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Josh Anderson Re-Focused On Long-Term Extension With Blue Jackets

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When Josh Anderson failed to return to the Blue Jackets lineup this postseason, as he continued to rehab from a major shoulder surgery this spring, it was fair to question whether he had already played his final game for Columbus. Anderson is an impending restricted free agent this off-season who went through a long, contentious negotiation with his club three years ago when he was last seeking a new contract. The two sides finally agreed to a below-market three-year, $5.5MM pact that reportedly left Anderson unhappy and led many to speculate that he could be traded before the two sides had a chance to ever return to the negotiating table. Adding fuel to that fire – on both sides – was Anderson playing well above his price tag for the first two years of his contract, then struggling with injury and inconsistency this year. Anderson’s market value is now murkier than it has ever been and many have felt that it could be in the best interests of both sides to get a fresh start.

For whatever reason, that status quo has now changed dramatically. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline relays word from Anderson’s agent, Darren Ferris, that the 26-year-old power forward’s priority is now to sign a long-term extension to remain in Columbus. Although Anderson has not played this calendar year, and during that time he was nearly traded at the deadline, he has changed his position on the club and now sees a long-term fit. The reasoning remains unclear, but Ferris did clarify that the recent changes in the Blue Jackets’ front office, with Bill Zito departing for the Florida Panthers and Josh Flynn replacing him at the negotiating table, are not a factor. Anderson simply has decided that he would like to stay with the club.

GM Jarmo Kekalainen is also interested in a renewed commitment to Anderson, he tells Portzline. However, the experienced executive is already setting the table for what could be another difficult negotiation, stating “we’ll make every effort to get him signed, but it has to be something that makes sense for both sides.” With a flat cap, Kekalainen could be setting Anderson up for another underwhelming offer, based more on his disappointing platform season than his impressive two seasons prior.

The one piece of leverage that Ferris holds this off-season that he didn’t the last time around is salary arbitration. While it isn’t the long-term solution that Anderson is hoping for, and could in fact end up forcing a trade, arbitration rights could help Anderson to finally find fair market value, as cap space cannot be considered in an award. As always, both sides will try to avoid arbitration, but the looming threat of that option could put Anderson on the winning side of contract talks this time, whether he gets his long-term deal or a short-term pact.

Columbus Blue Jackets Announce Several Loans

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have found a few landing spots for some of their most important young players. Emil Bemstrom will head to HIFK Helsinki, Alexandre Texier will return to KalPa and Veini Vehvilainen will head to JYP (a move we detailed yesterday). All three are expected back before the start of the 2020-21 NHL season.

The two young forwards are more than just prospects at this point, but rather full-time NHL players. Bemstrom, 21, played in 56 games for the Blue Jackets this season scoring 20 points as a rookie. Selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, he quickly climbed the prospect charts after excelling in Sweden, including a 35-point season in the SHL that earned him Rookie of the Year honors. Bemstrom is only heading into the second year of his entry-level contract, meaning he’ll be an extremely inexpensive option for the Blue Jackets through the 2021-22 season.

Texier meanwhile heads into the final season of his own entry-level deal, after first appearing in North America during 2018-19. The speedy forward made an impact even then for the Blue Jackets, jumping right into the playoffs with the team and being a difference-maker in their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. This season didn’t go exactly as planned, with Texier only recording 13 points in 36 games, but once again he looked the part of a top-six option when the Blue Jackets hit the postseason. Still just 20 (he’ll turn 21 next week), Texier has a very bright future in Columbus.

Vehvilainen, as we detailed yesterday, is another brilliant goaltending prospect that the Blue Jackets will have to find room for eventually. The 23-year-old could be in contention for an NHL roster spot if the team moves on from one of Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins in a trade this offseason.

Emil Bemstrom Likely To Be Loaned To Finland; Elvis Merzlikins Hoping To Train With Lugano

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Blue Jackets winger Emil Bemstrom is expected to join HIFK Helsinki of the SM-liiga to start their season, reports SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson.  The 21-year-old still has two years remaining on his entry-level deal so Columbus would have to agree to loan him out before anything could be finalized.  While he played in the SHL before coming to North America, that league isn’t accepting players on loan so he had to look elsewhere.

Bemstrom played in 56 games in his rookie season, collecting 10 goals and 10 assists; half of his tallies came with the man advantage to tie for the Blue Jackets lead.  He also suited up in five postseason contests where he was held off the scoresheet.  After averaging more than 12 minutes a game, it’s safe to infer that Bemstrom should have the inside track on a roster spot with Columbus next season but a good start in Finland in more of an offensive role could certainly give him a boost heading into training camp where he’ll be looking for a bigger role.

