Welcome to the NHL's deadline days.
After a nearly dormant week leading into the league's 3 p.m. Friday trade deadline, a bevy of deals occurred across the NHL on Wednesday with no sign of slowing up. A handful of Stanley Cup contenders bolstered rosters for the postseason by adding talent from "also rans," but a significant number of teams in both categories have yet to be heard from.
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That includes the Blue Jackets, whose only deal thus far was sending Emil Bemstrom to Pittsburgh for Alex Nylander and a conditional sixth-round draft pick (2026). The Jackets dropped out of playoff contention in November and fired general manager Jarmo Kekalainen three weeks ago , so John Davidson is handling the interim GM role while looking over a list of replacement options in his main role as president of hockey operations.
He doesn't expect to do much more in trades, leaving the Jackets' roster largely untouched for the next GM, but that doesn't mean Davidson will just let the clock run out. Here are five questions about the Blue Jackets at the trade deadline:
The leader in the clubhouse, primarily due to his contract status, is forward Jack Roslovic .
He's 27, a pending unrestricted free agent and has been an enigmatic presence for his hometown team since he was acquired along with Patrik Laine in a January 2021 trade that sent Piere-Luc Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets .
Roslovic, who's from Columbus, is versatile enough to play center or wing. He's most productive at right wing, where he's currently skating on the Jackets' top line. That's where Roslovic has played most of the season, before and after a fractured ankle in mid-November that sidelined him nearly six weeks.
Roslovic's speed, skating, playmaking ability, experience killing penalties and contract should make him a desirable asset for playoff contenders to consider. His struggle to bring those traits to the ice on a consistent basis is the biggest drawback, but motivation shouldn't be an issue moving to a playoff contender with free agency pending.
According to Cap Friendly , Roslovic has $875,000 remaining on a contract worth $4 million per season. The Blue Jackets have slightly more than $4 million in deadline cap space, so eating a portion of his remaining balance shouldn't be an issue if a trade partner needs cap help.
Davidson is more likely to name the author of this article the Blue Jackets' next GM than he is to remove Jenner from a developing young roster that leans heavily on its captain.
That doesn't mean contenders won't try to change his mind.
Jenner, 30, thrives playing a "heavy" game that fits perfectly into the NHL's playoff ecosystem and he does it at the bare bones price of just $3.75 million per season for two more years. Back issues that cut short Jenner's past two seasons are a concern with the Jackets' top center, but a fractured jaw has already given him a six-week reprieve from wear-and-tear this year.
All of those reasons, minus playoffs, double as reasons why trading Jenner makes no sense unless the Blue Jackets are offered a king's ransom. Opposing GMs at the deadline rarely make those type of packages available, so take Davidson at his word that Jenner isn't going anywhere.
Jenner also has a limited no-trade clause (eight teams), so he'd possibly have a say in it too.
The answer lies in how eager opposing GMs are to land goaltending help.
We're looking at you, New Jersey Devils , but firing coach Lindy Ruff and sitting eight points back of the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot with 20 games left doesn't give off vibes of a team hoping to make the postseason.
Merzlikins is 29 and has three years left on a deal that costs the Blue Jackets $5.4 million against the salary cap. That combined with his inconsistent play since 2019-20 , his rookie season, are the biggest reasons his trade market is lagging. There is also the issue of what Merzlikins wants to happen.
He loves Columbus as a place to reside, but asked for "a new scenario," earlier this season while being demoted to third string behind Daniil Tarasov and Spencer Martin . The latter was eventually claimed off waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes , where he's now thriving behind one of the NHL's top defenses.
Merzlikins, meanwhile, is back to the No. 1 role for the Blue Jackets. Merzlikins has rebounded from career-low numbers last season, but has he done enough to make opposing GMs willing to trade for him and his remaining contract — even if the Jackets are willing to eat a percentage?
That, along with goaltending plans in Columbus post-Merzlikins, are the most pressing questions that remain.
The short answer is no, not at the deadline and probably not at all.
Gaudreau, 30, has received criticism for his drop in production since signing with the Blue Jackets in July 2022 and for an apparent nonchalant attitude.
Gaudreau's 10 goals, 35 assists and 45 points in 62 games is another drop in his scoring pace after finishing with 21-53-74 last season, and both of those efforts pale in comparison to his astronomical career-highs (40-75-115) in 2021-22 — "Johnny Hockey's" final season with the Calgary Flames .
Those declines combined with Gaudreau's age and remaining term of five years on a contract with a $9.75 million cap charge make it seem like he's no longer a desired entity. The NHL, however, has a way of making trades work for players of Gaudreau's skill level ― especially if a team is selling low to move a contract.
That's a big reason the Blue Jackets shouldn't even answer calls about Gaudreau right now. Selling low on him would further damage a situation that hasn't panned out in Gaudreau's first two seasons, and he's shown more this season that he's eager to help the Blue Jackets climb the NHL standings.
"He's a true Blue Jacket," coach Pascal Vincent said.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets must find Gaudreau more finishers to repair his production. After a slow start, he's regularly setting up teammates with 'Grade A' scoring chances that just aren't being converted into enough goals.
It's beyond time for the Blue Jackets to alleviate a roster crunch on the NHL blue line.
The fact Nick Blankenburg has spent most of this season in the AHL , at age 25, with 43 games of NHL experience is almost unfathomable. After signing with the Blue Jackets following his collegiate career at Michigan, Blankenburg went straight to the NHL and proved he's a capable right-handed defender despite a small stature and proclivity to injuries.
He's been in the AHL mainly because the Blue Jackets could get him there without needing the NHL's 24-hour waivers process, which sums up their defensive logjam succinctly.
Adding veteran defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson last summer muddled the picture on the back end in Columbus, but nobody was moved out to make room. That's why Andrew Peeke has played only 22 games , Adam Boqvist was scratched for a month straight and Blankenburg is with the Cleveland Monsters while sidelined with another injury.
That's not to mention Jake Christiansen, who has steadily improved in the AHL the past three years while getting multiple NHL short stays. It's time for the Blue Jackets to move some depth defensemen out, for their sake and for those behind them in the system.
Jake Bean is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights and just $510,417 remaining on his deal. Peeke has two more seasons left with a $2.75 million cap hit that would likely require the Blue Jackets to eat a sizable chunk. Boqvist makes $2.6 million and has one year left before he's an RFA again.
Provorov also has a year left on his deal, which only costs the Blue Jackets $4.725 million a year against the cap while sharing the cost with the Los Angeles Kings .
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One or more need to go, now or during the summer, to make room for young defensemen rising within the system ― including prospects David Jiricek , Denton Mateychuk , Stanislav Svozil, Corson Ceulemans and others.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets trade deadline primer: 5 questions
