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Expansion Primer: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, who will likely warrant protection, and which ones may be on the block to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing? Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4:00 PM CDT on July 17th. The full eligibility rules can be found here, while CapFriendly has an expansion tool to make your own lists.

The Blue Jackets were one of the biggest victims of the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, trading a first-round and second-round pick to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the team selecting William Karlsson and taking on David Clarkson’s contract. Karlsson has blossomed into the best center in Vegas’ young franchise history, while the Blue Jackets now have a hole down the middle and could have used those high draft picks to help fill it.

The team has seemingly spent the past four years making sure that history would not repeat itself this year. The Blue Jackets can protect all of their core players, leaving next to nothing of value for Seattle, and the only deal that they will make with the Kraken would have to be mutually beneficial.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards: 

Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Max Domi, Boone Jenner, Patrik Laine, Gustav Nyquist, Cliff Pu, Eric Robinson, Jack Roslovic, Kole Sherwood, Kevin Stenlund, Calvin Thurkauf

Defense:

Gabriel Carlsson, Vladislav Gavrikov, Scott Harrington, Seth Jones, Dean Kukan, Zach Werenski

Goalies:

Cam Johnson, Joonas Korpisalo

Notable Unrestricted Free Agents

D Michael Del Zotto

Notable Exemptions

F Emil Bemstrom, F Yegor Chinakhov, F Josh Dunne, F Liam Foudy, D Mikko Lehtonen, G Elvis Merzlikins, D Andrew Peeke, F Alexandre Texier

Key Decisions

Kudos to GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who has taken most of the decision-making out of his team’s expansion process. The Blue Jackets may have taken a step back this season and looking to re-tool in the off-season, but at least they will not lose any players of great value.

Well, that’s not entirely true. By all accounts, Columbus will lose star defenseman Jones, but it will be on their own terms. While it may seem like a waste, the Blue Jackets are very unlikely to deal Jones before the Expansion Draft and thus must protect him so that they can make a deal later on this off-season.

Fortunately, Jones is not exactly stealing a protection slot from a top player. Fellow blue line standout Werenski and the reliable Gavrikov can still be protected in the 7-3 scheme, while future starters Peeke and Lehtonen are exempt, leaving only the likes of depth defenders Kukan, Harrington, and Carlsson exposed.

The decision in goal is even easier. With one half of their top tandem exempt in Merzlikins, the Blue Jackets simply protect the other side in Korpisalo, leaving untested Johnson exposed.

At forward, things are a little trickier – but not by much. Career Blue Jackets and locker room leaders Atkinson, Jenner, and Bjorkstrand are most importantly all productive scorers and will be safe. Despite down seasons to begin their Columbus tenures, there is no way that the team exposes Laine or Domi. On the flip side, Roslovic’s first season with the team was perhaps the highlight of the campaign and he is also not going anywhere.

This leaves just one protection slot open up front with three realistic candidates: Nyquist, Robinson, and Stenlund. This may seem like an easy decision to the casual onlooker, as Nyquist is a well-known name whereas Robinson and Stenlund have only recently established themselves as NHL assets. However, Nyquist is far from a lock due to the fact that he missed the entire season following off-season shoulder surgery. He will be 32 before next season and is a year removed from game action. Can the Blue Jackets really commit to $11MM over the next two seasons for an aging player whose return to form is uncertain?

They can, and the going theory is that they will. It isn’t a knock on Robinson or Stenlund, who both proved themselves to be valuable to Columbus this season, but the upside of Nyquist is simply much higher. In 2019-20, his first season with Blue Jackets, Nyquist was second on the team in scoring a key piece on special teams, all areas that struggled this year in his absence. With 40+ points in each of his seven full NHL seasons, including a 60-point campaign just two years ago, Nyquist is nothing if not consistent and reliable and would be a difficult player for the Blue Jackets to lose as they look to right the ship.

