COLUMBUS, Ohio — Trade rumblings picked up across the NHL over the weekend as the league descended on Nashville for the NHL Draft. What’s ahead is the biggest week of the offseason for most clubs, a chance to reboot or rebuild, depending on the situation.
The Blue Jackets didn’t wait for the playoffs to end before dramatically upgrading their defense with the trade acquisition of Ivan Provorov (Philadelphia) and Damon Severson (New Jersey) but don’t think for a minute that GM Jarmo Kekalainen is done.
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The “roster restart” that Kekalainen undertook two years ago began well enough with a near .500 finish in 2021-22, but it went badly off-course this season when the Blue Jackets finished with the second-worst record in the NHL and the second-worst season in franchise history.
Now, it seems, Kekalainen has lost patience with his own process and is in hyperdrive to get the Blue Jackets back in the mix in the Eastern Conference. The trade market and free agency (beginning Saturday) will both be explored as he attempts to continue bolstering the roster, especially at center.
The Blue Jackets own the No. 3 overall pick on Wednesday, and they’re expected to add a future No. 1 center to the organization. If it’s Adam Fantilli or Leo Carlsson, there’s a strong chance they would play in Columbus this season. If it’s Will Smith, the Blue Jackets will have to wait at least one year, since Smith is headed to Boston College in the fall.
Either way, Kekalainen does not seem willing to wait on this year’s draft pick to fill the need. Currently, Boone Jenner, Jack Roslovic and Cole Sillinger are candidates to play center on the top two lines, with Patrik Laine, who dabbled at the position late last season, a wild card to play there under new coach Mike Babcock.
Kekalainen is said to be actively pursuing an upgrade. It won’t be easy, and it may not be possible. Here’s a lay of the land:
Trade market
Calgary, Philadelphia and Winnipeg are expected to be the most aggressive sellers, but it won’t stop there.
The Blue Jackets may prefer this approach, as opposed to free agency, because it would allow them to alleviate a glut of players on the roster at both ends of the ice. A free agent signing would almost certainly beget another trade or two, similar (but not as painful) to the Oliver Bjorkstrand trade last summer after they added Johnny Gaudreau via free agency.
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As noted previously, No. 1 centers don’t hit the market very often. Unless Kekalainen is willing to pay a premium — both in the trade package and for the contract once the player is acquired — he might have to settle for a player who is a solid No. 2 center with offensive upside.
Elias Lindholm, Calgary: If Lindholm won’t sign an extension with the Flames, he’ll be traded. The Blue Jackets know he can play with Gaudreau, and his salary-cap hit ($4.85 million) is a bargain. But they would want to know he’ll sign long-term in Columbus before giving up the significant pieces required to acquire him. Lindholm, 28, is set to be a free agent next summer.
Tomas Hertl, San Jose: The Blue Jackets have had discussions with the Sharks regarding Hertl, but it’s unclear what path San Jose GM Mike Grier is taking this summer. Much of the anticipation has surrounded him trading defenseman Erik Karlsson, not Hertl. The snag here is Hertl’s contract. He makes $8.14 million per season for the next seven years and he has a no-move clause that would need to be waived. This move would force the Blue Jackets to trade a player or two unless the Sharks retain some of Hertl’s salary.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington: Trading within one’s division used to be a no-no, but it causes barely a ripple now. Kuznetsov has reportedly been seeking a trade for the past couple of seasons (which he has disputed), but he has a modified no-trade clause, so he has some control over his destination. The 31-year-old has been a point-a-game producer but lost his top-line role last season. He makes $7.8 million for two more seasons.
Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg: At least four key players are likely to leave the Jets, including former Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois. Scheifele, 30, is a borderline No. 1 center, but he’s a battle-tested, physical player. He has one year remaining on a contract that pays him $6.125 million next season. He also has a 10-team no-trade clause according to CapFriendly.com.
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Scott Laughton, Philadelphia: The Flyers have had a yard sale under new GM Daniel Briere, and the Blue Jackets have already taken part in the Provorov trade. Laughton, 29, is a No. 2 center, to be sure, but his term (three years) and salary cap hit ($3 million) would make a lot of sense for the Blue Jackets. It also doesn’t hurt that Laughton is best friends with Blue Jackets’ captain Boone Jenner.
Travis Konecny, Philadelphia: It might be challenging for the Flyers to part with Konecny, their leading scorer the past two seasons, including career-highs in goals (31) and points (61) this season. He’s only 26, too. His contract has two years remaining at $5.5 million, which is reasonable given his production. The Flyers are looking for prospects, young players and draft picks.
Adam Henrique, Anaheim: Henrique, 33, has been available since the trade deadline, and the Ducks are only getting younger this off-season. He’s a stable and straight-ahead veteran, probably best suited to a third-line role. He has one year left at $5.85 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.
Free agency
This is an underwhelming group of players, admittedly, and we avoid listing some of the bigger names that are technically unrestricted free agents as of July 1, but not likely to sign with Columbus. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci (Boston), Jonathan Toews (Chicago) and Zach Parise (New York Islanders), for instance.
J.T. Compher, Colorado: He’s probably a third-line center, even though he produced like a second-line center this season (17-35-52). The Avalanche could still bring back Compher, 28, but the addition of Ryan Johansen via trade on Saturday likely means that he or Evan Rodrigues (possibly both) are on the move.
Alexander Kerfoot, Toronto: The Leafs used Kerfoot at center and on the wing last season, and they played him up and down the lineup, including a stint on the No. 1 line. The 28-year-old has had three seasons with 40 or more points, but that’s playing with offensive juggernauts in Toronto and Colorado.
Ryan O’Reilly, Toronto: At this point in his career, the 32-year-old O’Reilly is probably best utilized as a third-line checking center. A likely fit for him with a club that is seen as a Cup contender.
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Evan Rodrigues, Colorado: He revived his career with a 19-goal season for Pittsburgh two seasons ago, and nearly matched that (16) with the Avs this season. He, too, is a checking line center who likely benefitted from the offensive talent around him.
(Photo of Tomas Hertl and Adam Boqvist: Matt Cohen / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
