And the Blue Jackets avoid arbitration again. The Columbus Blue Jackets have never gone through arbitration, and just when we all thought it was about to happen, Howson prevailed. The scheduled arbitration hearing was set for 9 a.m. this Wednesday morning. However, reports are saying that the deal was made only a few minutes before the hearing. Defenseman Anton Stralman and GM Scott Howson were able to come to agreements on a one-year contract worth $1.95 million. That is not the long-term contract that Stralman was looking for, but it is the one-year contract that Howson was looking for. Stralman will have this season to prove his worth and I expect to see a lot of improvement out of him. In 2009-10, Anton Stralman played 73 games racking up 6 goals, 28 assists, and 34 points with a +/- (-17). His 34 points was the most on the roster by a defenseman, however his +/- of -17 was tied with Derek Brassard for the worst on the team. I think it is safe to say that Stralman has the ability to make things happen on the ice. But his +/- rating clearly states that he needs to work on preventing things from happening as well. Stralman, also used for his power play abilities, scored just 4 goals on the power play last season. After this recent signing, the Blue Jackets now have seven defenseman stacked. Howson stated to the Dispatch earlier that he is pleased with the seven he has signed, but if the right deal is available Howson is willing to trade. He claimed there are still talks between a few teams and he is waiting for the right move. And he will wait. As a fan with little patience, Scott Howson is a tough GM to follow. We know that Vancouver is in the works, as for the other teams I have heard no names mentioned. Philly is a possibility. Time will tell if Howson will settle or make a move. In the mean time Stralman needs to prepare for this next season as he will have a lot to prove to Scott Howson and the Blue Jackets organization—unless, of course, he is traded.
