According to the Columbus Dispatch, former Flyers’ forward R.J. Umberger, who was signed by the Columbus Blue Jackets to play first-line center next to all-star Rick Nash, has already been assigned to second-line duty.
Coach Ken Hitchcock spent little time analyzing the set lines as he swapped Umberger in favor of Derick Brassard only one week into training camp.
Umberger will end up between Jake Voracek and Fredrick Modin and Brassard will be between Nash and Kristien Huselius.
“By accident those players ended up together a couple of times (in recent pickup games), and I liked it,” Hitchcock said. “I really liked it. Yeah, it’s summer hockey, but you could see the chemistry. So we wanted to take a look and they looked really good.”
Umberger had to explain to the media that he was O.K. with the switch.
“Whatever is best for the team; that’s my approach,” Umberger said. “If it balances out two scoring lines, then that only makes us better.”
Phila.Bright 