  • Still with the Blue Jackets, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins told RSI Sport in Switzerland that he is hoping to get permission to train with HC Lugano next month. He is no stranger to Lugano having played there from 2009 through 2019 before coming to Columbus this season.  However, unlike before, Merzlikins has no intention of playing while he’s over there as if he is loaned, it would just be to skate with the team to stay in shape for training camp.

Veini Vehvilainen Loaned To JYP

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The short-term exodus of European players in the AHL continues, this time with Columbus Blue Jackets goaltending prospect Veini Vehvilainen being loaned to JYP in Finland. The agreement states that Columbus can recall Vehvilainen at any point, meaning he’ll likely be back for whenever training camp opens in North America.

Vehvilainen, 23, is just another goaltending prospect in the pipeline for the Blue Jackets, who have become something of a goalie factory this season. Both Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins came out of obscurity to put up All-Star numbers in the NHL, and Vehvilainen could potentially be next in line. Selected in the sixth round in 2018, the relatively small goalie has done nothing but dominate at Finland’s highest level. In 119 regular season Liiga appearances, Vehvilainen has posted a .926 save percentage, only increasing that to .929 in his 37 postseason matches. Twice he was named Finland’s top goaltender, while also helping win World Junior and World Championship gold medals.

In his first season in the AHL, Vehvilainen posted a .901 save percentage in 33 games. He and Matiss Kivlenieks, another interesting prospect, could very well battle for the NHL backup role if the Blue Jackets decide to move one of their other talented goaltenders this summer. For an organization that watched a two-time Vezina winner walk away in free agency last summer, the crease looks to be in plenty of good hands.

Minor Transactions: 09/04/20

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As if two NHL Game Seven’s weren’t enough today, there have also been several intriguing moves across the hockey world. With some leagues getting ready to start their seasons while the NHL off-season is beginning to draw near, it is an interesting time for roster transactions, both in North America and abroad:

  • The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters have signed University of Nebraska-Omaha standout Zach Jordan to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday. While Jordan’s production slipped in his senior season, he posted back-to-back seasons of 25+ points as a sophomore and junior, leading the Mavericks in scoring across those two campaigns. At 6’3″ and 216 lbs., Jordan is a hulking presence on the ice and projects as a physical, two-way winger at the pro level. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ affiliate has done well with developing these types of players in recent years, so Jordan may still be a name that could draw NHL consideration down the road.
  • As has proven to be a yearly tradition for the Los Angeles Kings, the club has loaned defensive prospect Jacob Moverare to Europe. A 2016 fourth-round pick who signed his entry-level contract in 2018, Moverare has been loaned to Sweden for each of the past two seasons. Things are a bit different this time around though; Moverare has not been loaned back to Frolunda HC, but to SaiPa in the Finnish Liiga. The team also notes that the Kings have the right to recall Moverare from the loan for NHL training camp, an option that they seem likely to exercise. While Moverare is still a bit raw, he is a big,  effective stay-at-home blue liner who hit his stride last season in the SHL. Another full season in Europe is unlikely to help his development at this point.
  • AHL veteran Colin Campbell is making his first foray into Europe next season. After seven pro seasons and over 350 games – all in the AHL – Campbell has signed with the Vienna Capitals of the newly re-named IceHL, the team announced. A hard-working forward who got his start at Lake Superior State University, Campbell signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings out of college and ended up playing six seasons with their affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. He moved on to the Colorado Eagles this past season and recorded the best per-game scoring numbers of his career, notching ten goals and 26 points in just 48 games. As he heads to Austria, Campbell will undoubtedly be looked upon as the leader of the Capitals and hopes to continue his strong performance. At 29, his NHL hopes remain alive and well.

Offseason Keys: Columbus Blue Jackets

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As teams are eliminated from the playoffs, it means that the offseason has arrived for several more squads.  Having covered the teams that weren’t a part of the NHL’s return and the ones ousted in the Qualifying Round, we shift our focus to the ones that were eliminated in the official first round.  Next up is a look at Columbus.

Last season, the Blue Jackets surprised many, stifling a high-powered attack before being ousted in the playoffs.  This year, it was more of the same as they eliminated Toronto before Tampa Bay exacted some revenge for 2019 to end their year.  What’s particularly impressive is that Columbus was able to do so despite losing several of their top players in free agency without much in the way of replacements coming in, with all due respect to Gustav Nyquist.  Now, GM Jarmo Kekalainen will be tasked with trying to find some of those replacements to give their attack a much-needed boost for next season.

