3 Moves The Columbus Blue Jackets Need To Make This Off-Season

The Columbus Blue Jackets took a real step back this season. They finished the year with an 18-26-12 record, which was at the bottom of the Central Division. Keep in mind, the Blue Jackets had sustained success before this year. They swept the 62-win Lightning in the 2019 postseason and then knocked out the Maple Leafs the following year. Yet, they now are in trouble and may have an even harder off-season to deal with.

Here are three moves they should make this summer.

Trade Seth Jones: This is the main reason why the Blue Jackets are in for a tough off-season. Although they would love to keep Jones, the 26-year-old defenseman has openly stated that he will test the free agent market next off-season. Even though he struggled this season, Jones is capable of being a top-two defenseman in this league. Therefore, they have to trade him to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.

Re-Sign RFA Patrik Laine: After being traded to the Blue Jackets from the Jets, it is fair to state that Patrik Laine underperformed. In 45 games with the team, he scored 10 goals and only registered 21 points in total. One has to assume that the 23-year-old winger will be able to bounce back next year. He has too much talent to put up these small of totals. Having a new head coach next season may help though, as he did not mesh well in John Tortorella's system.

Bring In Top-Six Center: This is a real necessity for the Blue Jackets. They could use some serious help down the middle. Bringing in a guy like Jack Eichel may be a bit too much for them to afford, but Sam Reinhart is an intriguing option. He also can move over to the wing if needed, which is a nice element of his game. However, there are also some options available through free agency, too. Some of these players include David Krejci, Phillip Danault and Paul Stastny.