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Jack Johnson In Talks With Pittsburgh Penguins

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are always one of the teams to watch in trade season and free agency, at least with Jim Rutherford in the GM chair. The veteran executive is no stranger to salary cap gymnastics and horse trading, and usually finds unexpected ways to improve his roster. One of those ways may now come in the form of Jack Johnson, who according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has had very positive talks with the Penguins as we get closer to free agency opening on July 1st. Johnson is a good friend of Sidney Crosby and would give Pittsburgh another veteran option on the blueline to help on another Stanley Cup run in 2018-19.

The cost of a Johnson contract isn’t clear. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman earned $5MM on the last season of his seven-year, $30.5MM contract in 2017-18, but lobbied for a trade in order to try and secure a better contract on the open market. The 31-year old was involved in a very public bankruptcy case in 2014, and simply wanted to ensure a healthy deal this summer knowing it may be his last multi-year deal in the NHL. He ended up staying with Columbus all season, but faced being a healthy scratch down the stretch—in part, somewhat ironically, because of the Blue Jackets’ acquisition of Penguins defenseman Ian Cole at the deadline—and didn’t suit up for a single playoff game.

Where his market currently sits is unclear, but the Penguins can’t be paying huge sums to a defenseman in their current cap situation. After re-signing Bryan Rust earlier today, Pittsburgh has around $5MM in cap space with Jamie Oleksiak and others still to sign. Though they can go up to 10% over that during the offseason, signing Johnson to a hefty multi-year deal would make it awful tricky going forward. Rutherford has made it clear that they will send out some salary at some point this season, but even trading Phil Kessel’s $6.8MM cap hit doesn’t create much room if a good chunk of it is taken up by a Johnson signing.

2018 Draft Results By Team

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The 2018 NHL Entry Draft is now complete. Check out how each team did with accruing talent and filling needs with each of their selections this weekend:

Anaheim Ducks

1-23.  F Isac Lundestrom, Lulea (SHL)
2-54. F Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3-79. F Blake McLaughlin, Chicago Steel (USHL)
3-84. G Lukas Dostal, HC Kometa Brno (Czech Republic-Jr.)
4-116. F Jack Perbix, Elk River HS (USHS)
5-147. G Roman Durny, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
6-178. D Hunter Drew, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)

Arizona Coyotes

1-5. F Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2-55. D Kevin Bahl, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
3-65. F Jan Jenik, HC Benatky nad Jizerou (Czech Republic-2)
3-73. D Ty Emberson, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
4-114. G Ivan Prosvetov, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
5-142. D Mitchell Callahan, Central Illinois Flying Aces (USHL)
5-145. D Dennis Busby, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
6-158. G David Tendeck, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
7-189. F Liam Kirk, Sheffield Steelers (England)

Boston Bruins

2-57. D Axel Andersson, Djurgardens IF (SuperElit)
3-77.  F Jakub Lauko, Pirati Chomutov (Czech Republic)
4-119. F Curtis Hall, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
6-181.  D Dustyn McFaul, Pickering Panthers (OJHL)
7-212. F Pavel Shen, Mamonty Yugry (MHL)

Buffalo Sabres

1-1. D Rasmus Dahlin, Frolunda HC (SHL)
2-32. D Mattias Samuelsson, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
4-94. F Matej Pekar, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
4-117. D Linus Lindstrand Kronholm, Malmo Redhawks (SuperElit)
5-125. D Miska Kuukonen, Ilves (Jr.-Liiga)
7-187. D William Worge Kreu, Linkoping (SuperElit)

Calgary Flames

3-105. F Martin Pospisil, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
3-108. F Demetrios Koumontzis, Edina HS (USHS)
4-122. F Milos Roman, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
6-167. F Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
7-198. F Dmitri Zavgorodny, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Carolina Hurricanes

1-2. F Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie Colts (OHL)
2-42. F Jack Drury, Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
4-96. F Luke Henman, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
4-104. F Lenni Killinen, Espoo Blues (Jr.-Liiga)
6-166. D Jesper Sellgren, MODO (Allsveskan)
7-197. G Jake Kucharski, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)

