Carter deal gives Blue Jackets help for Nash, hope for fans

The Columbus Blue Jackets' acquisition of Jeff Carter was a special gift for Rick Nash, highly important for the team and maybe crucial to general manager Scott Howson's future.

Since Carter can play both center and wing, Nash will have an elite-level scorer to play on his line, or at least on the power play with him.

Carter has averaged 38 goals a season over the last three season, and that will inject more danger into a Columbus offense that was ranked 25th out of 30 teams in goals scored last season.

This is an important deal for Howson, now entering his fifth season with the Blue Jackets.

While all of the attention has been focused on Phoenix and then Atlanta as trouble spots, the Columbus fan base has eroded. Last season, the Blue Jackets ranked 27th in attendance, averaging 13,658 fans, according to ESPN statistics.

The team has made the playoffs only once, but given the enthusiasm fans had for this franchise when it was launched, it seems reasonable to conclude that the numbers would be significantly improved if fans felt they had reason for hope.

The boldness of the Carter deal seems like a quality first step.

If you look at some of the general managers who have a Stanley Cup ring, such as Ken Holland, Lou Lamoriello, Jim Rutherford, Brian Burke and now Peter Chiarelli, the one trait that binds them all is their aggressiveness.

Fans want a general manager who is not timid about putting a token in the slot and pulling the lever. With the Carter deal, Howson has done that.