Each Wednesday at noon during the NHL season and periodically during the offseason, Dispatch.com and BlueJacketsXtra.com readers can chat online with either Aaron Portzline or Tom Reed, The Dispatch's Blue Jackets beat writers. Here's a transcript of today's chat with Aaron.

Here's a transcript of today's chat with Aaron:

Sep 23 11:38 AM [Rob_(moderator)] Welcome to this week's Blue Jackets chat. You can start sending your questions for Aaron Portzline, who will join us at about noon. We'll start the chat then. Thanks.

[mike] With all the tradable forwards falling like cord wood at a Paul Bunyan convention, and Absorbine Junior stock soaring to treat the lame, is Howson going to have to ante up Benjamins off the waiver wires for a defenseman or does Moore do a Klesla and get a baptism under fire?
 
[Portzline] As good as Moore has looked, I just can't see them making the decision to keep him at the NHL. Maybe for a few games at the start of the season, but even that I would think is unlikely. Yeah, the injuries would seem to put on hold a trade involving those guys, but I've never gotten the sense that anything is close. Next week could be a very interesting week, as a lot of teams have some shuffling to do.
 
[Moe Bartoli's Ghost] Is Umberger's injury serious enough to miss the regular season opener?

[Portzline] A little chat extra here for you folks. The Blue Jackets have been done practicing for about 30 minutes now, but Filatov and Brassard refuse to leave the ice. They're goofing off with the puck, putting on quite a show.
 
[Portzline] Umberger's injury is not serious at all. He practiced today with the "healthy" group of players.
 
[woody05] The Ottawa Sun is reporting that the Senators are likely to make Defensemen Schubert and Picard available in a trade. Do see the CBJ having interest in either of these two.

[Portzline] I would seriously doubt it. Schubert has been available for, oh, two seasons now. There's not much of a market. I don't know as much about Picard, but isn't there a one Alexandre Picard limit per team in the NHL?
 
[Rob_(moderator)] From my e-mail: What's the latest on Chimera?

[Portzline] Saw him yesterday as he walked out of the building. Other than the Frankenstein appearance -- dude has stitches all over his head -- he appeared to be fine. Concussions are tricky, though. He's going to be out at least another week or 10 days, I would guess. He's got to work his way back to a certain cardio level without getting a headache before he'll be cleared. The neck stiffness is subsiding, too.
 
[Moe Bartoli's Ghost] What's the possibility of Nash finishing third on Jackets points scored behind Brassard and Filatov?
 
[Portzline] I would say slim. He could finish second behind Brassard, I supposed. But I'd guess it'll be a couple of years -- at least -- before he's batting third in the order.
 
[Matt C.] Given Voracek's bulking-up during the offseason, what are the chances he moves to the 3rd line to make room for Filatov on the 2nd line?

[Portzline] I don't think it's out of the question. I mean, nobody really knows where Filatov fits, and if you used Hitchcock's history as a guide, it's very unlikely he'll have a set slot, especially as a rookie. They really like Umberger -- Vermette -- Voracek as a third line, but if Filatov keeps lighting up the rink, it'll be hard to limit his minutes.

[Portzline] Call that the Um-V line, by the way.
 
[Dan] AP - I'm curious about the PK unit. With Peca and Malhotra gone, and Modin on the shelf for a whlie (again), who's being asked to pick up some PK time besides the usual suspects (Nash, RJ, Vermette, and Pahlsson)?

[Portzline] So far in the preseason, Murray has picked up some time. So has Blunden. It's hard to say right now, because the lineups have been so jumbled. Derek MacKenzie is an excellent penalty-killer, but he's unlikely to stick with the big club at the start.
 
[FormerLeafsFan] What's your take on reports that Doug MacLean has been hired by Jim Balsillie as a consultant and may become general manager if the Phoenix Coyotes become the Hamilton Blackberrys?

[Portzline] I hope it works out well for Doug. I disagree -- vehemently -- with people who say this is a risky move by MacLean. If Balsillie gets the team, he's all set as a GM. He's back in the league. But if Balsillie doesn't get the team, I don't think this means MacLean is finished. All it takes is one GM to believe he's the right guy for the job. The owner/president hires GMs, not the NHL. Having said that, MacLean's track record and reputation throughout the league has made it difficult for him to get back in through ordinary means. He's already fighting an uphill battle, but this was an opportunity that was too good to pass. All he had to do was swallow his pride and justify in previous on-air opinions.
 
[Ryan1] Coach Jim Tressel mentioned having to talk to his players about what to do (and not to do) regarding the spread of the flu. What precautions have the Jackets taken in an effort to keep their players healthy?

[Portzline] Well, two players (Commodore and Huselius) and the trainer (Mike Vogt) are under the weather with flu-like symptoms today, so a wave might be in the early stages. We shall see.
 
