Letestu’s return excites Calvert

Having just heard that the Blue Jackets were bringing back Mark Letestu, veteran left wing Matt Calvert reminisced Sunday about his younger days on a line with Letestu.

“He’s almost like a father, an old wise man,” Calvert, 28, said of the 33-year-old Letestu, who remains a close friend. “He always helped me with the little things.”

As excited as Calvert was about Letestu’s return, he also realized there was a chance he wouldn’t be here to greet Letestu. Like defenseman Jack Johnson, Calvert is a pending unrestricted free agent, and he knew he might be moved by the NHL’s trade deadline Monday at 3 p.m.

“I’ve been focused on this playoff run, so it takes your mind off of it,” Calvert said. “But yeah, obviously when you’re a UFA and trade-deadline day is coming around, you just never know what the team’s going to do. All you can do is wait and see.”

Calvert is in his eighth season, making him the Jackets’ longest-tenured player. He was drafted by Columbus in the fifth round (127th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft and has 70 goals and 72 assists in 397 games, including seven goals and 10 assists this season.

Chorney gets chance

Defenseman Taylor Chorney will make his Jackets debut Monday against his former team, the Washington Capitals, coach John Tortorella said.

“As much as anything, I want to bring some energy,” Chorney said. “I should be pretty fresh. … I just need to make sure I’m using my speed and competitiveness all over the ice.”

Chorney, 30, was claimed off waivers from the Capitals on Wednesday after Markus Nutivaara and Dean Kukan were placed on injured reserve, both because of an upperbody injury. Scott Harrington will be a healthy scratch Monday.

Jokinen waived

Nearly six weeks after claiming Jussi Jokinen off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings, the Jackets placed him on waivers Sunday.

The 34-year-old forward has no goals, one assist and a minus-2 rating in 14 games played with the Jackets. He got 6:40 of ice time Saturday against the Blackhawks and was a healthy scratch the previous two games.

“Have I given him a fair look? I’m not so sure I’ve been fair,” Tortorella said. “We’re in such a race here now (that) it’s hard for me to pour a guy minutes and see what he is.”

Forwards Zac Dalpe and Markus Hannikainen were reassigned to AHL Cleveland.