Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said Horton is dealing with a "degenerative" back condition, and the club remains unwilling to venture a guess on a possible timetable for his return, Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch reports.

Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said Horton is dealing with a "degenerative" back condition, and the club remains unwilling to venture a guess on a possible timetable for his return, Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch reports.

Analysis:

The back issue has prevented Horton from stepping on the ice so far during training camp, and pessimism about the winger's availability for the start of the regular season seems to be mounting. Kekalainen suggested Horton would try to remedy the degenerative condition by focusing on strengthening his core muscles, but even that process could take awhile before the pain subsides. A top-six role likely awaits for Horton when he's healthy, but because that's rarely been the case over the previous three seasons, it's probably not worthwhile for fantasy owners to pin their hopes on him.