The Columbus Blue Jackets and New Jersey Devils could come together for a deal.
The Columbus Blue Jackets just came off a formidable effort as they tried to dispatch the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second year in a row, but the upset special was a one-time thing. Now, the Blue Jackets go into the offseason with a lack of draft capital and an interesting roster. This could be a place the New Jersey Devils target to find a mutual interest.
The last time the Blue Jackets and Devils came together for a deal, the hockey men from Ohio gave the Devils brass a free 5th-round pick. They did get Keith Kinkaid, but he was no more than a body to feed as they went from city to city. (For real, he never played a game for them.) The Devils may have to wait until 2022 to make that pick, but it was still a major win.
The Blue Jackets have been masters with the salary cap. This is what happens when you decline to sign Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Ryan Dziengal, Matt Duchene, and Adam McQuaid all left in free agency. Some of them signed gigantic deals. The Blue Jackets let a lot of draft picks go to make the run they did. It was probably worth it to get the franchise’s first playoff series win. And with the amount of talent they’ve allotted, they do have just $5 million to spend this offseason.
Now, they have a lack of high-end prospects. Some of their middling prospects are turning into decent fliers that can be something. They jumped from one prospect ranked in the top 100 last season to four this season despite not having a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-round draft pick in 2019. The Blue Jackets could use some more talent in the system that’s a little more “guaranteed” (as guaranteed as prospects go). The Devils have some players that seem close to NHL ready, but need more NHL talent. With the Blue Jackets dealing with eight restricted free agents this season, a deal can work between the two.