Columbus Blue Jackets: Potential Swap for Sonny Milano

The Sonny Milano era with the Columbus Blue Jackets needs to come to an end, as he’s yet to prove he still deserves a regular spot in the NHL.

It’s time for the Columbus Blue Jackets to trade Sonny Milano, however unfortunately his value is lower than ever which leads to a lack of enticing options. One player in a similar situation who could use a change of scenery however, is Josh Ho-Sang of the New York Islanders.

Michael Anderson of Eyes on Isles wrote about Ho-Sang’s strained relationship with the Islanders and despite the fact that he’s reportedly had attitude issues in the past, Ho-Sang is the type of player who could be set straight by a coach like John Tortorella.

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A one for one swap of the two struggling prospects allows each player to get a fresh start with a new team, and as an added bonus it sends Milano back home to Long Island. Both players are at their lowest value, and as a result neither team would realistically get much more for their player.

Both players have had moderate success for at least a partial season in the NHL and produce very well in the AHL. They were taken in the same draft and Ho-Sang is only four months older than Milano. Another potential bonus for Ho-Sang is simply that he’d potentially anger the rival Pittsburgh Penguins if he were to wear his desired number 66.

It’s a risk that may pay off for both teams, and although it would be more ideal to get something guaranteed for a former first round pick, it simply won’t be likely to happen for either of these players.

While neither player will certainly be a game changer going forward, it gives Lou Lamoriello a more “uniform and safe” type of player that he seems to prefer while the Blue Jackets get a player who could potentially have higher potential in the long run if they can sort him out.