"Forward Colton Gillies, who was placed on waivers by the Wild on Friday, was claimed Saturday by the Columbus Blue Jackets, he said. He will fly to Columbus today.

Gillies, the Wild's first-round pick in 2007, had just two assists this season while logging just over nine minutes of ice time per game. In Columbus, he'll be reunited with former Wild coach Todd Richards, who was named the Blue Jackets' interim coach last week. And like Richards, Gillies is hoping the change of scenery will rejuvenate his season.

"They're excited, and so am I," he said. "I'm excited to play and get going."

The Wild were hoping to get Gillies through waivers and send him to Houston, where he would have received more playing time. But they knew they were running the risk of someone taking the big, physical forward; Gillies said Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson told him the team had been watching him all season.

Columbus (12-26-5), which has the worst record in the NHL, should give Gillies a chance to play and get his season back on track. He wasn't getting that chance in Minnesota, and he admitted it was eating away at his confidence.

"I put a lot of expectations on myself. Sometimes, that's not a good thing, when the coach sees you down after the game," he said. "It's not like I don't care. It's almost like I care too much. But I'm learning, and I think everyone is. You have ups and downs, and it's how you get back up." "