It wasn't an easy 2023-24 season for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The year started with tons of hope as Adam Fantilli made the team out of training camp. However, Patrik Laine fell with an injury after 18 games and then entered the NHLPA's Player Assistance Program. They hoped for a rebound season from Elvis Merzlikins, but the goaltender's idea of bouncing back wasn't up to par for an NHL starter.
They ended the season dead last in the Metropolitan Division, a disaster after signing Johnny Gaudreau to be a contending team. The Blue Jackets aren't far off from contending when looking at their roster, but they have some trade candidates to help them improve.
Their placement in the standings helped them to land Cayden Lindstrom at the 2024 NHL Draft, which gives them a one-two punch of Fantilli and Lindstrom down the middle for a long time. It isn't a problem that will fix itself in one season, but the Blue Jackets could make some moves to improve the team. It's time to see if Don Waddell can build a successful organization like he did in Carolina.
Patrik Laine is a trade candidate once more
There's an obvious answer for the Blue Jackets trade candidates: the goal-scoring winger, Laine. The rumors have been rampant all offseason that the former second-overall draft selection would be looking for another fresh start. He began his career after the Winnipeg Jets drafted him in 2016, scoring 36 goals as an 18-year-old rookie. He followed that successful season with another 44 goals in his sophomore season, then regressed to 30 goals the following year.
Laine's regression in his third season was the beginning of the end in Winnipeg, as he failed to reach the 30-goal plateau in his next season. He started the 2020-21 season hot with two goals and an assist in his first game, but the trade request he made in the offseason still stood. The Jets decided to sell high, trading him to the Blue Jackets, where he had 26 goals in 56 games.
Laine couldn't escape injury issues on the Blue Jackets, playing in just 55 games in 2022-23 before just 18 games last season. Laine went down with a fractured clavicle in December last season, but before recovering, he entered the NHLPA's Player Assistance Program. The reasons for entering the assistance program were unclear, but the league cleared him to return on July 26th.
The rumors are that Laine requested a trade from Columbus this offseason, and rumors immediately picked up after his clearance. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, and Montreal Canadiens are possibilities. However, more teams are likely interested in rebuilding the former 40-goal scorer.
The Colorado Avalanche seem like a potential destination, as they could be without Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin this season. Likewise, it wouldn't be surprising if the Vegas Golden Knights took a peak with their roster's trade candidates.
Elvis Merzlikins could fill a team's void
Do you want a surefire way to buoy your chances of trading a struggling goaltender? Have your new president and general manager state it's an untradeable contract.
“Let’s be honest, nobody is going to trade for that contract. Nobody,” Waddell told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. “People say, ‘Well, why don’t you buy out the contract?’ It’s a six-year buyout, and there are years three, four, five, and six when you might need that cap space. So, you've eliminated those two options.”
The feeling amongst the league at the end of the 2023-24 season was that it was the last as a Blue Jacket for Merzlikins. He had a 13-17-8 record, a 3.45 goals-against average, and an .897 save percentage. It was a down year for the netminder, but the scary part was that it improved from his numbers in 2022-23. Merzlikins had a 7-18-2 record that season, with a 4.23 goals-against average and a .876 save percentage.
Merzlikins had success representing his home country in the past, so the Blue Jackets hoped a successful World Championship would raise his stock. However, he had an abysmal 4.80 goals-against average and a .826 save percentage at that tournament. Unfortunately, there may be no return to glory for the former top prospect.
The Blue Jackets don't have many options to solve this problem. He is under contract for three seasons with a $5.4 million cap hit. After signing Johnny Gaudreau to a massive contract, the Blue Jackets attempted to be contenders. However, it's hard seeing this team emerging from the Metropolitan Division.
They have some reinforcements with Adam Fantilli, David Jiricek, and Gavin Brindle, but they may not be ready to put this team over the top.
Follow Us
Subscribe