Of course, Nyquist’s age and contract are still a concern, even if he is able to bounce back. However, the Blue Jackets are not in any salary cap trouble and could use the veteran presence as they look to push more young talent onto the roster. Seattle may not be in the same boat; the Expansion Draft could yield far more well-paid veterans of value than affordable youngsters and the Kraken may not be keen to take an older, expensive player like Nyquist given his injury concerns and uncertain future. If the Blue Jackets decide to bank on this possibility, Robinson or Stenlund could be protected. They each made a good case this season; Robinson played in all 56 games and recorded career highs in goals and points, while Stenlund has recorded ten points in 32 games in back-to-back seasons, a26-point full-season pace. Either bottom-six forward could continue to provide value to Columbus, but at least one must be exposed if not both.

Projected Protection List

F Cam Atkinson
F Oliver Bjorkstrand
F Max Domi
F Boone Jenner
F Patrik Laine
F Gustav Nyquist
F Jack Roslovic

D Vladislav Gavrikov
D Seth Jones
D Zach Werenski

G Joonas Korpisalo

Skater Exposure Requirement Checklist

When Vegas had their expansion draft, a minimum of two forwards and one defenseman had to be exposed that were under contract and played either 40 games in the most recent season or 70 over the past two combined.  Due to the pandemic, those thresholds have been changed to 27 games played in 2020-21 or 54 in 2019/20 and 2020-21 combined.  In creating our expansion list for each team in this series, we will ensure that these criteria are met.

Forwards (2): Eric Robinson, Kevin Stenlund
Defensemen (1): Dean Kukan

Regardless of which players they choose to protect, the Blue Jackets will only expose the bare minimum required, likely by design. After all, Stenlund was just signed to a one-year extension last month with the Expansion Draft in mind. Barring an extension or outside addition, only the designated two forwards and one defenseman will be exposed among those meeting the requirements, as none of the other eligible players – Pu, Sherwood, Thurkauf, Carlsson, Harrington – are worth protecting.

Columbus leaves little for the Seattle Kraken if they protect Nyquist, which seems likely. It is a group of exposed players lacking in NHL experience or considerable upside. Robinson and Stenlund offer physical play and 25-point upside as bottom-six forwards, but at 26 and soon-to-be-25 respectively, there may not be much room for improvement. Kukan, 27, has had a hard time staying in the lineup in Columbus and looks to be best suited as a No. 7 defenseman on a good team. Harrington, also 27, was used even less, was less productive, and has more tread on his tires. Carlsson, though younger and bigger than Kukan and Harrington, was unable to unseat them with the Blue Jackets and would have much more competition with the Kraken. Unless Seattle GM Ron Francis has a special affinity for one of these players, Columbus seems like a prime team for a pick-and-trade, moving their selection to a contender seeking depth.

With all of that said, the Blue Jackets do still remain a fascinating candidate to make a side deal with the Kraken. With three first-round picks, including No. 5 overall, and a need at center that they would love to address with the top forward prospect in the draft, Columbus has the means and the desire to land the No. 2 pick from Seattle if they are open to moving it. The new franchise could certainly benefit from an extra first round pick if they move back and may even be able to change the Blue Jackets’ protection plan as part of the deal.

Snapshots: Blue Jackets, Sabres, Buyouts, DeAngelo

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Between new head coach Brad Larsen, promoted from his previous role as assistant, and newly hired assistants Pascal Vincent and Sylvain Lefebvre, the Blue Jackets will have a combined 15 seasons as NHL assistants, 13 seasons as AHL head coaches, 11 seasons as a junior head coaches, six seasons as AHL assistants, and over 1,200 NHL games played worth of experience behind the bench. The one thing they don’t have? Any experience as an NHL head coach. As Aaron Portzline writes for The Athletic, there is zero NHL head coach experience in the entire Columbus organization right now and while GM Jarmo Kekalainen isn’t worried, he also isn’t above addressing that issue. Kekalainen is at least considering adding an advisor to the coaching staff; a veteran NHL head coach to help guide Larsen and company through their first season with a the re-tooling Blue Jackets. Portzline believes that one name who could certainly be in the mix is Jacques Martin, as the 68-year-old with 16 seasons as an NHL head coach is believed to be looking for this type of role. Other candidates will also surely emerge if and when Columbus decides that they are officially looking to fill the position.

