Ken Hitchcock on the Blue Jackets’ new acquisitions

From Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:

On Huselius: “He’s really comfortable carrying the puck, and he can go around people with it pretty good, you know? Sometimes you have play-making centers and sometimes you get your play-making on the wing. I really like Huselius. I’ve liked him for a number of years. He’s only 29 years old. He can score, too, but he really likes to pass the puck and get his linemates involved. I mean, the guy really fit in well next to Jarome Iginla, and now he’s going to get a chance to play with Nash. I just think Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla have a lot of the same characteristics to their game, you know? They both know how to get to the net.”

On Tyutin: “I know Tyutin really well. He’s still a young player, but he plays heavy minutes. He’s played on the second power play unit in New York. It’s been Straka and Rozsival on the first unit mostly, but Tyutin’s played on the second. He’s a very physical, competitive player who makes a good first pass.”

On Backman: “He’s a transition guy. He can move the puck, boy.”

Read more about the Jackets from Puck-rakers here.

Hitchcock seems genuinely excited about the three newcomers that Columbus acquired today. Granted, if he didn’t then I’d be mighty concerned.