Columbus Blue Jackets: Which Prospects are Trade Bait

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 17: Sonny Milano #22 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Sonny Milano
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 17: Sonny Milano #22 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Sonny Milano
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Columbus Blue Jackets
CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 30: Cleveland Monsters center Kevin Stenlund (82) controls the puck during the second period of the American Hockey League game between the Syracuse Crunch and Cleveland Monsters on November 30, 2018, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Trade discussions around the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to heat up after the All-Star Break. Which prospects are up for grabs and who is off limits?

The nine day break the Columbus Blue Jackets are currently on will be a prime opportunity for Jarmo and the front office to evaluate their trade deadline strategy. Much of that will be based off of the information they gather when they meet with Artemi Panarin‘s agent to discuss the star winger’s future in Columbus.

Either way, Jarmo Kekalainen will be active at the trade deadline and all signs point to Panarin staying and the Jackets “going for it”. Whether that means trying to just win their first ever playoff series or make a push to the Cup Finals, this team will certainly be buyers at the deadline.

If Jarmo really wants to go all in and push for a playoff run, future assets are going to have to be traded. The Jackets are already low on picks this year with only four in hand so the futures the team deals will have to be prospects.

There are some untouchable prospects and some that the team would be more than happy to deal. Lets take a look at what the Jackets have in terms of assets in the farm system and what value they could get for some of their prospects.