  • Did Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams tip his hand in a recent interview with Pierre LeBrun for The Athletic? Discussing his team’s rebuilding plans, Adams stated the following:

(Rasmus) Dahlin, (Dylan) Cozens, (Casey) Mittelstadt, these are very, very young players… And I’ve been energized about this young core of Sabres we have that are hungry and they want to be part of the solution. … These guys are proud to be Buffalo Sabres, they want to fix this and get this right, they want to move forward together. So that’s the young core that we’re working to build around.

Sure, these are all key pieces for the Sabres in their rebuild. However, Adams did not mention the likes of Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, or Victor Olofsson, who are only marginally older than that group. His use of the words “proud to be Buffalo Sabres” and “want to be part of the solution” also feels purposeful, as if there are others on the team who are not and possibly that is why they are no longer part of the rebuild plans. While rumors have been swirling around Eichel and to some extent Reinhart as well, perhaps this is a real indication that Buffalo will be making major changes this summer.

  • The NHL’s buyout window opens 24 hours after the Stanley Cup is awarded, which could be as early as later tonight. In anticipation, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli lists ten names (and some honorable mentions) who could be buyout candidates. While much of this is educated speculation, Seravalli does have a scoop on his No. 1 name on the list, New York Rangers defenseman Anthony DeAngelo. Seravalli reports that the Rangers officially finalized a plan to buyout DeAngelo last week, a move that has been a long time coming since he was placed on leave in January for off-ice conduct. What remains to be seen is when exactly the buyout will be executed. The Rangers don’t need DeAngelo for the upcoming Expansion Draft, with Anthony Bitetto meeting exposure criteria and not expected to be protected, however New York may want to leave him in case they are able to tempt the Seattle. Even if the Kraken don’t bite, DeAngelo’s skill is enough to make him an intriguing free agent this summer following his buyout, even after a year off and some character concerns.

Matiss Kivlenieks Passes Away At 24

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The hockey world is in mourning today, as a member of the NHL fraternity has passed away far too early. Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Matiss Kivlenieks passed away last night. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports that an autopsy revealed that Kivlenieks died of chest trauma due to a fireworks mortar blast, not the head injury that was originally reported. He was 24.

Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson released a statement:

We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time. Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten.

Kivlenieks, an undrafted goaltender from Latvia, played in six games for the Blue Jackets over the past two years, posting an .899 save percentage and a 2-2-2 record. He reached a new level of renown when he earned a shutout against Team Canada at the recent World Championships, the first time Latvia had ever defeated the hockey powerhouse at the event.

The staff here at PHR joins in the rest of the hockey community, sending our condolences to the Kivlenieks family.

An earlier version of this story included comments from Novi, Michigan police that indicated Kivlenieks died because of a head injury from a fall while exiting a hot tub. 

Blue Jackets May Add Veteran Coach In An Advisory Role

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  • The Blue Jackets are looking into adding an advisor to their coaching staff, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription link). No one on their staff has ever served as a head coach at the NHL level so bringing in someone in a mentorship type of role would make sense.  Portzline suggests veteran bench boss Jacques Martin could be a viable candidate for such a position and that the 68-year-old is interested in a position like that.

“Every GM In The League” Has Called On Seth Jones

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are having to make another difficult decision this off-season, as star defenseman Seth Jones has indicated that he will test free agency next summer rather than re-sign. As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline writes, barring a change of heart, this means that Jones will be traded, as expected. GM Jarmo Kekalainen has allowed other top players to stay with the team and walk as free agents in recent years, but with the team re-tooling and John Davidson back in his role as team president and focused on the future, Jones will not follow suit.

Fortunately, the Blue Jackets will have no trouble at all trading Jones and will be able to get a major return back. Kekalainen tells Portzline that he has ” heard from just about every GM in the league” since Jones’ availability became public. This could be puffery from the veteran executive to drive up the price, but is also entirely believable. Jones has been playing top-pair minutes for years, produces on offense, is solid on defense, and has improved in his physicality as well. At just 26, Jones is one of the more complete defensemen in the NHL and any club could use him.

