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Trade Deadline Primer: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Although we’re just two months into the season, the trade deadline is already a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Columbus Blue Jackets franchise is nothing if not hopeful. After 17 years of remaining faithful, the team finally won a playoff series in 2019 and then won another in 2020. Even though their play this season has been disappointing at times, they are still in the running for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division and have a non-zero chance of catching the upstart Chicago Blackhawks and holding off the Dallas Stars.

With that said, this Blue Jackets team is in the bottom third of the league in goals for per game, goals against per game, power play, and penalty kill. Even if they sneak into the playoffs, even if they again wondrously upset the Tampa Bay Lightning, this is not a team with title hopes this year. This is not a team buying at the deadline.

Besides, the Blue Jackets already made their big move this season: the acquisition of two new core pieces in Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. Columbus may not be playing up to their expectations this season, but it has been an odd year – and for this team in particular – and the Blue Jackets are probably best served to just take it easy at the trade deadline. Just as this is not a contending roster, it is equally not a roster in need of a rebuild. Columbus should stay the course. If they receive outstanding offers for their impending free agents or term depth players, they should consider. If they are faced with the opportunity to add a term depth player of their own, they should consider. By and large though, the Blue Jackets should focus on the group they currently have and see if they can sneak into the postseason. This is not a year for Columbus to do anything drastic.

Record

11-12-6, .483, 5th in Central Division

Deadline Status

Opportunistic Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$1.571MM in full-season space ($7.01MM at the trade deadline), 0/3 retention slots used, 43/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: CLB 1st, CLB 3rd, CLB 4th, CLB 5th, NJD 5th, CLB 6th, CLB 7th
2022: CLB 1st, CLB 2nd, CLB 4th, CLB 6th, ANA 7th

Trade Chips

The Blue Jackets are sitting on a pair of prime time impending free agents, but unlike 2019, when Columbus couldn’t bear to let Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky go without loading up and going for a run, the team has a different reason this time around to think twice about parting ways with their most valuable pieces. Nick Foligno and David Savard bleed Jackets blue. The former is the captain and the latter is a career Blue Jacket and the longest tenured player on the team. There is certainly some discussion in the front office about whether it is really worth it to part with either player. Of course, much of that also revolves around extension talks. If this is the end of Foligno and/or Savard in Columbus anyway, then the team should trade them. However, if either one wants to remain with the club in the future, likely re-signing after expansion, it could be better for all parties if they held on to them. Foligno especially, as the locker room leader for a team that is still within reach of a playoff spot, has value on the team this season, perhaps more than he would to any other team in the league. Foligno is also having a down year offensively and may not command a great return. Savard, on the other hand, is extremely valuable to a great many teams as an experienced shutdown defender on the right side. Yet, he also fits perfectly as a complement to the Blue Jackets’ more offensive-minded, puck-moving top pair and the team surely hopes that he wishes to remain in that role moving forward.

Fortunately for Columbus, they aren’t without other valuable rentals if Foligno and Savard stay put, albeit to a lesser extent. First-time Blue Jackets Michael Del Zotto and Mikhail Grigorenko could be nice depth additions for contenders, as could bottom-six center Riley Nash. None of them have had especially noteworthy seasons, but are useful additions nonetheless. Del Zotto especially is affordable and experienced – a nice acquisition for a cap-strapped team in need of skill on the blue line.

Among term players, there are certainly already some calling for the trade of Max Domi. The off-season acquisition, who signed a two-year extension with the team, has been nothing short of underwhelming this season. However, is there any upside to trading him now? Domi, who already has a reputation for not lasting long with teams, may be at the lowest point in trade value in his career. Especially in a cap-strapped climate, the Blue Jackets would almost certainly not get back fair value. The optics would also be bad, as counterpart Josh Anderson has found immediate success with the Montreal Canadiens. Columbus would be much better off to hold on to Domi and see if he can improve next season before making a decision on his future. Unless, of course, someone blows them away with an offer. Domi was expected to fill a hole down the middle for Columbus, so any deal to move him out right now should aim to bring another talented center in.