Add Impact Center

One thing that Matt Duchene brought to the table a year ago was the ability to have a strong one-two punch with Pierre-Luc Dubois.  But when Duchene signed in Nashville, they weren’t able to fill that spot externally and instead had to promote from within.  Their top options were Boone Jenner who in four years hasn’t surpassed 18 goals after scoring 30 in 2015-16 and Alexander Wennberg who had all of two goals in 75 games in 2018-19.  To their credit, they made it work even though the two only combined for 16 goals in 127 contests this season.

But just because they got away with a weak group down the middle this season doesn’t mean it’s a recipe for success down the road.  Look at the teams that were ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division and there is one commonality – a strong group of centers.  To take a step forward in the regular season standings and not rely on pushing for a Wild Card spot, this is an area that has to be improved.

Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets (and any other team looking for help down the middle), the unrestricted free agent market isn’t going to solve the problem as there isn’t much help available there.  This is something that will need to be addressed by a trade and after making several trade splashes to bolster last year’s run, the prospect and draft pick cupboards aren’t quite as stocked as they once were.  But if they want to take that next step forward, this is something that Kekalainen will need to find a way to address.

Sign Dubois

Nearly a third of their roster is slated to be a restricted free agent this offseason but among those, Dubois is in a class of his own.  While his point total dipped this season (49 points in 71 games) thanks to the pandemic, he played close to his point-per-game pace from 2018-19 that saw him collect 61 points.  More importantly, he is unquestionably the top center the Blue Jackets have, a role that certainly boosts his leverage heading into contract talks.

Before the pandemic, many teams have been trying to lock up their top young stars to deals that may be a little pricey at the beginning but have the potential to be bargains by the end as they continue to improve and the salary cap goes up.  That last part isn’t going to be in play for a few years at least until fans are able to be back in arenas and the new television deal in the United States is completed.

In the meantime, the internal discussion for both sides will be weighing the pros and cons of a bridge deal versus a long-term contract.  For Dubois, waiting a couple of years to get a long-term deal certainly makes some sense as he’ll have arbitration eligibility and likely a preferable financial landscape.  On the other hand, if his offense doesn’t progress beyond that 60-point level, the earnings upside may not be as high then as it is now.  From Kekalainen’s perspective, working towards a long-term contract is almost certainly the preferred option unless the asking price is exceptionally high.  They’ll need to find some common ground over the next few months.

An offer sheet is a possibility but Columbus should have enough cap space to dissuade one from being made.  They’ll need to dip into LTIR this time around but with Brandon Dubinsky’s career likely over, they’ll have up to his $5.85MM AAV at their disposal to give them some extra wiggle room which should be enough to make teams look elsewhere.

Add Power Play Help

Production with the man advantage has been an issue for the last couple of years to the point where it has cost two assistant coaches their jobs in recent months.  Their two top goal-getters on the power play were a defenseman (Zach Werenski) and a rookie forward that had half of his goal total come in this situation in Emil Bemstrom.  Each had five goals.  That’s not a bad total but it certainly shouldn’t be leading the team either.

If you’re thinking that the departures of Duchene and Artemi Panarin had a lot to do with that, the thought would certainly make some sense.  But technically speaking, the Blue Jackets had a better power play this season (16.4%) vs the year prior (15.4%).  It was only a little over 17% in 2017-18 as well; it’s not as if this is a short-term problem.  Instead, it’s clearly a lingering issue.

Obviously, shoring up the center position should help things in theory.  But they were in better shape down the middle a year ago and it didn’t make a dent in that department.  Different schemes have been tried and the results have been the same.  Accordingly, Kekalainen may be looking to add a power play specialist or two.  These players may not quite fit the type of style that John Tortorella wants to see but even some incremental upgrades with the man advantage should be enough to get them out of the basement offensively which is where they basically were this season with only one Eastern team (Detroit) scoring fewer goals than they did.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Paul MacLean Won't Return Next Season

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  • The Blue Jackets will be parting ways with assistant coach Paul MacLean, reports Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required). He joined Columbus partway through this season with the hopes that he’d be able to help their power play.  However, losing several of their top forwards proved to be too much to overcome; while the team was slightly better with the man advantage after he joined them midseason, the gain was only incremental from 15.6% to 16.8% and overall, they finished in the bottom five in the league.  Things weren’t any better in the playoffs as their power play limped to just an 8.8% success rate.

