"The Blue Jackets are about to take a leap of faith with prized prospect Nikita Filatov.

The organization's decision to allow Filatov, 19, to return to his former Russian club for one season comes with a written contract, but no guarantees.

The Jackets yesterday announced they had agreed to loan the winger to CSKA Moscow of the Continental Hockey League (KHL). With no player transfer agreement in place between the NHL and KHL, however, Filatov can remain in Russia as long as he desires.

In essence, the Jackets have a handshake deal with Filatov, CSKA and its coach-general manager Sergei Nemchinov.

"All we have given him is the right to stay for this season," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said. "I'm not going to deal with a hypothetical situation involving next season. Our belief is he intends to come back here in the fall."

Filatov is expected to sign a three-year deal with CSKA. That contract would not prevent him from returning to the Jackets, who own his NHL rights.

Officials from the NHL and KHL have had discussions, but the rivals are no closer to negotiating an agreement that would honor their respective contracts.

In the summer of 2008, KHL club Ufa Salavat signed former Nashville Predators forward Alexander Radulov despite the fact he had one year left on his NHL deal.

A year earlier, before the KHL was created, former Blue Jacket forward Alexandr Svitov bolted for Omsk Avangard. This is the last season the Blue Jackets retain Svitov's NHL rights."