Despite a recent extension in February, there is a more logical reason to potentially move defenseman Dean Kukan. Kukan has missed some time this season, but has played well when healthy. As one of the top candidates to be selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, the Blue Jackets may choose instead to get value back for the blue liner if there is interest. Of course, they may also just hold out hope that Seattle goes in a different direction.

Of course, the big move that Columbus could make is to break up their young goalie tandem. With both Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins set to hit free agency after next season, there is some question as to the viability of retaining both beyond that point. Either one would certainly draw interest on the trade market, though a deal is more likely in the off-season. Specifically, when it comes to Korpisalo, there may be limited demand around the league for adding an eligible goalie prior to the expansion draft rather than after. His market would likely be improved in the summer. If the Blue Jackets decide to make a big change in net at the deadline rather than waiting for the summer, it is more likely to be Merzlikins on the move.

Others to Watch For: D Scott Harrington ($1.633M, UFA 2022), D Gabriel Carlsson ($725K, RFA 2022), D Adam Clendening ($700K, UFA), F Ryan MacInnis ($700K, Group 6 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks and Prospects – Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets are still feeling the effects of their all-out approach at the 2019 trade deadline, as well as some other moves they have made. They have not had many high-value picks over the past two years and are still without some key selections moving forward, including a second-rounder this year and a third-rounder in 2022. With many of their top prospects having graduated to the pros as well, Columbus has a young NHL roster, but a lacking pipeline. In fact, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler ranked it 27th overall in the league, which would be easier to swallow if the team was performing better. Whether by picks or by prospects, the Blue Jackets need to try to replenish the system.

2) A Term Forward – The shrewd GM that he is, don’t be surprised to see Jarmo Kekalainen try to address the Expansion Draft ahead of the deadline. Assuming their most likely protection scheme and choices, the Blue Jackets are currently short one forward to meet the exposure quota that the draft demands, unless they re-sign Nash or Grigorenko, UFA’s they could instead trade, or Kevin Stenlund, who would also need to play regularly down the stretch to meet the games played criteria. Those options aren’t ideal and the Blue Jackets could just as easily find a player to trade for at a low price who covers them for expansion, but could also play a role next season if not selected. Although Columbus shouldn’t be a typical buyer at the deadline, an additional forward could also help in their continued pursuit of a playoff spot, especially if they move one or more of their impending free agents up front. Again, center is the team’s biggest positional need, but not necessarily the priority here in adding a player they plan to expose in expansion.

Five Players Clear Waivers

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Despite some major names being available on the waiver wire over the past 24 hours, all five players have cleared. Montreal’s Paul Byron, Detroit’s Danny DeKeyser, and new Carolina acquisition Alex Galchenyuk were all waived for roster flexibility and will be reassigned to their respective taxi squads. Young Columbus defenseman Gabriel Carlsson has been reassigned to the taxi squad for now but will soon join the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters in order to get some play time. Boston’s Par Lindholm has signed a new contract with the SHL’s Skelleftea AIK and will see his NHL contract terminated. No new players have been placed on waivers today.

Of the group, the player who was quietly the most likely to be claimed was Carlsson. The big 24-year-old blue liner, a 2015 first-rounder, lost his waiver exemption this season and the Blue Jackets did not want to risk him on the wire earlier this season. However, through the first quarter of the campaign he has not seen any NHL game action sitting behind a deep Columbus defense corps. With the AHL season now up and running, the team opted to take the chance with Carlsson in order to get him some play time in the minors and it paid off. The stay-at-home defenseman has played in at least one game for Columbus in each of the past four seasons and will likely be back with the team at some point this year. However, the team will try to avoid another trip through waivers as they might not be so lucky a second time putting the sturdy and affordable defender back up for grabs.

