Report: Blue Jackets Set Themselves Up For Some Big Moves This Summer
GM Don Waddell had a couple of trades lined up that would have involved the team acting as a third-party salary broker, but those deals ultimately fell through. He acknowledged that the high prices in the market made it difficult to justify certain moves, and he wasn’t willing to part with key players like Ivan Provorov, according to Blue Jackets' writer Mark Scheig.
“We had two lined up yesterday and another one today, but unfortunately the teams we were working with didn’t get the players they were hoping to get,” Waddell said.
Instead, the Blue Jackets made a pair of smaller moves to bolster their bottom-six forward group, claiming Christian Fischer off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings and acquiring Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick.
Waddell emphasized the importance of adding players with experience and character to help in the playoff push. “Both players, first of all, are outstanding people,” he said. “Adding a little size and grit never hurts, especially in the roles they’re going to play.”
Fischer and Kunin bring versatility and defensive responsibility, while their additions allowed the Blue Jackets to send Mikael Pyyhtia and Joseph LaBate back to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters in time for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
While the trade deadline didn’t bring any major changes, Waddell indicated that bigger moves could be on the horizon this summer.
He noted that trade talks at the deadline opened the door for potential deals in the offseason, as teams weren’t willing to part with significant assets in the middle of a playoff race.
“Some things, I think we set some great ground for the summertime with some teams that didn’t want to give up a lot right now but had interest in some of our guys,” he said.
With cap space and draft picks to work with, Columbus is positioned to be one of the more active teams in the offseason as they look to take the next step forward.
Photo Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
