Restoring the Rosters: Columbus Blue Jackets
Based on Matthew Pouliot’s series on Circling the Bases, I have decided restore the rosters for every NHL team. Like Pouliot, I have established some ground rules for my selections.
- Each team contains players they originally drafted or signed before any other NHL team. This includes players drafted and not signed, as well as European free agents coming over at an older age.
- I have chosen to leave retired players off the list, and lean toward players in the AHL rather than those deported (KHL, SEL, DEL, etc.).
Essentially I am choosing the best available players for a team to succeed in the current NHL season. All 30 teams will be covered, with grades assigned to forwards, defense and goaltending. After all 30 articles are written, they will be ranked in order. This series’ intent is to reward or shame NHL scouts.
Categories: 30 Team Series, NHLHS Features, Restoring the Rosters Tags: Aaron Johnson, Alex Picard, Andrew Murray, Dan Fritsche, Dan LaCosta, Derek Dorsett, Derick Brassard, Gilbert Brule, Jakub Voracek, Jared Boll, John Moore, Ken Hitchcock, Kris Russell, Maksim Mayorov, Marc Methot, Nikita Filatov, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Pascal Leclaire, Rick Nash, Rostislav Klesla, Steve Mason, Tim Jackman, Tom Sestito
Trade Rumors: Whole Lot of Nothing in Columbus
TSN’s Darren Dreger wrote that the Blue Jackets were looking to move a wing for a defenseman if there is a “right fit”. Clearly the injury to Rostislav Klesla (right) appears scary as the defender ranks third on the team in TOI, averaging a little over 20 minutes a game. This injury comes with Marc Methot already out, a 24-year-old defenseman who averages over 19 minutes a game. Needless to say, GM Scott Howson needs to make a move soon or his team could fall out of the race. Although they appear to want to improve from within, I think they will be forced to trade a younger asset.
The options at wing are: Jared Boll, Michael Blunden, Alexandre Picard, Jacub Voracek, Rick Nash, Kristian Huselius and/or Antoine Vermette and RJ Umberger. Looking at this list, I am pretty sure Nash, Voracek, Huselius, Vermette and Umberger are not getting moved while Blunden and Picard probably would not fetch much. If Derek Dorsett is healthy, he could make Boll expendable. Another option is Nikita Filatov.
Quick to rebut, Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch says Howson has not talked to a single GM and is not actively pursuing a trade. Portzline makes it abundantly clear that a trade is not brewing right now. Most trade talk starts around February but with the Olympics who knows how things will play out.
What are your thoughts? Who do you see being moved?
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-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com
Categories: By Teams, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Portzline, Alexandre Picard, Antoine Vermette, Derek Dorsett, Jacub Voracek, Jared Boll, Kristian Huselius, Marc Methot, Michael Blunden, Nikita Filatov, Rick Nash, RJ Umberger, Rostislav Klesla, Scott Howson, The Columbus Dispatch, TSN