Florida Panthers Hire Blue Jackets’ Bill Zito As GM

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Wednesday: The Panthers have officially announced the hire, introducing Zito as the team’s next general manager. In the release, owner Vincent Viola included an explanation for the move:

We are thrilled to welcome Bill Zito as General Manager of the Florida Panthers. Bill is an excellent mind in our game today who proved during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets that he possesses great prowess for evaluating talent and building success. He brings great experience to our club and possesses a strong business acumen.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Zito received a five-year contract from the Panthers, quite a commitment as the team tries to figure out the roster and return to the playoffs.

Tuesday: After all the hype in recent weeks over Florida’s ongoing search for their next general manager – a list of candidates that included executives and scouts from a number of teams as well as several television analysts – it seems the team will in fact go with a name that had not been publicly mentioned. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Panthers are closing in on a deal to make Columbus Blue Jackets Associate GM Bill Zito their next GM. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun adds that a formal announcement is expected on Wednesday.

Zito, 55, has served as an executive for the Blue Jackets since 2013. Initially an assistant GM, Zito eventually took on the role of GM of the club’s AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, and this season was elevated to Associate GM and Sr. VP of Hockey Operations. Prior to his time with Columbus, Zito was a player agent and one of the founders of Acme World Sports.

Now joining the Panthers, replacing Dale Tallon as GM, Zito has his work cut out for him. Fortunately, his familiarity with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky could help the veteran to settle in during year two after a disastrous first season with the Panthers. More reliable results in net would be a major step for Florida. The team also needs to improve its defense while finding a way to re-sign or replace top forwards Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov. The Florida Panthers have not won a playoff series since 1996, the worst drought in the NHL, and Zito’s task will be to put together a contender and end that sorry streak as soon as possible.

Coaching Notes: Washington, Ward, Tortorella

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The Washington Capitals decided to move on from Todd Reirden after just two years as head coach and won’t be taking another risk with their next hiring. That’s what Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic says in his latest column, explaining that the Capitals are focused on bringing in a proven head coach instead of giving another newcomer an opportunity.

That means the names are familiar ones when discussing the Capitals coaching vacancy. Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and Mike Babcock are the first three names that LeBrun mentions, though even former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau gets a few paragraphs as well. Washington went 89-46-16 under Reirden since winning a championship in 2018 but were quickly dumped in the playoffs both years. Still in their win-now window with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom leading the way, Washington is also looking for a coach that will “hold the team’s top players accountable.”

  • Geoff Ward spoke to reporters including Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet yesterday and explained that he would consider a return to the organization even if the Calgary Flames decided to go in a different direction at head coach. Ward would obviously rather take the head coaching position himself, but declined the opportunity to campaign for it through the media. He took over as head coach when Bill Peters resigned early in the season and led the Flames to a 24-15-3 record, but was also part of the collapse against the Dallas Stars. The Flames allowed seven straight goals in an elimination game and Ward pulled starter Cam Talbot and then reinserted him during the collapse. With substantial changes likely coming in Calgary, they may also want to go with a different face behind the bench.
  • One coach that likely isn’t going anywhere this offseason is John Tortorella, even though his Columbus Blue Jackets failed to advance past the first round. Even getting that far was seen as quite the accomplishment for the veteran coach, but he’ll lose out on a little salary in the process. The league today fined Tortorella $25,000 for his comments (or more specifically his lack of comments) after game five against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tortorella took two questions and then stormed out of the press conference, obviously frustrated with the loss. The penalty is actually a collection of the conditional fine that was assessed on January 1 after a previous incident. This is the 13th time Tortorella has been disciplined by the league.

Blue Jackets’ Calvin Thurkauf Signs With EV Zug

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Just two months after EV Zug of Switzerland’s NLA publicly lamented that alumnus Calvin Thurkauf was working on an extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets and was unlikely to play for the team again, the narrative has gone in the opposite direction. Zug has announced that Thurkauf has returned to his hometown team and will be ready to start the NLA season.

However, before EVZ fans get too excited or Blue Jackets fans get too worried, it is important to note that Zug’s press release specifically states that Thurkauf is only expected to begin the season in Zug. As an unsigned RFA, Thurkauf could not be loaned overseas like many other NHL prospects and instead needed to sign a contract. However that deal is only valid until Thurkauf signs an NHL or AHL contract for the 2020-21.

Thurkauf, 23, is likely to find work, if not with Columbus then elsewhere in the NHL, after recording 26 points in 53 AHL games this season. He also made his NHL debut, suiting up for three games with the Blue Jackets. A big, physical forward who has proven himself capable in the WHL and AHL, Thurkauf is likely to push for a fourth-line role if he returns to Columbus. Zug fans will simply have to enjoy the homecoming while it lasts.

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