Welcome to NHL Trade Deadline week. Given how many teams appear to be out of it coupled with the number of pending UFAs teams have, this is shaping up to be a very interesting trade deadline.
For the Columbus Blue Jackets, they play three games before Friday’s 3:00 P.M. eastern deadline. Should the team lose all three in regulation, Monday against the New York Rangers, Tuesday against the Nashville Predators and Thursday against the Florida Panthers, GM Don Waddell is going to have some tough decisions to make.
Before we setup what the trade deadline could look like for the Blue Jackets, we’re going to discuss Kent Johnson’s healthy scratch. On Saturday, we gave you what Rick Bowness had to say about it. Now, we give you what Johnson thinks of it.
Johnson Knows He Can Be Better
Bowness said he had a conversation with Johnson on Saturday morning. Ultimately, the Blue Jackets are looking for more from Sean Monahan’s line.
Johnson knows he needs to be better too.
“I can just be better when I get back in there (and) help my line fill the score sheet,” Johnson said. “That’s what I got to do. I’m just focused on my next opportunity and doing what I can to help the team. I feel like it still could be a very great end to the season for the team, for myself. So you never know. Just keep going right now.”
Johnson admitted he doesn’t look back to last year in the sense of “diagnosing” what the issues are. But the team has shown him video as part of the process of what they are expecting from him.
“I think I have a pretty good understanding of my game,” Johnson said. “I definitely have at times watched some video. But at the same time, I know some things that are going on, some things in my game that I didn’t do as much at times this year and there’s different reasons and stuff. I think just understand your game and what makes you good and the trends and all that stuff.”
Bowness said he watched back Johnson’s goals from last season. Then he said he hasn’t seen that this season. Johnson wants to be involved in all offensive situations.
“I want to be an offensive guy,” Johnson said. “I think that’s why I was drafted. I know he talked about the goal scoring and the shooting. I was also drafted to be a playmaker too. I want to be able to be a duel threat and set my linemates up a lot. I think it’s definitely good (reviewing video.) I should be focused on offense.”
Based on Sunday’s practice, Johnson appears set to miss a second consecutive game. Given Bowness’ comments about how Johnson is an important part of the future of the team, there is nothing to suggest the team is looking to trade him. But once he does get back in, it’ll be up to him and his linemates to generate offense that line has not had most of the season.
Trade Deadline Expectations
This part is always tricky. Situations around the league are always fluid. What may be true one moment may suddenly change the next. With that in mind, we’re going to try to set realistic expectations for the Blue Jackets just four days out from the trade deadline.
As of this writing (Monday morning), the Blue Jackets appear set to keep their pending UFAs through the deadline including Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment, Boone Jenner and Erik Gudbranson. Although there is nothing to report on the status of those negotiations, Waddell has proven he is comfortable with that approach. Just look back at Ivan Provorov last season.
The Blue Jackets trail the Bruins by five with a game in hand starting the new week. That game in hand will be played Monday night against the Rangers. The Blue Jackets could start Tuesday within three points of the wildcard. The Bruins and Blue Jackets each have two games left against each other both in Columbus.
This points to the highest probability that the Blue Jackets won’t sell off. But like we said above, an 0-3 week could change that.
Assuming that doesn’t happen, the Blue Jackets would look to add. Waddell has said he isn’t in the mood to trade first round picks for rentals. But he did say in our trade deadline preview he’d consider bigger moves for players with term left.
Let’s talk hypothetical just to set the scene. Let’s say the Blue Jackets just miss out the playoffs. In that case, their first-round pick would be later in the round. By then, most of the top talent would be drafted.
This is a situation in which teams should consider making their first rounder available at the deadline but only if the right player with term is available. What if the Vancouver Canucks are willing to move Brock Boeser for example? That’s the kind of player the Blue Jackets should look into given he has plenty of term left.
Getting Boeser for the rest of this season and four more seasons would do more for the Blue Jackets now than using their first rounder on a player that won’t make an impact for years.
Why are we having this discussion? The Blue Jackets need to make the playoffs for multiple reasons. Anything the team can do to get better now and for the future while making the playoffs must be considered. Zach Werenski has two more seasons after this one and has yet to taste the playoffs under his current contract. As long as he’s there, playoffs have to be their goal.
In trying to handicap this, the more unlikely scenario is a bigger trade taking place although it’s not zero. Should the right player with term become available, the Blue Jackets will have to explore the possibility.
The more reasonable expectation is that the Blue Jackets add someone without giving up their best assets. As nostalgic as it would be, this is where you wonder if a Nick Foligno reunion is possible. He’s got a home in Columbus. But you have to think he’d want to chase a Stanley Cup somewhere given where he’s at in his career. How cool would a reunion with his brother in Minnesota be?
As for a summary of our major takeaways leading into Friday, it looks something like this.
- Blue Jackets appear set to keep all their UFAs through the deadline, absent an 0-3 week that changes the situation around.
- Waddell prefers players with term and doesn’t appear inclined to give up their best assets for a rental.
- If a player with term becomes available that fits what the team is looking for, that’s the one example of a situation where the Blue Jackets could dive into the deep end of the pool.
- This situation has to be looked at from the perspective that they have to make the playoffs given the overall scope of things around the team.
As always, things can change quickly and with one phone call. But if you asked me today what I think will happen, I’m setting the over/under number of moves at 0.5 and saying just over. I think the team adds an experienced veteran up front while keeping everything else in tact.
When the Blue Jackets acquired Marchment and made a coaching change, it signaled to everyone they were still aiming to make the playoffs. That goal remains the same for now. Expect them to operate as such when considering what moves they will make before Friday’s deadline.
Side Dishes
- The Blue Jackets season is far from over as tough as those two losses were. But they also cannot overlook the Rangers either. Both Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox are back. They came back to win Saturday against the Penguins. Monday’s game isn’t must win but it’s they better win.
- Elvis Merzlikins was the first goalie off at practice on Sunday. Expect him to start Monday night against the Rangers.
- The Predators host the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night before heading to Columbus on Tuesday. Both teams will play that game as the second of back-to-back.
- Make sure all your electronic devices are charged. Know where your refresh button is. And don’t fall for the fake accounts out there. Prepare yourselves accordingly. Things are going to heat up fast around the NHL given the number of players that could move by Friday.
