Columbus Blue Jackets: Which Prospects are Trade Bait
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.
The Obvious name in Cleveland that could be moved at the deadline is Sonny Milano. The former first round pick has fallen out of favor with the organization and has been bypassed several times for an NHL call up in favor of Eric Robinson, Zac Dalpe, and most recently Kevin Stenlund.
Milano has played well in Cleveland and continues to put up big scoring numbers. He has 20 points in 22 games. He has the scoring ability to make a difference in the NHL and has proven it with his 14 goals last year in only 55 games in which he was on the third or fourth line. He will be an intriguing trade piece for plenty of teams in the NHL but I’m not convinced the team is trading him.
If Artemi Panarin leaves you have a big opening on the wing and will want plenty of options in your search to replace him. Why give up on a 22-year-old with great scoring ability and a winning pedigree?
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Unless the relationship has soured past the point of no return, it should take a hefty offer to pry Milano out of the organization.
Another former first round pick that could be moved is defenseman Gabriel Carlsson. After being thrown into the Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carlsson has not been able to stick in the NHL. This has a bit to do with his play but also plenty to do with the Jackets having solid defensive depth and a wanting for Carlsson to eat up plenty of minutes which he would do as an NHL third pair defenseman which is where he would be in Columbus.
Carlsson is still very young for a defenseman having just turned 22 on January 2nd. He is still developing and could be a great pick up for a team on the rebuild.
Also in Cleveland is another scoring winger with a high ceiling in Vitaly Abramov. The former QMJHL league MVP has had a rough transition to pro hockey but is staring to play more consistently and put up points. Abramov has four points in his last seven games and still has plenty of room to grow. The Russian will certainly be valued by many teams in the NHL.
To a lesser extent both Eric Robinson and Kevin Stenlund could be on the block. Both have some NHL experience now and put some solid performances together for their NHL tape. They are still raw but both have great size and play tough.
The top prospects in North America are almost all untouchable if your the Columbus Blue Jackets front office. You aren’t trading away your 2018 first round pick in Liam Foudy anytime soon. The speedy forward is still progressing in the OHL with 41 points in 37 games already eclipsing his career high for in a season.
Also in the CHL is seventh rounder Trey Fix-Wolansky playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings. TFW is making waves as he is second in scoring in the WHL but he has little trade value.
In the NCAA the Jackets have forward’s Kale Howarth and Carson Meyer both of whom have little to no trade value. Expect both of them to continue on their college careers with little fanfare.
But Notre Dame defenseman Andrew Peeke may be an interesting target. He is a big defenseman that can skate and is starting to develop an offensive game. His defense has always been stellar leading to a selection on the US World Junior Championship team last year but this year he has already matched his best offensive totals in half the time of his previous best.
Peeke is also the Captain of a Fighting Irish squad that is fighting for another chance at a Frozen Four run. He could turn pro next year but with the defensive log jam in Columbus and the quality of competition he is seeing at Notre Dame, Peeke will likely spend another year in South Bend. Unless another NHL franchise wants to trade for him and give him an opportunity to play next year.
There are some interesting names in Europe that could be traded this deadline and one of them shares the same agent as Artemi Panarin. Russian defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov is represented by Dan Milstein and has had to have come up in conversations with Jarmo. The big defenseman has been one of the KHL’s top blue liners.
Gavrikov just participated in the KHL’s All-Star festivities and was on the Olympic team representing Russia that won gold in South Korea.
Columbus Blue Jackets
His contract in the KHL expires at the end of the season and he could be bound for North America. Whether that is in union blue or in another NHL teams sweater is unknown as he would be a nice piece in a trade.
The Jackets two other Russian prospects also have plenty of value as Daniil Tarasov might be the Jackets best goaltending prospect in a loaded goalie pool. The Jackets second round pick from 2018, Kirill Marchenko, is also turning plenty of heads and is seen as a future top six forward in the NHL. Both will be tough to get from the Jackets but are intriguing players that more than a few teams will have their eyes on.
The Jackets top pick from 2017, Alexandre Texier, is almost untouchable. The Frenchman has had a great season in SM-Liiga and is showing a lot of potential. Also in Liiga is goalie Veini Vehviläinen. Don’t expect either to go anywhere except to may Cleveland after their season in Finland is over.
Same can be said about the Swedish and Swiss prospects. Emil Bemstrom, Jonathan Davidsson and Elvis Merzlikins are all players that have an NHL future but they aren’t going to be traded at the deadline.
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Whether just one, a few, or none of the players get moved at the deadline will be interesting to watch. Much of it rides on this week’s discussion with the Columbus Blue Jackets front office and Artemi Panarin’s representatives.