Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets are close to new deals with three RFAs: Scott Harrington, T.J. Tynan, and Alex Broadhurst. Those three are Columbus’s only remaining RFAs.
- Harrington remains the biggest name of the bunch. Columbus acquired the big defenseman from Toronto for Kerby Rychel on June 26, 2016. Toronto initially received Harrington in the Phil Kessel trade with Pittsburgh. He tallied only one assist in 15 games with the Leafs while scoring 1G and 2A with the AHL Toronto Marlies. Harrington is expected to battle for the 5/6 defensive slots in camp this fall as the Blue Jackets only have six experienced defensemen on the roster.
- Tynan racked up 6G and 40A last year with the AHL Lake Erie Monsters, and is looking to make the jump to the NHL. The small forward—listed at 5’8″—has to compensate for his lack of size, but the Blue Jackets are familiar with the potential skill set from smaller players. Top-line forward Cam Atkinson is also listed at 5’8″, and he’s scored at least 20 goals in the last three seasons.
- Alex Broadhurst came over from the Chicago Blackhawks in the deal for Brandon Saad. The center tallied 10G and 26A with the Lake Erie Monsters last season, and 3G and 9A in the Monsters’ Calder Cup-winning run.
We’ve previously reported that Columbus has been quiet this off-season, and these signings do little to quell the notion that they will be a lottery team come 2017. Fans can take solace in the fact that the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate are Calder Cup champions, something that bodes well for the future of the big league team.
[Columbus Blue Jackets Depth Chart]