Of course, the bigger names available were Byron, DeKeyser, and Galchenyuk. The Montreal Canadiens, short on cap space but not on forward talent, have been playing Byron in a checking role, making him an expensive fourth liner. The club had been trying to trade the veteran, but there were no takers on his contract despite his solid career numbers. The team hoped that Byron would clear waivers so that they could retain the player, who is absolutely still a serviceable top-nine forward, while also opening up some salary cap space by transitioning him to the taxi squad. Galchenyuk was in fact traded already and just on Saturday as a matter of fact. The skilled forward was dealt by the Ottawa Senators to the Carolina Hurricanes as part of a three-player deal. Playing on an affordable and expiring contract, Galchenyuk was a risk-free acquisition for the ’Canes but was even more valuable if he could be stashed on the practice squad and used in case of emergency in a scoring role. Their plan succeeded and now Carolina simply has to decide whether the now-flexible Galchenyuk is worth more to them on their taxi squad or as a trade asset to flip to another team. The surprise inclusion was DeKeyser, one of the few holdovers of the most recent Detroit Red Wings’ powerhouse teams. DeKeyser has been in decline for several seasons now, but playing for a rebuilding club – especially with limited ice time this season – and dealing with injuries does not make for flattering statistics for anyone. A player who still has the support of his coaches and teammates may end up on the taxi squad but is likely to still be a prominent presence for the organization, especially with another year remaining on his current contract.

Lindholm was the outlier of the bunch. After clearing waivers earlier this season, the underutilized veteran was placed on the wire again to begin the process of a contract termination. Lindholm was not expected to be claimed and even if he had been, there still would have been a conflict with the multi-year contract he just recently signed in Sweden. Lindholm may actually be capable of being a reliable fourth line center in the NHL, but that opportunity was not available in Boston and seemingly nowhere else in the league at the current time, so the veteran will return home.

Columbus Blue Jackets Re-Sign Gabriel Carlsson

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed Gabriel Carlsson to a two-year contract, bringing back the restricted free agent. Carlsson will be on a two-way deal in 2020-21 and a one-way contract in 2021-22, and Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports it will carry a $725K average annual value. The 23-year-old defenseman was not eligible for arbitration.

Carlsson, the team’s second first-round pick in 2015 (after Zach Werenski), hasn’t established himself at the NHL level just yet. Over parts of four seasons in the organization he has just 23 games with the Blue Jackets, instead spending most of his time in North America with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. While that’s not a huge issue, the 6’5″ defenseman still hasn’t developed much of an offensive game even at the minor league level, something he’ll still need to improve if he ever wants to reach the top-four in Columbus.

When this contract expires Carlsson could potentially be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency, should he fail to reach the 80-game mark in the NHL. That’s certainly no guarantee at this point, though the team has moved out some of the depth that was blocking his path when they traded Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara. If he does hit that threshold, he’ll still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal.

Columbus Blue Jackets Issue Qualifying Offers

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced which restricted free agents will receive qualifying offers, with few surprises. Josh Anderson, Gabriel Carlsson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Vladislav Gavrikov, Matiss Kivlenieks, Ryan MacInnis, Kevin Stenlund and Calvin Thurkauf have all received qualifying offers from the team and will remain in the organization.

That means Devin Shore, Maxime Fortier, Justin Scott, Paul Bittner, Michael Prapavessis and Ryan Collins did not, making them unrestricted free agents on Friday.

The only real surprise is Shore, and only because the Blue Jackets acquired him this season in exchange for Sonny Milano. The 26-year-old Shore has not been particularly effective since the 2017-18 campaign, splitting the last two seasons between three teams and recording just 12 points in 2019-20. Add in the fact that he was due a $2.4MM qualifying offer in order to remain with the Blue Jackets and it’s not hard to see why the team decided to cut bait.

Still, Shore could represent a cheap depth signing for a team this offseason if they think he can be of use to a bottom-six. The 26-year-old forward has experience at center and on the wing and has scored double-digit goals in three different seasons.

Bittner and Collins may also bring a twinge of disappointment to Blue Jackets fans, given they were both second-round selections that never seemed to pan out. Bittner especially was hyped coming off a successful junior career but failed to score much in the AHL. Collins, the 47th pick in 2014, never added any offense to his defensive game and could only rely on his size for so long.

Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets

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With free agency now just a couple weeks away, teams are looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. While the Columbus Blue Jackets have no UFA’s of note, they still have their work cut out for them with a laundry list of RFA’s, including several core players.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Pierre-Luc Dubois – Getting Dubois, 22, locked up long-term is the core objective of the Blue Jackets’ off-season. Over the three seasons of his entry-level contract, Dubois totaled 158 points in 234 games, including a 61-point campaign in 2018-19 and a 57-point pace this season. He also wrapped up his contract on a high note, recording ten points in ten playoff games this year. For a team that is lacking in center depth and elite scoring talent, Dubois is critical to the short-term and long-term success of the Blue Jackets.

The problem is balancing Dubois’ long-term potential and dollar value with the team’s limited cap space for next season With no unrestricted free agents departing the lineup, the Blue Jackets have limited funds to work with against the flat cap. Yet, they also don’t want to settle for a more affordable short-term contract and risk Dubois continuing to improve and increasing his price on a new contract. Negotiations are already underway and the goal stated by both sides is to stick with a lengthy term and to get the deal done before free agency opens to provide the club with some cap clarity.

If a long-term extension can be reached, don’t be surprised to see an AAV of upwards of $8MM or more. If the two sides instead opt for a short-term deal given the fiscal constraints of the current NHL economy, Dubois is still likely set to make $6.5MM or more against the cap on his next deal.

F Josh Anderson – It’s difficult to know where the status quo lies between the Blue Jackets and Anderson. The last time that these two sides sat down to negotiate a contract, it was a contentious affair that ended in a late-summer, below-market contract that left Anderson unhappy and fueled trade rumors. Those flames were stoked by a 27-goal, 47-point season for Andersson in 2018-19 in which the young power forward greatly outplayed his contract. Yet, the tables turned again this season, as Anderson missed much of the year due to injury and was unproductive even when active. The season tanked Anderson’s trade value and at least some of his bargaining power and left his future with Columbus up in the air.

The latest twist in this saga was Anderson’s recent proclamation that he hopes to sign long-term in Columbus. This runs counter to his previous sentiment, but could end up working in the Blue Jackets’ favor. Given their cap crunch this off-season, the team could benefit from deflating the AAV on an Andersson extension by extending the term. Anderson could also return to form and again be a bargain for the club. The risk of course is that his injury troubles persist or he is unable to rediscover his scoring touch. Given the uncertainty of this off-season and Andersson’s health and performance, this seems like a case that is more likely to be settled in salary arbitration than with a long-term deal. While a one-year arbitrator’s decision might risk Andersson leaving as an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Blue Jackets would likely be happy to get an affordable deal done for Anderson and to have another year to consider whether they want to re-sign or trade the big winger.

D Vladislav Gavrikov – Since joining Columbus in the 2019 playoffs, Gavrikov has done nothing but prove that he is a solid two-way defenseman. While his lack of NHL experience makes it difficult to project his long-term value, Gavrikov has at least earned a raise and some security in his next contract. It’s unclear what the expectations are for Gavrikov’s new deal, but the Blue Jackets have all of the leverage. Due to his limited experience, Gavrikov falls under Section 10.2(c) of the CBA as a restricted free agent who is not eligible to sign an offer sheet. Barring a trade, Columbus is the only NHL team that Gavrikov can play for and they can more or less dictate the terms of the next contract. With that said, Gavrikov has proven to be a reliable top-four defenseman and the Blue Jackets are not going to play games. Expect the team to work out a short-term deal with Gavrikov and potentially trade one of their other seven one-way defensemen to cement his role as a core piece on the blue line.

