The Blue Jackets are about to take a leap of faith with prized prospect Nikita Filatov.

The organization's decision to allow Filatov, 19, to return to his former Russian club for one season comes with a written contract, but no guarantees.

The Jackets yesterday announced they had agreed to loan the winger to CSKA Moscow of the Continental Hockey League (KHL). With no player transfer agreement in place between the NHL and KHL, however, Filatov can remain in Russia as long as he desires.

In essence, the Jackets have a handshake deal with Filatov, CSKA and its coach-general manager Sergei Nemchinov.

"All we have given him is the right to stay for this season," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said. "I'm not going to deal with a hypothetical situation involving next season. Our belief is he intends to come back here in the fall."

Filatov is expected to sign a three-year deal with CSKA. That contract would not prevent him from returning to the Jackets, who own his NHL rights.

Officials from the NHL and KHL have had discussions, but the rivals are no closer to negotiating an agreement that would honor their respective contracts.

In the summer of 2008, KHL club Ufa Salavat signed former Nashville Predators forward Alexander Radulov despite the fact he had one year left on his NHL deal.

A year earlier, before the KHL was created, former Blue Jacket forward Alexandr Svitov bolted for Omsk Avangard. This is the last season the Blue Jackets retain Svitov's NHL rights.

There's little question that CSKA's acquisition of Filatov, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2008 draft, will be viewed as a coup for the KHL, which is trying to keep its best young players home.

It's thought that Filatov will make about $1 million this season but could receive a hefty raise if he puts up big numbers. He will play on a larger ice surface in a league that isn't as physical or tight checking as the NHL.

"It will be a year away from the North American style where he's not adjusting to our game," Howson said.

NHL teams loaning players to other leagues is not uncommon. In the offseason, the Jackets loaned defenseman Andrei Plekhanov, who had been playing in minor-league Syracuse, to Moscow Dynamo for one year. The Jackets are expected to allow Plekhanov to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Mason to start

Coach Ken Hitchcock said he plans to start goaltender Steve Mason on Thursday against Dallas. Mathieu Garon has started and won the past two games, each in a shootout.

Mason has been dealing with back spasms the past few days but said yesterday he's feeling better. In his last appearance, Mason surrendered eight goals in a 9-1 loss to Detroit.

Garon might start Saturday at Nashville, Hitchcock said.

Injury update

Defenseman Mike Commodore (conditioning) and forwards Raffi Torres (fractured upper jaw bone) and Sammy Pahlsson (elbow) could play as soon as Thursday.

Hitchcock said if all three players have strong practices today, he will likely add them to the lineup against the Stars.

treed@dispatch.com