Three Defensemen the Columbus Blue Jackets Could Look to Trade Before the Deadline
The Jackets have a log jam on the blue line. With several players who don't fit into the long-term plans, they should look to clear that log jam up before the March 8th trading deadline.
We're in another season of certainty for the Columbus Blue Jackets. What I mean by that is, we know for certain that they're going to be sellers at the trade deadline yet again.
This team doesn't stand a realistic chance at a playoff spot. They can't even string together three wins in a row - let alone a long enough streak to push them up the standings. Currently, the Jackets sit dead last in the Eastern Conference by points percentage (.411%).
This means that the franchise is stuck in another year of evaluation; trying to figure out who fits here long-term, and where they might fit into those plans.
With just a quick peek at the team's roster situation, I quickly wrote down several players that I have a hard time seeing a future for in Columbus; at least when this team is finally ready to contend for a playoff spot.
We'll break this into two parts, starting today with the defensemen. Now, I know what you're all thinking, but this list doesn't include a guy like Erik Gudbranson. While I don't see him sticking around here for too many more years, I don't think they'll trade him any time soon.
I also have a hard time seeing Adam Boqvist as a long-term fit here, but that seems like a package type of move for the summer. David Jiricek and Damon Severson are the long-term guys on the right side of this team's top-four.
We narrowed the list down to three defensemen. We'll talk about what they bring, why the team should trade them, and what they might get in return for each of them.
This list starts with the team needing to patch up a mistake from last summer. They need to recoup assets and move on from defenseman Ivan Provorov. It just hasn't worked.
It's not that Provorov has been a bad player for the Blue Jackets - at least, not if you're looking solely at offensive numbers. He has 4 goals and 19 assists (23 points) while playing in all 45 games for the Jackets this season.
The issue is, he's the wrong type of defenseman altogether. Provorov plays the game like a less productive Zach Werenski; wanting the puck on his stick when the play is headed up the ice. He can generate offense, and has done a nice job this season in that regard.
Defensively, I don't think it's out of line to say that Provorov has been a mess. He often looks disengaged in his own end, coasting with his stick position making no sense. He's not physical, he doesn't really block shots or generate takeaways. He's just ... taking up space out there.
If the plan here was to pick up a player who can stay healthy and fill Zach Werenski's void when he (inevitably) gets injured, I get it. But then, why didn't the team go out and acquire a less expensive option to do that? Someone like, oh, I don't know, Jake Bean?
They needed to add defensemen who could defend, and Provorov is the antithesis of that. How he survived a full season under John Tortorella while playing defense as he does, is baffling to me.
All of that said, he does still have a lot of value. A contending team that needs a quarterback for their second power-play might show interest here - especially if they can shelter him defensively.
PROVY PARTY!!!@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/2zMbgGgoNw
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 28, 2023
I doubt they can recoup both the first and second round picks they gave up for him. But, I don't think it's impossible that they could get one high pick and another piece in return. In the end, this acquisition was a gaffe that really makes no sense for this team.
If the team can't trade Ivan Provorov at the deadline, it's not the end of the world. He's still signed for one more season - but it's obvious that they'll need to move on at some point. Better soon, rather than later.
The left side of the defense corps for the Jackets has been a big part of their issue this season, in my opinion. You have Zach Werenski, who is great in his role. But, he's followed up by Werenski-lite (Provorov) - and then Provorov-lite: Jake Bean.
If the Jackets decide to hold onto Provorov for whatever reason this spring, Bean himself could become a trade candidate for the club. Through 42 games, he has 3 goals and 4 assists (7 points).
Here we have a good skating, puck moving defenseman, who is probably at least fourth or fifth on the team's depth chart for power-play time on the blue line. Not ideal. Fortunately, Bean is in the final year of his contract and will be a restricted free agent, so it's possible to find a new home for him.
A trade before the deadline could benefit both sides. It would free up space for the Jackets to evaluate other defensemen. It would also give Jake Bean a chance to showcase himself with another organization. Clearly, he doesn't fit into the long-term plans here - at least, that's not what his usage indicates.
We have seen him be a solid contributor in stretches here and there, but he hasn't yet put it all together consistently. He's still not strong enough to handle the game physically, often getting out-muscled in puck battles. But with the puck on his stick, when he's confident, he can produce offensively.
Bean is 25 years old now, and a fresh start could give him the opportunity to break out as a second pairing option for another team. I just don't see that happening here. There isn't any trust from this organization, and he hasn't shown enough to work his way into the CBJ top-four - weak as it may be.
The value on Bean would probably be pretty low, especially considering his $2.33m AAV cap hit. With retention, I would expect something like a mid/late-round pick or B-tier prospect. Not enough to move the needle long-term; but at least it would help clear the logjam on the blue line.
Speaking of the log jam on the blue line, we cannot have trade discussions without bringing up the most obvious "addition by subtraction" candidate on the team: defenseman Andrew Peeke.
Peeke has managed to get into just 16 games this season, acting as the team's healthy scratch almost every night. He has 6 assists on the year, which is fine for a guy who has never produced much.
The issue with Peeke is, he's the 5th highest paid defenseman on the roster - and if you've paid any attention to player usage this year, he's roughly 10th on the team's depth chart. That's not a good situation for player nor team.
His presence on the roster is forcing the Jackets to rotate players like Nick Blankenburg and top defense prospect David Jiricek up and down between the NHL and AHL. Both of these players already bring more to the table than Peeke, with still more upside to give.
The thing that drives me nuts is that Peeke should be exactly what this team needs: a physical, stay-at-home defender who can block shots and kill penalties. The problem with all of that is, he's a complete mess of a player. He's not strong or physical enough to match up against the other team's physical players.
On top of being physically out-matched, his foot speed isn't enough to keep up with speedy forwards. His gap control is awful, and he frequently gets pulled out of position. Often, he's caught in what I like to call "no man's land" - where he's not close enough to break up a play with his stick, but is also not far enough away to truly block a shot.
This would all be perfectly fine if his cap hit was that of a 7th defenseman, say, below $1.25m AAV - but for reasons I'll never understand (sheer loyalty?) - he's signed for two years after this one at a $2.75m AAV. Yikes.
Even with a fairly low cap hit, he has easily one of the worst contracts in the entire NHL. Even if they can find a team that needs to add depth and has interest in him, they may have to actually give up assets to another trade partner in a double retention deal.
Peeke certainly doesn't - or, at least, shouldn't - fit into the future plans with this organization. If any offer comes along for him, they would be smart to act swiftly. Otherwise, I think he's a prime buyout candidate this summer.
Stay tuned - tomorrow we'll take a look at some of the forwards this team could be looking to deal away.
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