Other RFAs: F Paul Bittner, F Marko Dano, F Maxime Fortier, F Jakob Lilja, F Ryan MacInnis, F Justin Scott, F Devin Shore, F Kole Sherwood, F Calvin Thurkauf, D Gabriel Carlsson, D Ryan Collins, D Michael Prapavessis, G Matiss Kivlenieks

UFAs: D Dillon Simpson, D Doyle Somerby

Projected Cap Space

CapFriendly lists the Blue Jackets as having 22 of 23 roster spots already filled for next season, including 19 one-way contracts. As a result, it should not be a surprise that their cap space is limited, with CapFriendly projecting just over $7MM to spare. The concern though is that Dubois and Gavrikov – at the very least – will be on the roster and should combine for well over $7MM. And that is not even including any free agent or trade additions for a team that has vowed to be active on the forward market. Fortunately, the team will get a bit of a break in the form of Brandon Dubinsky, who is not healthy enough to play again. Dubinsky’s $5.85MM cap hit will be wiped out, bringing Columbus’ true cap space total to around $13MM. While most of that will still be taken up by RFA signings, it will give the club some more flexibility to change up the roster if they so desire.

Minor Transactions: 02/22/20

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At this time of year, every game is important to both ongoing playoff battles and teams’ final decisions on their trade deadline stance. Friday was no different, as the Blues asserted themselves against the division rival Stars, the Avalanche narrowly edged the Ducks to keep up in the Central as well, the Islanders got a much-needed win, and the Oilers, Predators, and Hurricanes all failed to come away with two points in upset losses. However, the fiercest battle in the NHL right now is at the top of the league, where the Bruins and Lightning are simultaneously batting for the Atlantic Division title, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and the President’s Trophy. As good as Boston has played of late, they have still lost ground to a Tampa club that has been unstoppable since December. After a rare Bolts loss to Vegas on Friday, the Bruins needed to take advantage in a Pacific clash of their own in Calgary. The odds seemed bleak after allowing three goals to the Flames in the first six minutes of play, but Boston shut out Calgary for the rest of the game and came away with a meaningful 4-3 win to increase their lead over Tampa Bay to five points. Whether it is a top contender, a fringe playoff team, or a bottom-dweller, every minor move also has significance at this time. With the trade deadline arriving in just two days, look for today to be a busy day for roster tweaks:

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled a pair of players, including Las Vegas native Gage Quinney. The 24-year-old forward has finally earned an NHL appearance with 32 points in 42 games so far this season, among the top producers on the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. The trade of Cody Eakin opens up a roster spot up front in Vegas for Quinney and his teammates in the minors, at least until Alex Tuch returns from injury or the Knights make a trade addition. Also returning to the top level is defenseman Zach Whitecloud, who has skated in seven games with Vegas so far this season.
  • Scott Wilson is on his way back down to the minors, as the Buffalo Sabres announced that they have reassigned the veteran forward. The move is somewhat surprising, as Wilson has contributed two points in four games since being recalled earlier this month and seemingly looked like he would either stick with Buffalo for a while longer or could potentially be a candidate to be traded as an affordable depth addition for a contender. Instead, the impending free agent will head back to the AHL’s Rochester Americans, where he has 19 points in 29 games this year.
  • After losing Cody Goloubef on waivers yesterday, the Ottawa Senators have promoted Christian Jaros to fill his place on the back end. Jaros, 23, played in 61 games with Ottawa last season but only six so far in 2019-20. As the Senators get set to trade away multiple pieces before the deadline on Monday, Jaros is one of a number of minor leaguers from AHL Belleville expected to see an increased role down the stretch.
  • The injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled defenseman Gabriel Carlsson from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Carlsson was just sent down yesterday, but the team will need him as they take on the Predators tonight without any regulars expected to return to the lineup. Carlsson, a big, stay-at-home defender, has been a good fit in Columbus as a spot starter, even if he has yet to produce a point in six games this season.
  • Darcy Kuemper is taking an important step towards returning to the lineup as the Arizona Coyotes have assigned him to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners on a conditioning stint.  He has missed just over two months with a lower-body injury but was one of the top goalies in the league before being injured.  Assuming there are no setbacks, he should return to Arizona sometime next week and give them a huge boost in their push for a playoff spot.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have returned defenseman Mark Friedman to AHL Lehigh Valley, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer.  He has been shuffled back and forth in recent days and managed to get into Thursday’s game with the big club where he logged more than 16 minutes of ice time.
  • With Erik Gustafsson being held out of the lineup with the trade deadline on the horizon (he won’t be joining the Blackhawks for their upcoming road game), Chicago will be recalling defenseman Lucas Carlsson from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL, reports Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.  If he gets into the lineup, it will be his first NHL action.  Carlsson is in his second season with Rockford and has 26 points in 48 games this season.
  • The Colorado Avalanche announced they have recalled forward Logan O’Connor from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL. With only 12 healthy forwards on the roster, O’Connor should provide some insurance in case of injury for the time being. The 23-year-old returns after a stint with the Avalanche in December where he played seven games with one goal. The forward has 12 goals and 25 points in 40 games with the Eagles.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they have assigned forward Colby Cave and defenseman Evan Bouchard to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Cave has played in six games since being recalled on Feb. 10, but hasn’t picked up a point in that span. He has one goal in 11 games for Edmonton this season. His assignment likely indicates that Connor McDavid is ready to return to the Oilers’ lineup. As for Bouchard, the 10th-overall pick in 2018, he will have to wait to make his 2019-20 debut. He was recalled Wednesday and has been a healthy scratch twice. He is expected to play with Bakersfield on Saturday and could return to be Edmonton’s seventh defenseman on Sunday again.

