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Columbus Blue Jackets 17-18 Season Evaluation: Ian Cole

By Lansing Murphy |
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 19: Devante Smith-Pelly #25 of the Washington Capitals and Ian Cole #23 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battle for position as they skate after a loose puck during the third period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 19, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 19: Devante Smith-Pelly #25 of the Washington Capitals and Ian Cole #23 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battle for position as they skate after a loose puck during the third period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 19, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

With the Columbus Blue Jackets season over it’s time for the Union and Blue staff to give their evaluation of each player’s year.

This year’s biggest trade deadline acquisition this year was undoubtedly defenseman Ian Cole. For just a 3rd round pick in 2020 and Nick Moutrey, the Columbus Blue Jackets picked up a solid second pair defenseman to essentially replace Jack Johnson.

The trade was the first trade of the day and the early action seemed to indicate that the Jackets were going to move Jack Johnson. The veteran blue liner had requested to be traded and the acquisition of Cole opened the door to that possibility.

But 3pm Eastern rolled around and the Jackets did not move Johnson and both him and Cole were set to finish the home stretch with the team. Cole was camped out in Pittsburgh after the Penguins traded him to Ottawa and he knew the Senators would flip him before the deadline. It made his trek to his new team a three hour drive west on I-70 and he was in the lineup for the game that night against the Washington Capitals.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets /

Columbus Blue Jackets

Cole was paired with David Savard for the remainder of the season and the duo reminded fans of the Johnson-Savard pairing of last year. The two played a great shutdown game with a side of offense. In 20 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cole had two goals and five assist as well posting a +11 rating. Cole ate up big minutes alongside of Savard, averaging 18 minutes a game.

Cole played well in the postseason as well with three assist in six games. He also had 15 blocked shots in the series.

Cole Smoldering Out in Columbus?

Ian Cole is one of three unrestricted free agents for the CBJ on the blue line. If Cole never plays another game in his career in union blue, he will have been well worth the pick and prospect.

Although the Jackets have already won the trade, there is a question of if Cole still has more to add to the team as they look to finally win a playoff series. Cole has plenty of playoff experience including two Stanley Cups. He also plenty of chemistry with David Savard.

But the Jackets have a ton of defensive depth and some big time prospects on the verge of playing in the NHL. They also need to start planning for big extensions for Artemi Panarin, Zach Werenski, and Sergei Bobrovsky.

Every dollar will count and it leads me to believe that Cole will be hard pressed to get the money he wants this offseason.

Next: Why Cole won't be resigned

If this is the last, and only, season for Cole in Columbus, it will be remembered as a great one. For just a prospect with a limited future and a third round pick, Cole was everything the Jackets could have hoped for and it will lead to a good contract for the 29-year-old this offseason.

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