Who will be the lucky team that lands Jones though? Portzline has heard four names come up repeatedly in conversations with sources around the league: Chicago, Colorado, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The Avalanche certainly stand out as a outlier; the top contenders have plenty of depth on defense and are lacking in cap space, this year and beyond. They would likely be looking at Jones as a year-long rental as they push for that elusive Stanley Cup. Would the cost be worth the short-term investment though? The other three clubs certainly would be eyeing a long-term deal with Jones as they are each in need of a top-tier defenseman. The Flyers have long been searching for a capable player to pair with Ivan Provorov on their top pair and Jones is as good a fit as can be found on the market. The Blackhawks also have been without a truly elite defenseman for some time. Like Colorado, they have salary cap issues but would be more willing and able to make it work. The Kings are the most dangerous buyer on the market, armed with a ton of talented prospects and fueled by a desire to improve before their aging core calls it quits. A top defenseman would go a long way in L.A.’s effort to return to relevance.

Of course, as Jones’ market continues to develop and the asking price becomes more concrete, another suitor could swoop in. Every team in the league will keep an eye on the bidding war over the next few weeks, before the Blue Jackets are expected to pull the trigger, by the NHL Entry Draft if not before.

Mikhail Grigorenko Signs In The KHL

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Mikhail Grigorenko’s second act in North America wound up being even shorter than his first.  The 27-year-old has decided to take a pass at testing unrestricted free agency later this month and is instead heading back home as CSKA Moscow announced that they’ve signed Grigorenko to a three-year contract.

Grigorenko spent the three seasons before 2020-21 with CSKA before deciding to give the NHL another try after he struggled considerably with Buffalo and Colorado in his first opportunity.  That brought him to Columbus, a team that had some vacancies down the middle to fill; there was definitely a fit on paper.

That fit didn’t translate to on-ice success, however.  He tallied just four goals and eight assists in 32 games with the Blue Jackets this season while clearing waivers back in mid-March.  In the end, he wound up being just a role player and accordingly, it seemed unlikely that he’d be able to come close to the $1.2MM he made this season.  Had he stuck around, he’d have been looking at something closer to the minimum.

With that in mind, a trip back to CSKA where he has had some success certainly makes sense.  But while he’ll only be 30 when this contract is up, it’s quite unlikely that Grigorenko will attempt a third tour of duty in the NHL.  Assuming this is indeed the end of his playing days in North America, he leaves with 26 goals and 50 assists in 249 games over parts of six seasons.  That’s not the type of return Buffalo was expecting when they made Grigorenko the 12th-overall pick in 2012.

Snapshots: Jones, Flames, Ducharme

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As speculation around the now-constant Duncan Keith trade rumors intensifies, more clarity is coming around a potential return. A piece in the Edmonton Journal by David Staples starts off the party with the Edmonton Oilers. Jumping off earlier reports from both Elliotte Friedman and Bob Stauffer that the Chicago Blackhawks weren’t interested in taking on another big contract in exchange for Keith, Staples suggests defender Caleb Jones as a potential piece going to Chicago in exchange for Keith. With Chicago now being implicated in trade talks with Columbus Blue Jackets defender Seth Jones, playing with his brother may entice Seth to sign an extension if dealt to the Hawks. What is for sure is that it’s just the beginning of the inevitable rumors and speculation surrounding such big a name as Keith. As Chicago looks to move on from a franchise legend, what Chicago receives in return for Keith will be under intense scrutiny.

  • The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal, during his ’Donnie & Dhali’ radio show today, reports that the Calgary Flames weren’t identified by Keith or his agent as a potential trade destination. With captain Mark Giordano potentially being left unprotected for the Seattle expansion draft, it made sense that Calgary could be looking to acquire a veteran presence to replace Giordano on their blueline. However, considering the leverage Keith holds with his full no-movement clause, it appears as though Keith in a Flames uniform isn’t a true possibility come October.
  • Marc Antoine Godin, senior writer for The Athletic Montreal, relayed remarks made by Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme today ahead of his return to the bench for Game 3 after being sidelined for two weeks due to COVID-19. Reacting to the news that the Quebec provincial health authority would not allow more fans into the building, Ducharme commented that “it’s hard to find the logic” for not increasing the capacity from the existing 3,500 fans, especially due to the large crowds that have formed outside in recent games. It’ll be on Ducharme tonight to guide his team to a Game 3 win, despite the supposed lack of a true home-ice advantage.

Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Free agency is now just a little more than a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. Columbus doesn’t have a lot of huge names to lock up, but it’s still an important offseason for the franchise.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Patrik Laine – It was an incredibly challenging year for the Finnish winger. After being dealt to Columbus by the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for center Pierre-Luc Dubois, Laine proceeded to put up the worst season of his career playing for the Blue Jackets. Struggling under the now-departed John Tortorella’s system, Laine put up just 21 points in 45 games with Columbus and only 10 goals. It’s a sharp decline after his 63-point campaign in 2019-20. While it’s expected that Laine should bounce back under different coaching next season, it’s tough to bank on that when assessing giving out a long-term contract. Due to his struggles this year, and the potential that Laine may not want to stay in Ohio, a bridge deal is likely in order. It’ll likely take him right up until his first season of unrestricted free agent eligibility, and the Blue Jackets will hope to return to being a contender by that point.

F Alexandre Texier – Drafted 45th overall by Columbus in 2017, Texier is slowly but surely making the transition to full-time NHLer. While Texier’s offensive pace dropped slightly this year with just four goals in 49 games, his ice time spiked to almost 16:00 per game this year. He’ll likely see more chances in a top-six role this coming season as Columbus turns to a youth movement. Regardless, it should be a cheap contract extension for Texier, likely under $3MM per season on a show-me deal. The French-born forward has shown some serious flashes of promise in the big leagues, and he’s looked at as a big future piece in Columbus’ middle-six forward group.

Other RFAs: F Kole Sherwood, F Cliff Pu, F Calvin Thurkauf, D Andrew Peeke, G Cam Johnson

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

D Michael Del Zotto – Del Zotto was a nice surprise on the back end for Columbus this season. The 31-year-old defender has bounced in and out of the lineup in recent years due to injury and poor play, but found a stable home with Columbus this season. He started out the season well in a third-pairing role, but moved up the lineup as injuries struck Columbus’ top defenders, especially Zach Werenski. Del Zotto wasn’t a dynamo offensively with just 13 points in 53 contests, but rediscovered his transitional game this season, having arguably his most defensively sound performance since his days with the New York Rangers. With his age and injury history, it’s still unlikely Del Zotto signs anything more than a one-year deal with any team. He’d certainly fit in well again in Columbus next season, as there’s no clear heir-apparent to his spot. With them potentially losing a defender like Dean Kukan to Seattle, re-signing Del Zotto could prove important for the Blue Jackets. Even if not, Del Zotto played well enough this season by most accounts to earn an NHL job again in 2021-22.

D Mikko Lehtonen – Coming over from the KHL with high expectations, Lehtonen mostly fell off the map this season. Signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs before the season’s start, Lehtonen failed to work his way into a regular spot. In an effort to get Lehtonen some more NHL opportunity, Toronto dealt him to Columbus midway through the season. But even with the Blue Jackets, Lehtonen couldn’t work his way out of a bottom-pairing role. Logging around 18 minutes a night in Columbus, Lehtonen posted just three points in 17 games and got caved in defensively most nights. While he had promise coming into the season, it’s likely that Lehtonen will go back to a more comfortable environment overseas.