Chicago Blackhawks

1-8. D Adam Boqvist, Brynas IF Gavle (SHL)
1-27. D Nicolas Beaudin, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
3-69. F Jake Wise, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
3-74. F Niklas Nordgren, HIFK Helsinki (Jr.-Liiga)
4-120. F Philipp Kurashev, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
5-139. F Mikael Hakkarainen, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6-162. G Alexis Gravel, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
7-193. F Josiah Slavin, Lincoln Stars (USHL)

Colorado Avalanche

1-16. F Martin Kaut, Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic)
3-64. G Justus Annunen, Karpat (Jr.-Liiga)
3-78. F Sampo Ranta, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
4-109. F Tyler Weiss, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
5-140. F Brandon Saigeon, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
5-146. D Danila Zhuravlyov, Irbis Kazan (MHL)
6-171. F Nikolai Kovalenko, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (MHL)
7-202. G Shamil Shmakov, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL)Read more

Columbus Blue Jackets “Testing The Market” On Artemi Panarin

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have been told that Artemi Panarin is not considering an extension at the moment, and have decided to start “testing the market” for the star winger, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Panarin was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last summer in exchange for Brandon Saad and others, but is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2019. Obviously things could change at any moment and the 26-year old could decide that he is willing to stay in Columbus long-term, but just a sliver of availability is sure to generate plenty of interest from around the league.

In a response, George Richards of the Columbus Dispatch reached out to Panarin’s agent Dan Milstein, who told him it is not a “proper time to comment” on either part of the report. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic also got Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen on record commenting on the report:

Artemi is an elite National Hockey League player. Our position has been that we want him to be a Blue Jacket for many years and that has not changed. He has a year left on his contract, so there is plenty of time to work towards that end. Should anything change moving forward, we will address it at that time and any decision we make will be in the best interest of our club.

Panarin is one of the best offensive players in the entire league, and represents a huge asset for the Blue Jackets if they’re truly testing the market. In 243 games since coming over from the KHL, Panarin has 233 points including 82 in the 2017-18 season. While some believed that his top production was helped by playing with Patrick Kane during his time in Chicago, Panarin proved he could drive a line by himself and helped Pierre-Luc Dubois get acclimated to the NHL as a teenager this season. Dubois finished second among all Blue Jackets forwards with 48 points this season, showing just how effective Panarin was at even-strength and on the powerplay. Just 21 of his 82 points were with the man advantage, while his 41 even-strength assists tied him for second in the league behind only Connor McDavid.

Even with that outstanding production though, there may be a case for the Blue Jackets moving on from him if there is no chance of an extension. The Blue Jackets are set up to be competitive for a long time thanks to the development of players like Seth Jones and Zach Werenski, and even though Panarin is clearly the heartbeat of their offense he could be used to supplement the current core and extend the window even further. Dubois, while not as offensively gifted, represents a legitimate top-line center option for the team, while other young talent like Oliver Bjorkstrand, Alexander Wennberg and Sonny Milano could still take substantial steps forward.

The return for Panarin would have to be enormous for the Blue Jackets to trade him this summer, and it is unclear who around the league would want to part with those kind of assets while he’s unwilling to discuss a contract extension. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the earliest Panarin would want to discuss an extension is likely the start of the season, making this an extremely tough decision for both Columbus and any acquiring team. Sending what would likely have to be a package centered around a top young roster player is a tough pill to swallow for just a year, even if it is one of the most consistent offensive producers in the league.

Columbus though has other things to worry about as they move forward with this group. Sergei Bobrovsky is an unrestricted free agent next summer as well, while Werenski will be coming out of his entry-level contract looking for a huge raise. The team is in fine salary cap shape at the moment, but could easily find themselves in a position where they’re unable to keep Panarin or Bobrovsky anyway. The idea of entertaining offers, even in a very preliminary manner, makes some sense in this situation.

