The Columbus Blue Jackets made one notable trade over the summer, sending prospect Gavin Brindley and draft picks to the Colorado Avalanche to acquire Charlie Coyle. They also got winger Miles Wood in the deal, and though he's considered a "throw-in" piece of the transaction; this is an experienced, established NHL player who will be hungry to take advantage of a new opportunity.
No matter how you look at the situation (positive or negative), this isn't a player that we can expect to come in here and shift the scales in any major way. A veteran of 513 career regular season games, Miles is pretty firmly established in his role at this point: he's a bottom six winger. He's a depth piece, and we can't expect much more.
Early in his career, he showed more potential than that. Originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fourth round (#100 overall) at the 2013 NHL Draft; he averaged around 14 goals per season through a four year stretch (2017-2021). Over time however, he proved less than durable; and after missing most of the 2021-22 season due to a hip injury, he just hasn't been the same player since.
For his career, Miles has scored 91 goals and 182 points, adding 550 penalty minutes and a cumulative -73 rating. His career TOI average is 13:05 - essentially, low third line minutes. We expect him to come to the Blue Jackets and fill a role somewhere in the bottom six, most likely the fourth line left wing slot.
He will bring some interesting traits to the mix. At 6'2" and near 200 pounds, he's one of the fastest skaters in the entire NHL, ranking in the 99th percentile for top skating speed. He is a straight lines player with a touch of physicality, preferring to speed down the wall and get in hard on the forecheck to create havoc in the offensive zone.
He's not afraid to go to the front of the net and be a nuisance, and he will also drop the gloves when challenged. Though, that aspect of his game has tapered off as he has aged up. For these reasons, I think he will be a serviceable enough fit to the bottom of the CBJ lineup. The main issue is, he's going to be overpaid by quite a bit in this role - and that contract still has four years remaining.
I also do not see him being much help on the defensive side of the play. This is an area he's struggled in, particularly over the last couple of seasons. So, the plan needs to be keeping it simple, in straight lines, and limiting his exposure. If Dean Evason and his staff can do that, then I see no reason why he can't score at a 10-15 goal pace and be a positive contributor to the lineup.
One bold prediction: Miles Wood will exceed 13 goals and 25 points on the fourth line this year.
Miles should be hungry to rediscover what he did not have last season in Colorado, where he scored just 4 goals and 8 points in 37 games. He should fit right into Evason's style of play in this team's bottom six. I expect him to play on the fourth line alongside Isac Lundestrom and Mathieu Olivier. And, I expect this to be one of the more effective fourth lines in the entire NHL. You read that right.
On paper, this line works. Olivier showed us that he's much more than just a pair of fists last season, setting a career high with 18 goals. He will keep opposing teams honest from a variety of perspectives. Lundestrom comes to Columbus as one of the better defensive centers in the entire NHL, and his mature two-way game should free up his wingers to impose their physical and scoring wills.
Put it all together, this line would have a little bit of everything. If each of them were to buy into their role and keep things simple, the opposition is going to see this as a matchup nightmare. Not because they are going to score a ton of goals. They are just going to be a pain in the neck to win any puck battle against. For these reasons, this is a great opportunity for Miles Wood to re-establish his NHL career and live out the value of his contract.