Blue Jackets so want, they have four recently traded players to sign in NHL free agency
On paper, or at least initially, the Columbus Blue Jackets don’t look good. This previous season they managed a meager 66 points and placed a dismal ninth in the Metropolitan Division. You might therefore find it hard to think that some elite players would even be marginally interested in playing in Columbus when NHL free agency opens up at the beginning of July.
Or perhaps they will, as the Blue Jackets will have a ton of talent to choose from on the free agent market in addition to possible rentals from the trade season of the previous year.
These players could notice that Columbus appears a little bit better overall when one looks past the 66 points they have accrued. They have Adam Fantilli, Zach Werenski, Dmitri Voronkov, Kirill Marchenko, and Daniil Tarasov—a few great players who haven’t yet reached their primes—which can be a draw for prospective recruits.
Blue Jackets could land a previous trade deadline rental in NHL free agency
This team is far more intriguing than the typical fan may think, especially if Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner stay in town. It shouldn’t be too surprising, therefore, if they decide to sign one of the recently traded free agents mentioned in this article or perhaps some of those who were left out.
You won’t see the biggest talents like Jake Guentzel included because I didn’t want to be unrealistic while creating this list of players. While it is not impossible to lure a player of his caliber to Ohio, reliable role players and top-six players are more likely to join the team.
Four of the recently traded potential rentals are ones that I would want to see wear a Blue Jackets uniform. Though they won’t sign everyone, even one will move this team in the right direction.
Brandon Duhaime, Colorado Avalanche W
Though the tough winger wouldn’t be in town to score points, Brandon Duhaime won’t help the Blue Jackets score either. Rather, he would provide a club that averaged just 19.2 hits a game some much-needed physicality.
After three complete seasons, Duhaime has 555 hits, or an average of 185 hits per. When you add that figure to the Blue Jackets’ paltry 1,578, that 19.2 average soars north to 21.5. That might not seem like much of an increase to some, but when you do the math, it comes out to be almost 11 percent.
And no, I’m not in favor of signing a player like Duhaime just because he can hit; the Blue Jackets need more than that to be even marginally relevant in the upcoming campaign. I also checked Duhaime’s advanced stats during his brief stay in Colorado: At even strength, 53.5 percent Corsi For and 48.7 offensive zone starting percentage point to someone who can assist in moving the puck across the three zones all the time.
Through his 62 Minnesota Wild games, that figure was a pitiful 44.1, but Duhaime’s offensive zone starting percentage was only 36.0, or 8.1 percent lower than his Corsi For. He was again maximizing his 10:52 average total ice time by helping to move the ball and create scoring opportunities.
Just need more opportunities, Columbus has a developing core group of scorers. Look at their sub-50 percent Corsi For, Scoring Chances For, and High-Danger Chances for at 5-on-5 to see this clearly. Maybe they wouldn’t reach 50% with Duhaime, but those figures would increase nevertheless.
Sean Monahan, Winnipeg Jets C
Given that Sean Monahan moved from a losing team in Montreal to a winning team in Winnipeg—even though the latter team didn’t make the playoffs—he may be difficult to sell. More power to the veteran going into his age-30 season if he proves to be more than simply a rental for the Jets or if he chooses where he contracts next.
But considering the number of injuries and setbacks the Blue Jackets had this past season—just one player dressed for all 82 games and two more played in 80 or more—it would be wise for the front office to go out and acquire a player who showed to be more dependable in terms of staying on the ice.
In 2023–24, Monahan appeared in 83 regular season games—49 with Montreal and the remaining 34 with Winnipeg, excluding postseason action. He scored 26 goals and 59 total points, being among the top six players for both teams.
As he has recorded a 50.0 or greater faceoff win percentage in eight of his previous nine seasons, Monahan would also assist the Blue Jackets win at the faceoff dot and already has chemistry with Johnny Gaudreau. The possibility that it stays the same or climbs even higher next season is increased by the fact that it was just 0.2 points below a career-high – 54.9 percent this past year.
The only player on the Blue Jackets who routinely took faceoffs and had a win percentage over 50.0 was Boone Jenner. Columbus completed 2023–24 with a pitiful 47.2 point total, which was further exacerbated by their difficulties in the faceoff dot.
Brandon Duhaime would assist the Blue Jackets in regaining possession at the circle when in the defensive zone, but Monahan may play a role in helping them keep possession in the attacking zone.
Gaapo Kahkonen, New Jersey Devils G
The Blue Jackets will need to replace Elvis Merzlikins if they are at last ready to part ways with him, and Kaapo Kahkonen is among the few who are more eager to take on the difficult role of goalie of a team in rebuilding. Not only did the San Jose Sharks assign him 1A duties, but later in the season, they traded him to the defensively challenged New Jersey Devils.
Though that didn’t appear to be the case with the Sharks, Kahkonen also demonstrated that he could be a successful goalie for a terrible hockey team. This season, he finished in San Jose with a 0.895 save percentage and a 3.81 GAA, conceding about 6.5 more goals than anticipated at even strength.
But his six Devils starts were different; despite the 1-4-0 record, Kahkonen ended the season with a shutout, a 2.51 GAA, and a solid 0.923 save percentage. He also finished with just eight goals against at even strength, which was 1.3 goals better than anticipated.
Although Kahkonen would not see the same numbers in Columbus as he did in Jersey should he sign with the team in free agency with things as-is, a few extra defensive forwards or blue line reinforcements would be beneficial. It is also noteworthy that Daniil Tarasov could secure the 1A spot in training camp, therefore Kahkonen is not required to play that role.
In 24 games, 23 starts, Tarasov not only recorded an 8-11-3 record, a 0.908 save percentage, and a 3.18 GAA, but he also demonstrated tremendous progress. Given the ineffectiveness and higher pay of Merzlikins, a Tarasov-Kahkonen combination sounds far superior at this moment.
Canucks; Elias Lindholm C
Even if it took him some time to adjust to a new system, Elias Lindholm—another former teammate of Johnny Gaudreau—is always there if Sean Monahan moves elsewhere. Though a learning curve in a new system was anticipated given Lindholm had played in Calgary for the majority of the previous six seasons, he finished his first 26 games with the Canucks with just six goals and 12 points.
Lindholm had a sluggish start, but his play improved dramatically in the postseason, when he scored five goals and had ten points in 13 games. He was also demonstrating what he could provide with top-six minutes and a feeling of urgency defensively by closing the postseason run with 36 hits and 16 blocks.
Lindholm appeared to be more than on a mission, tying Quinn Hughes for third in points and ending second on the club in goals. Of course, everyone’s skill naturally improves during the postseason. Lindholm might easily be more than a rental in British Columbia, much like Sean Monahan might be in Winnipeg, given his ability to bounce back.
Not only did his physical performance improve dramatically in the postseason, but he finished the regular season with a respectable 89 hits and 40 steals. When you stop to think about it, Lindholm would enhance this squad in every area of their game, not just their offensive game.
He will also enter his age-30 season. Although the Blue Jackets don’t have to keep focusing on acquiring players who are at or over 30, Lindholm and Monahan still have a lot of hockey left in them. The Blue Jackets should not be discouraged by players whose advanced ages, as I also mentioned in a recent column, Joe Pavelski (on a one-year contract) and Jonathan Marchessault. This young club could need a couple more leaders as they continue to grow.
Leave a Reply