[Dan] Garon looked horrible last night....bad rebounds and terrible goals. Will he get another full 60 minutes to get his game sharper? With our back-up goalie woes last year, Garon didn't exactly infuse a ton of confidence with last night's performance.
 
[Portzline] Garon had a .976 save percentage heading into last night. In his first two games, he wasn't just good, he was excellent. Last night was a poor night, yes. BUt the goaltending is much better shape this year than last year, not even a question.
 
[ceciliaparrot] Filatov has improved with evey game. Where do you see him fitting in?

[Portzline] Tough to say. The guy is a top six talent, no question, but there's not a lot of room in the inn. Injuries happen, however. He doesn't fit on the third line they have envisioned with Pahlsson at center, and I don't think Hitchcock would trust a Filatov -- Vermette -- Voracek line for long stretches during regular season games. Wonder if they'd consider Umberger on the third line, with Pahlsson.
 
[FormerLeafsFan] Great to read Nash is taking to his leadership responsibilities without hesitation. (Why hesitate when you've been given the keys to the franchise?) Can you share any other signs or examples of Nash's leadership that you've witnessed "behind the scenes"?

[Portzline] Nash is such a quiet guy. Not quiet in the sheepish sense, but quiet in that he doesn't demand attention. The guy has done all kind of stuff behind the scenes, and not just in the room. I've heard from people who say he's written checks to cover "travel hockey" costs for teams who can't otherwise afford to go to away tournaments. As for stuff in the room, he's a quiet, professional leader, not a rah, rah guy. That stuff is left to Umberger and Commodore.
 
[Ryan R] Recent Vegas odds put the Blue Jackets at 86.5 points this season. What's your assessment of that?

[Portzline] Take the over. The thing to always remember about Vegas is, they're are predicting the points or the spread or the over/under. They're predicting how people will bet on the points/spread/over/under. Most people outside of Columbus see the Blue Jackets as the KC Royals. They probably have no idea the Jackets made the playoffs last season. I'd peg them somewhere between 97 and 101, a five to nine point improvement from 2008-09.
 
[mkro] Any word on if the opener is close to a sell out?

[Portzline] I don't, but let me check. Hopefully we'll have an answer before the end of the chat.
 
[Mr. Matt] How long will Modin be on the shelf (again) and is there any talk of allowing grooming some younger player who can remain healhty to fill the often vacant position?

[Portzline] Modin is out another three to five weeks. Not sure what you mean by "grooming", but there are lots of candidates to fill a third line spot.
 
[JTHockey08] AP, my first time in a chat. Exciting. When do you expect the next round of cuts, and who of our more certain players will be unable to go on opening night besides Freddy Mo?

[Portzline] Modin is out. I would think Chimera is questionable, but that's a long way off. The cuts are getting tricky. Will all these hip flexors, groins, concussions and the flu bug, they may hold off until after the Nashville game on Sunday. With back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday, it makes sense to me that the next big cuts will be Monday. Having said that, I would expect a cut here or there in the next few days. For instance, the LaLa goaltenders were sent to Syracuse today.
 
[Lindsay Kramer] Why does Columbus not see the value of heart and soul players like Dan Smith fighting along side and teaching the prospects in Syracuse?

[Portzline] Well, the value of Smith's experience may be offset by the lack of value given his contract demands. The guy may be a fine AHL player. But it's clear that he's not considered NHL material. If I was running a minor-league operation, I wouldn't sink a lot of money into players like him, either. As far as I know, he's unsigned by all 30 NHL clubs and all the AHL squads, so Columbus is not alone in this thinking. Another question to ponder: Would Howard Dolgon (owner of the Syracuse Crunch) pick up the tab? I don't spend much time on AHL finances, but it seems to me that other franchises have owners who are more willing to spend for a winner.
 
[dreamofcolors] Is the plan for the same two guys to wear the "A" this year as last, or could Columbus go to a 4-A rotation like many teams do (home and away), with so many great leaders on the team. (Commodore comes to mind, along with Umberger and many others)

[Portzline] No idea. Umberger did not wear an A last season, but I'd think he has to wear one this year. That's something to sort out toward the end of training camp. You could be on to something, though.
 
[Steve] AP- Hitch has alluded to a much faster, up-tempo offense this year. He seemed to pick something up from the Canadian Olympic coaches, Babcock et al. Am I reading this wrong? How do you see it.

[Portzline] Update on opening night question: Club spokeswoman Karen Davis says there are tickets available, both lower and upper bowl. Hard to say at this point if it is trending toward a sellout.

