The Blue Jackets’ forward group has been thinned out in recent weeks. The team moved Patrik Laine to Montreal while Johnny Gaudreau tragically passed away late last month. Meanwhile, GM Don Waddell told reporters today including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link) that forward Justin Danforth won’t be available for the start of training camp due to a hand/wrist injury.
Danforth sustained the injury late last season and underwent offseason surgery. However, it appears that the recovery isn’t going as well as possible and he’s set to be re-evaluated on Monday. The 31-year-old posted a career-best 10 goals and 16 assists in 71 games last season while spending time on the wing and down the middle, making him a capable role player. But now, his availability for the start of the season is in question.
By his count, Waddell states that the team is down to just 10 healthy regular forwards heading into training camp. While players like Trey Fix-Wolansky, Gavin Brindley, James Malatesta, or free agent signing Dylan Gambrell could play their way into the mix, it stands to reason that they’ll be looking to make some additions up front.
While some might expect those moves to come on the trade front given that they’re nearly $3MM below the $65MM cap floor per PuckPedia, it doesn’t appear that will be the case. Instead, Waddell indicated that their intention is to sign one or two forwards before training camp, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link). These would be players on full contracts, not tryouts.
However, the list of remaining unrestricted free agents isn’t exactly the deepest, especially among those who aren’t tied to a team via a PTO. Among the remaining options that haven’t secured a tryout are wingers James van Riemsdyk, Mike Hoffman, Kyle Okposo, Blake Wheeler, and Phil Kessel, who hasn’t given up hope on playing after not suiting up last season.
While signing a couple of those players would help, it wouldn’t get them to the cap floor, barring an overpayment on those contracts. However, Hedger relays (Twitter link) that he has been in talks with the league and the NHLPA about that and isn’t concerned at this time about being penalized if they stay under that number this season. While that’s something for them to worry about later on, in the meantime, it looks like Columbus will be making a signing or two in the coming days.
Columbus really needs to weaponize their cap space here. There’s plenty of teams looking to create cap space so make them pay through their teeth for it. Go for guys that teams are trying to move like Garland in Vancouver, Robertson and Timmins in Toronto, Johansson in Minnesota, Pageau for the Islanders, Cates and Frost in Philly, Eller and Acciari in Pittsburgh, Sheary in Tampa and TVR or Bear from Washington.
I think you’re probably right about most names you’ve mentioned, but not Robertson. The Leafs won’t be overpaying anyone to take Robertson. They’d have already made a deal by now to ship him out if they were. Timmins, Kampf, Jarnkrok, Reaves and maybe Liljegren would be pieces Leafs might “pay” to lose.
Garland, Pageau, Acciari, Sherry, and TVR all aren’t FAs until 26-27. That’s not happening no matter how hard anyone wills it.
That’s like Canadiens fans thinking we will trade them for a play and give up picks and prospects to get compliant. Yeah that’s not happening either.
As a Columbus fan I knew we weren’t winning squat before Johnny died needlessly. Now we deserve the number 1 pick but that ain’t happening.
I say we sign two FAs like DW said and sit on our cap space until we can get a deal that works to our advantage down the line.
Proporov and Kuraly both need to go at the trade deadline so I’d say wait til then and then open up for Business. No need to get stuff we don’t want, need or can’t get rid off.
Sign Kessel, he’ll be good for the locker room.
And absolutely weaponize that cap space.
I think it’s going to be a hard sell for some players. We are not winning squat this year. Plus the aura of Johnny Hockey looms large over this team now so some fans may look at whoever we sign as the guy who replaced him.
There may be a few guy just looking for a check and that’s probably who we will get.
I’d rather see us get a seasoned veteran but I’ll understand if they pass.
Whoever it is is only a stop gap until next free agency when we can sign some big fish.
Waddell seems like a good manager. Curious to see what moves’ll happen.