"Four days after hiring Columbus' former coach, the Blues have swapped defensemen with the Blue Jackets.

The clubs have not confirmed the deal, but sources told the Post-Dispatch that the Blues have sent Nikita Nikitin to Columbus in exchange for Kris Russell.

Russell, 24, was the Blue Jackets' third-round pick in 2005. A 5-foot-10, 185-pound lefthanded shooter, he has 18 goals, 79 points and a minus-29 plus-minus rating in 288 NHL games. This season, he had two goals, three points and a minus-1 in 12 games.

Russell is considered a good skater who needs to use his speed more wisely. He isn't known for his passing and could use some improvement in his defensive zone. He was a healthy scratch for Columbus' 6-3 loss to Chicago 0n Thursday, dropping the Blue Jackets to 2-12-1 this season.

It's reasonable to think that Ken Hitchcock, who was hired Sunday by the Blues, was involved in the deal and believes Russell can help the club."