[Portzline] You're right, he's flat out spoken of his desire to be more aggressive and assertive. That's any coaches goal, though, isn't it? I think he's excited because he finally has some firepower on his lineup sheet. He can finally roll two scoring lines, a checking line and an energy/insanity line. Plus, Hitchcock spoke of the "up-temp" stuff a few days before camp started, when the coach was pulling his hair out looking for a whistle to blow and a player to coach.
 
[hockeymom] What would happen to the salary cap if Modin decided it's time to retire his oft injured body?

[Portzline] The money would come off the cap. Don't expect this to happen, hockeymom. Fredrik is a proud pro who will finish out his contract. Nobody wants Fredrik Modin to be healthy more than Fredrik Modin.
 
[cbjfan47] Hi AP...did you get any momentum with the Jackets Game Ops team for your idea of having the Jackets come on to the ice to Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls"?

[Portzline] I would seriously doubt it. I'm told that "Woman" won't be back as the entrance song. Machinehead -- the tired, old 90s riff -- refuses to die, however. It'll pop up before the puck drops. (Please, Mr. Linesman, drop the puck!) We'll try to find out what the new song is this year. The two home exhibition games have been full of 80s songs and dance craze music. Wacky, eh?
 
[MrPlow] What's the word on the "Plan" to help make the CBJ profitable? I thought we were going to see something being offered up by the Columbus suit types but nary a word.
 
[Portzline] Blue Jackets president Mike Priest told our Tom Reed that the "findings" will be out late September or early October. But we have not heard a definitive date.
 
[Jeff] How's the new organ sound so far in the preseason?

[Portzline] It's a significant upgrade. It sounds much, much better than the Fisher Price model of previous seasons. Did you all know that Doug MacLean tried to buy the organ from Chicago Stadium when it was unclear if they were going to move it into United Center? Pretty cool. He tried, but the Blackhawks decided they would keep it.
 
[section 105] I love the Cannon Fodder podcasts, when will you post a new one?
 
[Portzline] Thanks very much for asking. Michael Arace, Tom Reed and I will be in studio on Thursday for the first Cannon Fodder of the year. It should be up Thursday afternoon. A little nugget for you chatters ... we're considering taking Cannon Fodder to a live audience this coming season, perhaps in a tavern around the Arena District. It would go for one hour and include audience questions, etc. Thoughts?
 
[rosebud] Any updates on Gilbert Brule? McLean once portrayed him as a young Doug Gilmore or Bobby Clarke.

[Portzline] Brule is in the running for the fourth-line center spot with the Oilers. I really like Gilbert ... nice, nice kid. But those sort of statements -- Gilmore? Clarke? Really? -- are among the reasons he's off to a slow start in his NHL career, in my opinion.
 
[Moe Bartoli's Ghost] I would love to see the Jackets wear their white jerseys at home in order to see all the other teams colors, sort of like the Browns do. Any chance of suggesting this?

[Portzline] The NHL is always looking for ways to sell sweaters. (By the way, the Blue Jackets will have a third sweater next season, it looks like.) I don't know about always wearing the whites at home. I prefer the blues. As for the Browns ... those brown pants should be put away forever.
 
[woody05] We've seen 2-3 Dougie Mac references today. AP, as a reporter, would you rather cover a team with a GM like McLean, who was unquestionably good copy, or one with a GM like Howsen, who says almost nothing controversial, but has the franchise moving in the right direction?

[Portzline] That's a loaded question. Covering Doug was a bit of a carnival ... the rides never stopped. Howson is the consummate professional. His quotes are insightful and honest, which is all you can ask. It's like covering two different teams, I guess. The focus now is more on hockey. Something else to consider, too: Doug was always the mouthpiece for the organization, and I don't intend that as a shot. It just was that way. The way it's set up now, Hitchcock tends to commandeer the microphone.
 
[Rob_(moderator)] AP, you already answered a form of this next question at the start of the chat, but I keep getting different versions of it. So for the late-comers ...
 
[Jeff] With Moore playing so well in preseason, do you see his "timetable" changing at all? Is there any possibility he plays this year, or is he still a year or two away in management's eyes?

[Portzline] No matter how well he plays, I just can't see him sticking in the NHL this season. This organization has preached against rushing players, so I don't see that changing now. Moore has been the best defenseman in camp. Not the best prospect defenseman, the best defenseman, period. But he needs to go to junior and be a star. Next season, I could see him sticking. Not this year. In fact, I don't see him even playing a few games up here, unless there are a slew of long-term injuries.
 
[mossylog] is brass and fillatov still on the ice?

[Portzline] They're off. I think the Zamboni guy threatened them with a steam roll of they didn't.
 
[Rob_(moderator)] Thanks, everyone. We'll have a transcript of the chat posted on BlueJacketsXtra.com and Dispatch.com in a few minutes. That's a wrap.
 
[Portzline] Thanks for all the questions. Truly appreciate it.