Crashing the Net: Tropp moving up

Columbus, Ohio - The legs were moving with pace for a second straight day in the Ice Haus as the Blue Jackets get ready to close out the 2014 calendar year with a New Year's Eve tilt against the visiting Minnesota Wild.

The lines looked a bit different with Cam Atkinson slated to miss tomorrow's game. Corey Tropp slotted in where Atkinson would normally skate on Brandon Dubinsky's wing.

"I would say over the last couple of games he's played," said Todd Richards, "I think he's done a good job for us in providing energy and being good on the forecheck. He's created chances just by simple plays of getting the puck deep, forchecking and then going to the net. I think he's earned that opportunity."

The forward lines from today's practice were Hartnell/Johansen/Morin, Calvert/Dubinsky/Tropp, Foligno/Wennberg/Skille and Cracknell/Chaput/Boll. The defensive pairs remained the same.

"As the season's gone on," said Tropp, "I think I've gotten better. I didn't feel as comfortable as I wanted to at the start of the season. Now, I think my game is headed in the right direction. I think if I keep working hard, I'll be rewarded."

With only 12 healthy forwards, the team heading out on a four game road trip Thursday and Atkinson and Mark Letestu possibly returning to the lineup next week, it would seem likely that someone will be called up from the Springfield Falcons. That decision should happen Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.

"That's a possibility," said Richards. "We're going to talk about that later today."

Todd Richards reiterated that Letestu may draw-in to the lineup Tuesday in Dallas, but most likely it would be next Friday versus Toronto.

A Wild New Year's Eve

The Minnesota Wild skate into in Columbus sporting a 17-13-4 record (38 points), good for fifth in the Central Division. With both the Blue Jackets and the Wild on the outside looking in at the playoffs, the two points available are huge.

"It's the depth that they have," said Richards when asked what concerned him about the Wild, "really in all of the positions. I know some of the players and know what they can bring. They have speed, size and skill. They have some tenacious, relentless workers on their team."

The makeup of both teams would suggest a rather low-scoring affair is in the offing. This would suit Todd Richards just fine. Although, there is the potential for either team to pour on the scoring in the event that the other slips-up. The 6-2 win over Boston is still fresh in the Blue Jackets minds.

Head West young man

The Blue Jackets will fly west out of Columbus on Thursday morning and practice in Phoenix, AZ, that afternoon. They play the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday (8 p.m.), the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday (8 p.m.), the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8:30 p.m.) and Toronto next Friday (7:30 p.m.) before returning home to play the New York Islanders on January 10 at 7 p.m. (all time Eastern Standard)