Other UFAs: F Zac Dalpe, F Mikhail Grigorenko, F Stefan Matteau, F Ryan MacInnis, F Brandon Dubinsky, D Adam Clendening, D Gavin Bayreuther

Projected Cap Space

The Blue Jackets will have plenty of space to maneuver this offseason with around $23.8MM in cap space. With the minute list of players needing new contracts, and with Laine’s and Texier’s being the only real ones of value, the team will have plenty of room to add in free agency and on the trade market. Columbus’ scoring issues have been well-documented over the past few seasons, and it’s a foregone conclusion that something will be done this offseason to address it further. That available cap hit is also expected to increase with the impending trade of Seth Jones, meaning that Columbus may be able to outbid other teams for premium talent.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Sylvain Lefebvre Hired By Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially hired Sylvain Lefebvre as an assistant coach, signing him to a three-year contract that will add him to Brad Larsen’s staff through 2023-24. Lefebvre spent the last three seasons with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, but does have experience on an NHL bench in the past. Larsen, who was only named head coach earlier this month, released a statement on his newest assistant:

Sylvain was an honest, hard-working defenseman who was undrafted out of junior, but turned himself into a player with over 1,000 NHL regular season and playoff games and a leader on a Stanley Cup championship team. He brings that same dedication and work ethic to coaching and will be a great asset for our players and our coaching staff.

The championship team that Larsen is referring to is the 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche, with which Lefebvre served as an alternate captain. The former defenseman suited up more than 1,000 times in the NHL, and even won a Swiss title just before retiring in 2004. Now 53, he served as an assistant with the Avalanche in the past and was the head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs, St. John’s IceCaps, and Laval Rocket in the AHL.

Now in Columbus, he joins a relatively inexperienced coaching staff with Larsen in the lead. The Blue Jackets bench boss has only two years of head coaching experience under his belt, coming several years ago with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. Columbus also recently hired Pascal Vincent as associate coach, who has only been part of one other professional organization, serving as an assistant with the Winnipeg Jets and head coach of their AHL affiliate. Still, these three are all well-respected assistants or minor league coaches and could very well form quite the impressive trio for the Blue Jackets. In a year that is looking more and more like a rebuilding season for Columbus, they’ll be tasked with developing the young talent still in the organization and setting it up for success down the line.

Trade Rumors: Jones, Foegele, Tkachuk

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A Seth Jones trade seems like a foregone conclusion this off-season. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman has stated that he will not sign an extension before his current contract expires after the 2021-22 and will test the free agent market, all but guaranteeing that he will not re-sign with the team. The retooling Blue Jackets are not going to watch another star player walk away as they get nothing in return and recognize that Jones’ value will be much higher this summer as opposed to dealing him in-season. Columbus’ leverage is damaged by Jones’ public statements, but the team will try to create a bidding war to drive up the price. There should be no shortage of interest and one team is already hot on the trail. In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes that the Philadelphia Flyers are “definitely” in on Jones and that it isn’t exactly a secret either. Friedman states that there is a lot of chatter surrounding a potential Jones-to-Philly deal already. The Flyers have been open about their desire to add another top pair defenseman across from Ivan Provorov and have a number of talented young roster players and a deep pipeline to offer Columbus whatever they want. In need of top center, perhaps the Blue Jackets will buy low on 2017 second overall pick Nolan Patrick as part of a package for Jones, a top-five pick himself.

  • Another player on the trade block, though not as publicly as Jones, is Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele. Foegele is looking to play a bigger role and on a deep Hurricanes roster he has been limited to bottom-six responsibilities. At first it seemed like Carolina may be reluctant to move the underrated forward, but it seems the tides are turning. Friedman believes that the ’Canes are going to re-shape their bottom-six after falling short in the playoffs once again and that Foegele’s unofficial trade request may just be honored. He reports that trade talks are occurring between Carolina and Foegele suitors. Friedman adds that impending unrestricted free agent Jordan Martinook is another player unlikely to return to Raleigh next season.
  • One player that Friedman does not see moving: Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk. While this may seem like common sense, the Flames are listening to all offers right now and could be making some major changes this summer. There were also whispers that Tkachuk himself may want to leave, however those rumors were met with swift and firm denials. As Friedman points out, that is a contrasting approach to how other teams have treated players who have recently asked to leave, such as Jones or Arizona’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson, implying that the rumors are in fact false. Friedman reports that Tkachuk’s name never came up in Calgary’s Pierre-Luc Dubois negotiations and the team has zero interest in trading him.

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