIR with a multi-million dollar contract.

    The 29-year-old forward is easily a 30-plus goal scorer who brings a ton of physical intensity to the game. With “no definitive timetable” for his return to the game, though, he’s currently nothing but a cap hit for the Metropolitan Division Blue Jackets.

    According to Yahoo’s Puck Daddy, at least CBJ fans know they can be a playoff team without him. He has a five-million dollar cap hit, though, and the hope from medical reports that the condition can be overcome with gradual strength and conditioning training. His condition isn’t uncommon for players in the NHL, but until he’s either cleared to play again- or placed on LTIR by his team- he’s taking up valuable space on a team just dying to win their first Stanley Cup.

    Things aren’t looking positive for the time being, though.

    “It’s about getting stronger and managing the pain by getting stronger in the core. Then your back gets stronger and the pain will go away. (He) is the only person that really knows where he is at and how much pain there is involved. It’s impossible for anybody else to know what he is going through right now. He is suffering.”

    While the Blue Jackets aren’t the only team dealing with a sidelined offensive superstar (look no further than Carolina, New York, or Detroit if you need an example), they are a team that is just on the brink of meeting with success. This can’t be the kind of news they were hoping for.

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