Columbus Blue Jackets 18-19 Second Half Predictions: Roster Revamp

The second half of the season will see a lot of roster revamps for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With only 41 games left in the 2018-2019 regular season it’s time to look ahead at what lies in store for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second half. Division titles, playoff hopes, and Stanley Cup dreams are all on the line.

Maybe.

The team as currently constructed is a top ten team in the league and has every right to think of themselves as a contender. They have a Norris caliber defenseman (two in fact), a Vezina winning goalie and a top line that can keep up with any in the league. They have shown that the depth scoring is there, they just need to prove it more consistently.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The question is if this team will stay intact through the second half of the year. The grey cloud of Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky’s contract situation is still lingering over the team and it is getting darker. As the trade deadline approaches and no progress is made on either front, the likelihood of both being dealt at the deadline increase.

Panarin’s situation is much more definitive than Bobrovsky’s. If Panarin and his team’s meeting with management over the All-Star break goes well, and a deal is reached, he’s a Jacket for the next eight years. If not, I don’t think Jarmo will take the risk and he will trade away the elite winger. Jarmo won’t allow a Tavares situation play out in Columbus.

Bobrovsky has a no move clause but odds are he would be willing to waive it considering it doesn’t appear he is going to get the contract he wants from the organization. If the Jackets can’t agree to terms with Panarin, and can get Bob to waive his NMC, I think the two time Vezina trophy winner is out the door by the trade deadline as well.

That would leave the Jackets with two massive holes in their roster and enough cap room to do almost whatever they want to do. The Jackets would need to go and acquire another NHL caliber goalie as they don’t have a viable option in Cleveland in my opinion.

It would be an opportunity to give some of the promising Cleveland Monsters a chance at some consistent ice time in the NHL. The month of March would be a pride month for the Jackets as they would still likely be in the playoff hunt and looking to make the postseason with a less than desirable roster. That would be big motivation for the players on the team.

Jarmo could also use that new found cap space to make moves for futures by also taking on unwanted salaries on short term deals to help teams looking to win this year. Salary cap space is a huge asset and unlike a lot of GM’s in the league, Jarmo is smart enough to leverage that space for better assets.

Overall I think the second half will see some pretty significant roster shakeups. Panarin is almost certainly gone, Bobrovsky should be moved too. If they make these moves then they also might look at moving an underutilized Sonny Milano, and Ryan Murray whose contract is expiring and whose value may never be higher.

That should open the door for players like Eric Robinson, Kevin Stenlund and Gabriel Carlsson to see some NHL ice time. We will have a much clearer picture after the All-Star break but it certainly won’t be a boring second half for the Columbus Blue Jackets.