Minor Transactions: 02/21/20

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You can bet that there will be more trade action in the next couple of days, but right now several teams are likely just focused on their results from a night ago. The Florida Panthers, a team scratching and clawing to keep pace in the Atlantic Division, lost in regulation to the worst team in the Western Conference, while the Arizona Coyotes couldn’t figure out how to score a single goal to keep their playoff hopes alive. While the NHL assesses and recalculates, we’ll be here to keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The New York Islanders have recalled Andrew Ladd and Otto Koivula, while sending Kieffer Bellows back to the AHL. Cal Clutterbuck has also been moved to long-term injured reserve, but it’s actually a good sign—he’ll also head to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to begin a conditioning stint.
  • With another injury last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Calvin Thurkauf under emergency conditions. Gabriel Carlsson has been sent back down. This time it is Oliver Bjorkstrand who suffered an injury when crashing into the boards, and Aaron Portzline of The Athletic spotted him leaving the arena on crutches.
  • With some forwards likely on their way out in the next few days, the Ottawa Senators have recalled Josh Norris from the minor leagues. A piece of the Erik Karlsson trade, Norris has excelled in his first season of professional hockey, recording 58 points in 51 games for the Belleville Senators in the AHL. He’ll likely get a chance to show what he can down down the stretch.

Minor Transactions: 02/12/20

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The entire hockey world is waiting with bated breath to hear an official update on Jay Bouwmeester’s status after a cardiac incident during last night’s St. Louis Blues game. GM Doug Armstrong will speak on the matter later this afternoon, but for now the rest of the league will have to move on with preparations for their own games. As always, we will keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • Before the game in question between the Blues and Anaheim Ducks started, Josh Mahura was sent back to the AHL. The young Ducks defenseman has split his time between the NHL and AHL this season, scoring four points in 11 contests with Anaheim.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the minor leagues, giving them another defensive option with Seth Jones sidelined for two months. Carlsson has played six games for the Blue Jackets this season, instead spending most of his year with the Cleveland Monsters where he has 12 points in 40 contests.
  • The Boston Bruins have called up Jeremy Lauzon, but he won’t be playing tonight for them. Lauzon still has a game to serve on his suspension from earlier this month, despite going down to the minor leagues recently.
  • Andrei Chibisov has been returned to the AHL by the Winnipeg Jets, after the team lost to the New York Rangers last night. Chibisov didn’t play, and is still waiting for his first opportunity in the NHL.
  • Carl Grundstrom is on his way back to the AHL, with Martin Frk taking his place on the Los Angeles Kings roster. Frk, 26, has 23 goals in 37 games with the Ontario Reign and set the all-time North American hardest shot record at the AHL All-Star Game with a 109.2 mph blast.
  • With Bouwmeester placed on injured reserve, the Blues have recalled Niko Mikkola from the minor leagues. There’s no telling how long Bouwmeester will be out, meaning Mikkola may have a large opportunity to establish himself.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have placed James Neal on injured reserve as well, recalling Tyler Benson to take his spot on the roster. Neal’s IR stint it retroactive to January 30th, meaning he can be activated whenever ready to return.