Columbus Blue Jackets Re-Sign Alex Broadhurst

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Alex Broadhurst to a one-year two-way extension, bringing back one of their best minor league players. Broadhurt made his NHL debut this season, but is likely to spend ample time in the minor leagues again next year.

Broadhurst, 25, was actually scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer and is coming off a season in which he scored a career-high 19 goals in the minor leagues. The versatile forward has experience at center and on the wing, and is valuable depth for an organization that has struggled to find any down the middle. Held scoreless in his two-game NHL debut, he could be in for another stint should the Blue Jackets face any injuries in 2018-19.

He should also return to the Cleveland Monsters in a leadership capacity after wearing an “A” as an alternate captain this season. Scoring 41 points in 66 games, he finished second in team scoring and was part of the 2015 squad that took home the Calder Cup. That wasn’t the first championship for Broadhurst, who is one of the rare players to also have USHL and OHL titles to his name.

Blue Jackets Prioritizing Early Extensions For Panarin, Bobrovsky, And Werenski

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  • The Blue Jackets head into the summer with a trio of key players being eligible for contract extensions on July 1st in winger Artemi Panarin, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, and defenseman Zach Werenski. Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch notes that GM Jarmo Kekalainen would like to get new deals done with all three players sooner than later.  Given the combined cost to get all three signed, it would certainly be desirable to get them done quickly as that could very well shape what types of other moves they make during the summer.

Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Free agency is now less than a month away from opening up and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Here is a breakdown of Columbus’s free agent situation.

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Boone Jenner – While Jenner hasn’t been able to repeat his 30-goal performance from 2015-16, he has still been an important middle-six forward the last couple of seasons for the Blue Jackets.  Their issues getting consistent play at center resulted in Jenner spending most of this past season there after being shifted to the wing for the majority of the previous campaign.

The 24-year-old is coming off of his bridge contract and is owed a $2.9MM qualifying offer later this month, one he’ll undoubtedly receive.  The big question here is how much more he’s going to get this time around and whether Columbus will be able to afford it in their budget, especially with three of their top players needing new contracts one year from now.  If it’s more than they’re willing to pay, the Blue Jackets will be well positioned to take advantage of a center market that has a lot more demand than supply around the rest of the league.

D Ryan Murray – When healthy, Murray has been a capable fourth or fifth defenseman for the past several years.  Unfortunately for him and the team, staying healthy has been a concern almost every year and 2017-18 was no exception as he missed 34 games due to an upper-body injury.

At this point, the fact he was a second-overall pick (back in 2012) shouldn’t really come into play in negotiations but Murray is still in line to receive a raise on the $2.825MM he made this past season.  For someone who spent some time on the third pairing, an increase may make him a little pricey for his role.  However, their back end could look a little different depending on their unrestricted free agents (more on that shortly) so there could be an opportunity for more playing time for the 24-year-old next season.  Long-term deals are common coming off of a bridge contract but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Columbus look short-term here.

Other RFAs: F Oliver Bjorkstrand, F Ryan Kujawinski

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: D Jack Johnson/Ian Cole – Cole’s acquisition at the trade deadline was supposed to force Johnson out but that wound up not happening.  As a result, Johnson’s ice time was cut to the point where he didn’t even play in the playoffs.  While that seemingly wouldn’t bode well for his future, at least one prominent insider believes he’s still in line for a pretty good raise on his next contract.  It’s safe to say that the Blue Jackets won’t be the one providing it to him, however.

The same can’t be said for Cole who fit in nicely.  He didn’t log big minutes (just over 18 minutes per night in the regular season and a little over 19 in the playoffs) but helped to stabilize their bottom pairing.  He had several suitors back at the deadline and should have quite a few this summer as well which means he should get a sizable jump on his next contract from the $2.1MM AAV he played under over the past three seasons.

