50MC's 2009-2010 Fearless Fantasy Forecast: Nikita Filatov

With Fredrik Modin out for the next four to six weeks due to an MCL strain, Nikita Filatov is surely to make the Columbus Blue Jackets, right? Anything is possible with Ken Hitchcock at the helm. As well as Filatov has played this training camp, Hitchcock has a tendency to slowly bring up young players. He does not give his rookies much playing time or give them much responsibility. However, with the slew of injuries and a changing of the guard in Columbus, Hitchcock may be forced to not only keep Filatov, but give him a lot of offensive opportunity. If Filatov is cut from the team, would he accept another stint in the AHL? He has already stated that if he gets cut and sent to the AHL this year, he will think about options in the KHL.  Was he serious or was he just lobbying for a spot on the big club? Something tells me that it was an empty threat to try and force management’s hand into keeping him in Columbus. Filatov spent most of 2009 with the Syracuse Crunch of the...