The Columbus Blue Jackets have nine games left before the trade deadline. Nine games to decide what to do with two of the best players to ever suit up for the franchise. Nine games to decide whether the team as constructed, or with an addition of some sort, is good enough to contend for the Stanley Cup this season. Nine games before we’re guaranteed an answer as to where Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky will finish the season.
When we asked our readers at PHR in early January where Bobrovsky would end the season, the Blue Jackets were still the strong favorites. It’s difficult to trade a top goaltender in-season, and losing Bobrovsky would put the Blue Jackets in a tough situation going into the playoffs. Bobrovsky has been linked to the Florida Panthers of late, but the Blue Jackets have apparently made him too expensive to trade for this early.
But Panarin, well he might be worth almost anything. The offensive dynamo is a potential game-changing rental addition for many of the clubs around the league, pushing bubble teams into contenders or contenders into powerhouses. His impact would be felt immediately, and is good enough to displace almost anyone off a first line. That dominance is exactly what Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) notes today as he examines the market for Panarin as the deadline approaches. Custance ranks the teams that make the most sense, listing the Nashville Predators as suspect number one for a potential Panarin market.
In doing so, Custance mentions young forward Eeli Tolvanen as a potential piece that could be required to land the Blue Jackets’ forward. Columbus wouldn’t be the only team checking in on the availability of Tolvanen, as Adam Vingan of The Athletic points out on Twitter. Nashville GM David Poile said on radio today that Tolvanen and other prospects have come up in calls and that if an opportunity presents itself to improve the club, he’s “all in.”
Poile has already begun his dealing, trading for Brian Boyle and Cody McLeod yesterday. He explained that he would be perfectly happy with going into the playoffs with the roster as currently constructed, meaning perhaps he won’t go “all in” on Panarin over the next few weeks. That’s why several other teams are listed in Custance’s piece, and why it’s still not clear where “Bread Man” will end up.
So, like Bobrovsky before, we ask you to voice your opinion on where Panarin will finish the season. Will he lead Columbus to a playoff series victory, or jump on board a speeding train to the Conference Finals? Does he go to a team that is missing the playoffs just so that he can sign an eight-year extension? Cast your vote below and make sure to explain your reasoning in the comments.
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Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
He’s going to Boston, you heard it here first
Predators wouldn’t be the only one checking in on the availability of Tolvanen…
I hope they’re not since he’s on their team
Man, I would hate to even see the Demon Barber mess too much with the B’s chemistry to get a player, while immensely talented, that is suspect when it comes to team loyalty. Both he and Bob keep insisting it’s not about Torts, but something is wrong in that city for the both of them to seemingly want to sabotage the organization. They could both very well be the proverbial problem-child cases for the next team downstream. Right now, they both have a case of ingrate-itis that is uncool.
He wants to go back and play for Chicago it’s a well known fact. The question is will the Hawks give up anything to get him now or just wait for free Agency
Who cares? He’s back w the Hawks next year
Yep, he wants to be reunited with#88 line
I’m guessing they will wait for him to be a FA?