F Thomas Vanek – The veteran was acquired for cheap at the deadline and wound up being quite productive with Columbus, collecting 15 points in 19 regular season games.  When you add that to the 41 points he put up with the Canucks, you quietly get the fourth highest point getter that’s set to hit the open market next month.  He has settled for one-year deals the last two summers and considering how much he has bounced around lately (he has played for eight different teams since 2013), another short-term pact may be in the works this time around.  If he can come close to repeating his performance next season, whoever gets him may be getting a nice bargain.

Other UFAs: D Andre Benoit, F Alex Broadhurst, F Matt Calvert, D Taylor Chorney, D Cameron Gaunce, F Mark Letestu, G Jeff Zatkoff

Projected Cap Space: The Blue Jackets currently have just over $61.6MM committed to 19 players, per CapFriendly.  Even after factoring in raises for Jenner, Murray, and Bjorkstrand, they should still have a decent amount of payroll room to work with this summer.  However, with new deals on the horizon for goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, winger Artemi Panarin (both eligible for unrestricted free agency next year), and defenseman Zach Werenski (eligible for restricted free agency), GM Jarmo Kekalainen may want to look for players willing to take one-year deals to ensure they have as much flexibility as possible next summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jack Johnson’s Value Still High Despite Down Year

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Earlier this season Jack Johnson asked the Columbus Blue Jackets to trade him. It didn’t have anything to do with a distaste for the team, city or coaching staff, but instead because he was looking ahead and trying to secure a healthy payday for himself. Johnson had been embroiled in a long, public legal battle with his parents who had racked up debt in his name, and was using a big portion of his Blue Jackets contract to pay it off. When his minutes and role started to slip in Columbus due to the emergence of Zach Werenski and Seth Jones, Johnson started to worry about the fact that he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Blue Jackets would decide not to trade Johnson, instead using him more frequently and keeping him as an integral part of their playoff squad. Now, as he heads towards free agency he may have nothing to worry about in terms of finances. Bob McKenzie was on TSN radio recently and spoke about Johnson, speculating that the defenseman could earn in the “neighborhood of $6MM.” While some may bristle at that number for a 31-year old who registered just 11 points this season, remember that Johnson had logged an average of more than 20 minutes a night for ten straight seasons before finishing at 19:33 this year. Many could still believe that he could play a big role on their blue line, and on a short-term deal pay up to get him.

McKenzie qualified the amount by saying “give or take a million,” and that seems more likely where Johnson will fit in. The biggest thing in his favor though might be the relative lack of quality options on the free agent market behind John Carlson. Calvin de Haan looked like he was on a path for a big payday before he was injured this season, while Mike Green and others present their own risks.

Though there are reports of Johnson being linked to the Montreal Canadiens, most notably by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet who claimed they could be a “stealth destination” for the free agent defenseman, McKenzie wouldn’t go so far as to say he knows anything about that. He did however say that they could be interested since they are looking to upgrade their defense corps, after a disappointing 2017-18 season.

For whoever signs Johnson, it’s clear that his market is still healthy enough to demand a high-priced deal. It’s not clear how long a team is willing to commit to the two-way defenseman, but we’ll find out in just a few weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Eastern Notes: Matthews, Werenski, Skinner

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After Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews changed agencies last week, the Maple Leafs are suddenly wondering what that means for them? After a turbulent offseason so far with their star player, which includes a poor playoff showing, two meetings with head coach Mike Babcock and an impending extension either this summer of next, there are suddenly more questions than ever, according to Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons.

Matthews switched from CAA to Orr Hockey Group, leaving behind super-agent Pat Brisson, who the Toronto franchise has had a great relationship with. While most franchises wouldn’t bat an eye when a player changes agencies, Matthews situation is different. Among those questions is whether the 20-year-old plans to stay loyal to the franchise. There have been plenty of questions raised about his rocky relationship with Babcock, which forced the coach to make two trips to Arizona to see Matthews this offseason. There are still questions about his future role as captain of the team and of course, how much money will his extension eventually get him? Will he demand the same money as Connor McDavid’s eight year, $100MM deal?

