Sonny Milano has been unable to stick with the Columbus Blue Jackets and is currently in the AHL.
When the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Sonny Milano in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, they likely expected him to be an NHL regular by now. He’s yet to show that he deserves a spot on the roster though, and with the Blue Jackets in a situation where they may need to win this season it seems like a logical time to move him for someone who can contribute now.
Milano still has decent value, as he can still turn into a top six forward for some team however it’s unlikely he’ll ever get the opportunity. With players like Vitaly Abramov, Kevin Stenlund, Eric Robinson and even Paul Bittner all showing potential to make the NHL sooner rather than later, it wouldn’t be surprising to see John Tortorella prefer a fresh face over someone who has failed to perform in the past for him.
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Milano performs phenomenally in the AHL, however he struggles when he comes up to the NHL. It could simply be an issue with the system put in place by John Tortorella not meshing well with Milano. If that’s the case, then a trade certainly needs to happen as it appears Tortorella won’t be going anywhere any time soon.
Where would Milano be able to get some NHL ice time? One destination stands out off the top of my head which would be the Carolina Hurricanes. A team deep on defense, but short on scoring forwards. The only issue with trading him to Carolina would be the idea of trading him in division.
Another out of conference option would be the St Louis Blues as part of a bigger deal for a player like Brayden Schenn, Colton Parayko or even Vladimir Tarasenko.
Also, a team worth looking at would be the Vancouver Canucks. Using Milano as part of a trade for a player like Christopher Tanev who’s a pure shutdown defenseman who would fit perfectly on the second or third pairing along with Zach Werenski.
If Sonny MIlano isn’t in the Blue Jackets plans for this season or even next season, it’s time to move him for an asset they can use now rather than wait for Milano to fall into an opening farther down the line.