Seth Jones Out Indefinitely, Liam Foudy Recalled

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Tuesday: Jones underwent surgery today to repair a sprain and hairline fracture in his ankle. He is expected to miss the next eight to ten weeks.

Monday: As the Columbus Blue Jackets fought through injury after injury this season, one player they could rely on to hold them up and help them compete in the Metropolitan Division was Seth Jones. The incredible defenseman was having another outstanding season, but just like many of his teammates he’ll now have to watch from the infirmary. Jones has been ruled out “indefinitely” after suffering an ankle injury on Saturday and will be moved to injured reserve. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Jones’ ankle is in fact broken, but is going for more testing before surgery is scheduled.

The Blue Jackets have recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the minor leagues, and Liam Foudy under emergency conditions from the OHL’s London Knights. Cam Atkinson will also not play for the Blue Jackets tonight.

Jones, 25, has received Norris Trophy votes as one of the league’s best defensemen in each of the last three years and would surely garner some more if the vote were held today. With 30 points in 56 games for Columbus, he has been a huge reason why the team has been so stingy in their own end and are in a playoff spot even after the offseason departures. His absence will truly test a group that has fought through plenty of adversity this season.

Foudy’s recall is the first of his career, and will result in his NHL debut later tonight. The 18th overall pick from 2018, he has starred for the Knights and was a big part of the gold medal-winning Team Canada at the World Juniors. After turning 20 just a few days ago, he’ll try to use his elite skating ability to find success in the NHL.

Since he was already returned to the CHL earlier this season however, Foudy cannot stay in the NHL for long. To even recall him in the first place the team needed to be on their third emergency recall—which was no problem thanks to the litany of injuries they’ve dealt with—but CapFriendly explains that he can only miss a single CHL game. The Knights play tomorrow evening.

Minor Transactions: 02/11/20

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild decided to shake up the hockey world last night, completing the first major trade of deadline season by finally agreeing to a Jason Zucker deal. The former Wild forward is expected to debut on Sidney Crosby’s line tonight, not a bad place to try and make an impact on your new team. As the rest of the league responds and prepares, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • After their game last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced two transactions to fix their roster. The first was to send Liam Foudy back to the OHL after making his NHL debut as an emergency call-up, with the second being Gabriel Carlsson’s return to the AHL.
  • Karson Kuhlman is back with the Boston Bruins, recalled today and put onto the second line at practice beside Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. Kuhlman has five points in 17 NHL games this season, and has bounced back and forth regularly.
  • After getting into some action to test his mettle, Martin Fehervary has been returned to the AHL. Though the 20-year old defenseman has shown glimpses of what he can become, there is still development to be done.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have returned Taro Hirose and Givani Smith to the minor leagues, while activating Anthony Mantha and Frans Nieslen from injured reserve. Those moves come in addition to waiving Jonathan Ericsson.
  • Taylor Fedun will be making his AHL debut this season, as the Texas Stars announced that Dallas has assigned the veteran defenseman to a conditioning loan. Formerly an AHL regular, Fedun has only skated in three games in the minors since he was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres early last season. At the price of only a seventh-round pick, Fedun has been a valuable asset for Dallas, recording 11 points in 54 games last year and nine points in 27 games so far this year.
  • The AHL’s Laval Rocket have re-signed forward Yannick Veilleux to a one-year extension, the team announced. In his second go-round with Laval, the Quebec native has nine points in 14 games since being recalled from the ECHL. Veilleux spent all of last season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans but was in Laval the season prior.

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