  • Brian Hedger of NHL.com interviewed Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen about the shoulder injury and subsequent surgery that defenseman Zach Werenski went through this season. Evidently, Werenski suffered the shoulder injury on Oct. 30 and played through the pain all season. The 20-year-old blueliner played with a brace that seriously affected his movement all season and affected his season significantly. “When your arm moves, like, this much, it’s pretty hard, battling for loose pucks in the corner,” Kekalainen said. “It affects everything, and he didn’t ever complain or use it as an excuse. He just kept playing through it and playing through it, and now he’ll be healthy for next year.” Despite the injury, Werenski still had a career high 16 goals, although his total points dropped by 10 from his rookie campaign. After undergoing surgery in early May, Werenski is expected to be ready for the regular season, but could miss all or part of training camp.
  • While there has been quite a bit of speculation surrounding Carolina Hurricanes winger Jeff Skinner this offseason already, don’t expect a trade too quickly, according to The News & Observer’s Chip Alexander. General manager Don Waddell said neither Skinner, nor his agent Don Meehan, has been asked to waive Skinner’s no-movement clause, nor have they been asked to tell them what team he would be willing to accept a trade to. Skinner, who is entering his final year of his six-year, $34.4MM deal he signed back in 2012 with a no-movement clause that kicked in last season, has tallied 204 goals for Carolina in eight seasons, but hasn’t taken them to the playoffs yet.

Blue Jackets Prospect Carson Meyer Transfers To Ohio State

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A pair of NHL draft picks have committed to Ohio State for the 2018-19 season.  The Buckeyes announced (Twitter links) that defenseman Ryan O’Connell and winger Carson Meyer will be joining them next year.  O’Connell, a seventh-rounder of Toronto last June, had previously committed to join Boston University next year and spent this past season with Penticton of the BCHL.  Meyer’s case is more intriguing.  The Columbus prospect (selected in the sixth round last year) has spent the past two years at Miami-Ohio.  After a strong rookie campaign where he posted 26 points in 34 games, his output dipped to just ten points in 34 contests as he dealt with season-long fatigue issues.  Typically, a player who transfers is forced to sit for a year but it is expected that Meyer will petition the NCAA for a waiver to allow him to play next season.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Ducks pending UFA center Antoine Vermette acknowledged to TVA Sports’ Mario Morrisette that he may have played his final game. While he’s hopeful to land another contract for next season, he wants to be closer to his family and has already ruled out the idea of going overseas.  The soon-to-be 36-year-old had just 16 points in 64 games with Anaheim and got into just a pair of playoff contests where he played just over six minutes per game.  However, he won 60% of his faceoffs which could still help him garner some interest in free agency next month.
  • Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is well-known for being aggressive when it comes to shaping his roster and after they fell in the second round this postseason, many expect changes are coming. One player that could be on the move is winger Bryan Rust, suggests Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  The pending RFA is due a sizable raise after posting 38 points in 69 games but Pittsburgh has good depth on the right side and plans to have Daniel Sprong (also a right winger) in the lineup regularly in 2018-19 which could make Rust expendable.  The 26-year-old is arbitration eligible and is one year away from qualifying for unrestricted free agency.

Offseason Keys: Columbus Blue Jackets

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With the Stanley Cup now awarded, the offseason is now in full swing.  What storylines lie ahead around the league in the weeks to come?  Our Offseason Keys series continues with a look at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Last summer, the Blue Jackets made one of the bigger trades of the summer when they shipped Brandon Saad to Chicago in exchange for Artemi Panarin.  They were hoping that the Russian winger would provide them with more firepower up front.  While he had a nice year, the team actually scored less and were ousted in the opening round once again.  While GM Jarmo Kekalainen will assuredly want to try to add to his roster, several of his keys this summer involve dealing with his current players.

Extension Talks

A lot of teams have one notable player that they will likely sit down to discuss a contract extension with over the course of the offseason.  Columbus has three that are going to require a lot of attention including a pair of significant potential unrestricted free agents.

