The Columbus Blues Jackets are once again going to be sellers at the trade deadline, which means that they have the opportunity to load up on picks/prospects and come back stronger in the future. The team this season just hasn’t worked the way many were expecting, and needs some change. There are three players that have been named as trade chips for the Blue Jackets ahead of the deadline by Adam Portzline. These three players are Ivan Provorov, Adam Boqvist, and Jack Roslovic.
Defensive Changes Didn’t Work as Intended
The Blue Jackets made a few big changes on defense to counter all of the injuries they dealt with last season. This included bringing in Provorov and Damon Severson. By doing this, the team solidified their top-four, but also took away roster spots and lineup spots for their young defensemen. This may have been okay if the Blue Jackets were in contention, but they aren’t. So they are close to the salary cap and don’t have room for their young players. This isn’t a good combination.
David Jiricek has been open about not being happy with this situation. I agree with him that he should be in the NHL, but players like Boqvist, Jake Bean, and Andrew Peeke also deserve to be playing every night. That just hasn’t happened. Provorov has value and another year left on his deal that already has some money retained on it. They will get a number of suitors and moving him will give at least one more defenseman in Columbus an opportunity that hasn’t been there.
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Seeing as Severson is locked in for seven more years, Jiricek will be in a full-time role in the NHL by the end of the season, and Erik Gudbranson plays a role and isn’t going anywhere, there just isn’t a logical spot in the lineup for Boqvist on the right side. Despite being a skilled defenseman with upside, those are hard to come by and teams will be all over him ahead of the deadline.
Log-Jam at Forward for Blue Jackets as Well
Roslovic has been with the Blue Jackets for parts of four seasons now. He started on the right foot and was a great addition, but his offensive contributions have started to slip. He has just four goals in 34 games this season even though his points-per-game is around the same mark as it has been with Columbus. Since he is a UFA at the end of the season and there are a ton of young players making their mark on the team this season, it makes sense to move on from him at this time to create the space and opportunity.
