Central Trade Pieces
The players in this section are some of the organization’s best prospects that might be hard to part with, but would bring tremendous value in a trade. If they were in a potential deal, it would largely focus around them and perhaps one other decent prospect or roster player.
Luca Del Bel Belluz
Arguably the most developed prospect in the system that hasn’t fully made the jump to the NHL yet, it’s hard to deny the possibility of Luca Del Bel Belluz being a major piece in a potential deal.
He has dominated the AHL over the last three seasons, but hasn’t done enough during his stints with the Blue Jackets to secure a roster spot. The 22-year-old center is well-rounded with decent size, which could be very attractive to teams looking to get younger.
Cayden Lindstrom
Although Cayden Lindstrom’s value may be dropping rather fast, the former fourth-overall pick still has undeniable athleticism combined with a crafty offensive game that he hasn’t found yet in college.
Depending on how much the Blue Jackets have given up on Lindstrom, an aggressive team could take a risk on him, not completely unlike what the Wild did with David Jiricek a couple years ago. I still would like to see the team give Lindstrom a chance, but at some point his draft pedigree can only take him so far.
Luca Pinelli
One of the most well-liked prospects in the system currently, Luca Pinelli has made a name for himself through pure scoring ability with a willingness to defend himself. He played a scoreless three games for the Blue Jackets earlier this season, and remains a solid piece on the Monsters.
Originally a fifth-round pick, Pinelli could be a great return on investment for Columbus if they do decide to trade him. Although suddenly elite scoring ability is something that the Blue Jackets seem to be lacking, so his name could be off the board as well.
Pyotr Andreyanov
Despite being taken in the most recent draft, I don’t see Andreyanov as a complete untouchable for this team. With Jet Greaves emerging as a top NHL goalie this season and the earlier-mentioned Sergei Ivanov hopefully not far away, the Jackets aren’t exactly in desperate need for a young goalie.
Especially with other players like Evan Gardner and Melvin Strahl in the works, Andreyanov would be a trade casualty the team could afford. Given that he is under contract in Russia for the next four seasons, the Blue Jackets could easily get tons of value while prioritizing the win-now approach that fans are looking for.
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