But in the relative quiet of the Blue Jackets dressing room, Marc Methot's strong words about a month ago during training camp created quite the aftershock in Nationwide Arena.

Methot, when asked about looming final roster cuts and the prospects of being claimed off waivers by another club, said:

"If the (Blue Jackets) want to hold on to me, they can. And if not, good riddance. I'll go somewhere else. That's the bottom line."

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said yesterday that the club never seriously considered putting Methot on waivers.

Good (non) move.

Methot, who will be in the lineup tonight when the Blue Jackets play host to the Edmonton Oilers in Nationwide Arena, has been one of the club's few bright spots early this season, not to mention one of its top defensemen.

Does he regret speaking his mind?

"I don't think projecting yourself in a negative way is ever a good thing," Methot said. "But I'm still a young guy, and I had a lot of frustration. Rightfully so, too. I think anybody would have been frustrated.

"To you guys (in the media), I was the odd man out. I'd get calls from people back home saying 'What's the deal? You're not even going to make the team?' I used it as motivation. It (ticked) me off."

Howson called Methot's words "defiant."

"I like whatever it takes for players to play well," Howson said. "If that's the attitude he had to come in with, then good for him.

"He knew that he was a waiver (eligible) player this year. He just decided that he was going to be an NHL player. He was convinced he was going to play in the NHL this season, be that in Columbus or elsewhere. That was probably just part of the process he had to go through."

The Blue Jackets put Aaron Rome on waivers and sent him to their top minor-league affiliate, Syracuse, instead of Methot. They kept eight defensemen for the first eight games of the season before sending Kris Russell to Syracuse last week.

Methot has climbed in the pecking order ever since.

Once considered a stay-at-home defenseman, he has shown surprising spark offensively, scoring two goals, two assists and consistently carrying the puck through traffic.

"That's the player I saw in the (American Hockey League) playoffs," Howson said. "You kind of have to do a double-take to see that it's him.

"He's known as a defensive defenseman. But what he's done in the past in the AHL, he's doing up here now."

Methot has surprised even himself.

"I didn't even think I could do the little things, like rushing the puck," Methot said. "The game is different. It's quicker. The (opponents) are in better position. It's harder to find open space.

"I've been a stay-at-home guy since I was 12. But I like to think there's always room for improvement."

Coach Ken Hitchcock has urged Methot to make a good first pass out of the zone and remain diligent about "keeping his foundation as a defensive defenseman."

As he notes, Methot's ice time is rising with his confidence. In Monday's 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders, Methot played a season-high 21 minutes, 18 seconds.

"I know a lot of people weren't happy with what he said," Hitchcock said. "But I understood the frustration from having coached players in the minor leagues. After a few years, if they feel like they're not getting anywhere, they get frustrated.

"He was willing to say what lots of people in his position think. And he's delivered since he said it, boy."