"Blue Jackets left winger Nikita Filatov has never arrived in central Ohio this far ahead of training camp, but he has never had so much to prove, either.

General manager Scott Howson said Filatov was to land in Columbus last night, giving him six weeks to meet new faces, mend old fences and gear up for the start of camp Sept. 17.

"It's a great step for him to take," Howson said. "We've talked about him coming over early in prior seasons, and he has, but never this early."

It's unclear when Filatov will set foot in Nationwide Arena - it could be as soon as today, Howson said - but lots of folks will be waiting to greet him.

Coach Scott Arniel said he has played phone tag with Filatov but will now get to meet him when Arniel gets back to town Sunday. Strength and conditioning coach Kevin Collins will greet Filatov with a handshake and a fitness routine, hoping the Russian can add more bulk to his sculpted frame.

And a handful of teammates will no doubt want to discuss Filatov's departure from the Blue Jackets last November, when he signed a one-year loan agreement with CSKA Moscow of the Continental Hockey League.

Filatov rankled many in the dressing room, not only by leaving the club but also by making dismissive comments to the Russian media regarding the Blue Jackets."