Let’s start with Panarin.  Being moved away from Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks didn’t exactly slow him down.  In fact, he hit the point-per-game mark for the first time in his NHL career, collecting 82 (27-55-82) in 81 games.  He led the Blue Jackets in scoring by a whopping 25 points.  It’s hard to ask for much more than that.  The 26-year-old signed a two-year, $12MM deal with the Blackhawks after they were unable to work out a long-term pact that fit under their cap structure, a decision that wound up being moot given that he was dealt before the contract even kicked in.   The price tag has only gone up since then as he projects to be one of the top forwards that could hit the open market in July 2019.

Then there’s Sergei Bobrovsky, their undisputed number one goalie.  While he didn’t put up the same numbers he did in 2016-17 that saw him win the Vezina Trophy, he was still well above average while being among the league leaders in games played and shots faced.  Joonas Korpisalo doesn’t appear to be their long-term option as goalie of the future and there isn’t anyone in the system that’s nearing NHL readiness either.  Columbus badly needs to re-sign (or replace) the 29-year-old but it won’t be cheap.  Bobrovsky is already at a $7.45MM cap hit and as salaries go up around the league, it’s not crazy to think that he’ll be the second-highest-paid goalie in the league for 2019-20 if they can get an extension done.

On the restricted free agent side is defenseman Zach Werenski.  He has quickly emerged as a core player and ranked second in their blueline in points (37) and average ice time (22:35).  In recent years, youngsters in situations like these often forego the bridge contract in favor of inking a long-term pact that buys out some UFA eligibility.  Independent of everything else, this is something Kekalainen would certainly like to do.  However, if they intend to lock up Panarin and Bobrovsky as well, they may be forced to go the shorter-term route to keep the cap hit down.  Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see any extension talks for Werenski delayed until they have a better sense of what is going on with their two UFAs.

Re-Sign Or Trade?

Defenseman Ryan Murray and forward Boone Jenner were expected to be long-term fixtures in Columbus.  Both have had up-and-down times in their careers and they both are coming off of somewhat-disappointing seasons.  With the duo now being arbitration-eligible, Kekalainen will need to decide if they’re still part of the plans for the foreseeable future or if the time has come to look into moving them.

When healthy, Murray has been a capable defender for Columbus.  The problem is, out of his five NHL seasons, he has reached the 70-game plateau just once and has played in just 64% of their games in that span.  Further adding to that frustration is the fact he was the second-overall pick back in 2012.  With Werenski heading for a major raise soon, Seth Jones and David Savard locked up for nearly $10MM combined long-term, and the expectation that they will try to bring back Ian Cole, Kekalainen needs to decide if there’s enough money to keep Murray around.

As for Jenner, he is just two years removed from a 30-goal campaign but he has barely managed to match that output over the past two seasons combined.  He has spent a fair amount of time in the bottom six while also spending most of 2016-17 on the wing.  These don’t help his trade value but at the same time, it doesn’t help Jenner’s arbitration case either.  How much should they be willing to pay Jenner who is more of a third-line center in a best-case scenario?  If it’s too much for their liking, the lack of help down the middle on the open market should give them some options to move him.

Add Top-Six Help

With both Nick Foligno and Brandon Dubinsky struggling to live up to their contracts, the Blue Jackets have been looking for top-six help going back to this past season.  They acquired Thomas Vanek at the trade deadline who wound up being quite productive so there’s certainly a possibility that they’ll look to keep him around.  Even if they do, they’re still likely to target other players to improve their depth.

One of the challenges involving potentially moving Jenner is that Columbus doesn’t have great depth down the middle, especially if they wind up cutting bait with Dubinsky.  With that in mind, don’t be surprised if they set their sights on adding a center in a trade (since the free agent market is likely to create some inflated contracts, something they can’t particularly afford with the players they need to soon re-sign).

The Blue Jackets are in a tough division but one more quality top-six forward may be enough to take them to that next level if they can keep the rest of the core of the roster intact.  It doesn’t seem likely that they will be overly active overall in terms of shaking things up but this is one need they have to fill.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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