Under the Radar Trade Candidates from the CBJ

Sean Kuraly

Centers are coveted during playoff time.

True contenders often have more than just 4 on their roster because they know that the center iceman dictates a lot of the play. While he centers the 4th line in Columbus, Kuraly kills penalties and takes important faceoff draws in the defensive zone.

That is exactly the type of depth player that many contenders covet for their playoff run. Kuraly’s cap hit is high for his position ($2.5 million through 2024-2025). But if the CBJ are willing to eat some of that cap hit, then I could see some teams calling about his availability.

All three of the players may be third or fourth liners on the CBJ and may not appear to be very attractive trade chips. However, all three players are prototypical players that teams like to acquire for a playoff run.

Through my recent trade deadlines, many third and fourth liners have been coveted trade pieces (such as Barclay Goodrow or Blake Coleman). If the Jackets don’t see any of those players in their long-term plans and a good trade offer comes along, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if any of those players are dealt to a contender.