COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned forward Nikita Filatov to the Springfield Falcons, the club's American Hockey League affiliate, Blue Jackets Executive Vice President and General Manager Scott Howson announced December 10. The club also announced that forward Tom Sestito has been recalled from Springfield.

Filatov

Filatov, 20, has collected seven assists and eight penalty minutes with a +3 plus/minus rating in 23 games with Columbus this season. He has registered 6-7-13, 16 penalty minutes and is +6 in 44 career NHL games over the past three seasons with the Blue Jackets. The club's first pick, sixth overall, in the 2008 Entry Draft, Filatov collected 16-16-32 and 24 penalty minutes in 39 AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch in 2008-09. He split last season between Columbus and KHL's CSKA.

Sestito

Sestito, 23, has tallied six goals and 11 assists for 17 points with 81 penalty minutes and an even plus/minus rating in 17 games with Springfield this season, leading the club in penalty minutes and tying for second in assists and third in points. He has picked up 24 penalty minutes in four career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, including seven penalty minutes in three games in 2009-10.

Sestito was the club's third pick, 85th overall, in the 2006 Entry Draft. The 6-5, 226-pound native of Rome, New York has registered 31-46-77 and 589 penalty minutes in 171 career AHL games with Springfield and the Syracuse Crunch. Prior to beginning his pro career, he collected 53-35-88 and 399 penalty minutes in 152 career games with the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers from 2004-07.

The Blue Jackets return to action on Saturday when they host the New York Rangers at Nationwide Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio HD begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on the Wheeling Island Hotel & Casino Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan and online at BlueJackets.com.

Single-game tickets, starting at $22, are on sale at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, The FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line Team Store at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, ticket outlets at the Chiller Ice Rinks and all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers. Fans can also purchase tickets by phone at (800) 745-3000 or online at BlueJackets.com and Ticketmaster.com. For information on season tickets, a variety of partial-season plans and group tickets, call (800) NHL-COLS or visit BlueJackets.com.