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Columbus Blue Jackets should keep an eye on Zack Whitecloud

By Lansing Murphy |
PRINCETON, NJ - NOVEMBER 24: The Bemidji State Beavers are introduced before facing the Princeton Tigers the game at Hobey Baker Rink on November 24, 2017 in Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton defeated Bemidji State 4-1. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PRINCETON, NJ - NOVEMBER 24: The Bemidji State Beavers are introduced before facing the Princeton Tigers the game at Hobey Baker Rink on November 24, 2017 in Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton defeated Bemidji State 4-1. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)

A long look at their entire defensive corps depth for the Columbus Blue Jackets should lead them to making a run at signing Zach Whitecloud.

Today saw a few changes to the AHL make up of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team sent defenseman John Ramage to Arizona for future considerations. Later they announced they sent future considerations to Los Angeles for goalie Jeff Zatkoff.

Moving Ramage out opens a spot in Cleveland for a defenseman and there is soon to be plenty of more spots on the blue line. The Columbus Blue Jackets have three blue liners whose contract expires at the end of this season and two are likely not returning.

Jack Johnson has asked for a trade and will certainly not get the contract he wants from the Columbus Blue Jackets unless his performance really turns around. Ryan Murray has been a glass man and there are a mountain of questions still swirling around about his health. Markus Nutivaara is almost assured to get resigned though.

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And thats just the NHL players. Dean Kukan, who has been with the team but not consistently, has an expiring contract. As do AHLers Cameron Gaunce and André Benoît who will not make a long term difference and likely not resigned. Vladislav Gavrikov won’t come to the NHL until at least 2019. Once you start looking at where the pieces need to move, the Jackets will need to look at adding a defenseman.

Every Whitecloud has a Silver Lining

Enter Zach Whitecloud. The 21-year-old defenseman is in his second year at Bemidji State in Minnesota. Standing at six foot two inches, the right shot defenseman has size you can’t teach and has a great shot. Check out his goal at the 31 second mark.

The Brandon, Manitoba native (same town as Matt Calvert) decided to play in the NCAA over the Western Hockey League and the decision is paying off. NHL teams are swooning over the chance to sign a kid like this. He might be this years Will Butcher.

There is a ton of attention on this kid right now and almost every NHL is sure to make an offer. The Jackets need to take a hard look at their depth on the blue line and the real possibility that they could be loosing a ton of bodies this year. They may never get Gavrikov to North America.

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They should take a serious run at Zach Whitecloud and try to add him when the Beavers season is over. They aren’t desperate for defenseman yet. But they aren’t too far away.

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