With the injuries piling up in January, the Columbus Blue Jackets were in a tough spot. First, they were on the West Coast, so getting call-ups from Cleveland in a timely fashion was a challenge. Second, the Monsters themselves were thinned out by injuries.
As a result, just a day after playing the Canucks in Vancouver, the Blue Jackets claimed a forward from them. Lane Pederson had been placed on waivers just the day before. He had played 11 games in a month and a half with the Canucks, but was being sent down to make room for someone else on their roster.
After an unusually long process to get his new work visa approved (Bo Horvat was traded from Vancouver two days afte Pederson was claimed, and made his Islanders debut 12 days before Pederson first played for Columbus), Pederson was finally able to don the Union Blue. In a “jack of all trades, master of none” situation, Pederson was able to play any forward position, and move up and down the roster as Brad Larsen saw fit.
Pederson played less than 10 minutes in each of his first five games for Columbus, but in late March he got the chance to play bigger minutes with Jack Roslovic and Kent Johnson. That was a big improvement over playing with Liam Foudy and Mathieu Olivier.
Alas, Pederson joined too many others in seeing his season end prematurely, with his last action coming on March 30.
2022-23 Stats
Columbus (NHL) only
Games: 16
Goals: 2
Assists: 1
Points: 3
Plus/Minus: -4
PIM: 11
5v5 Corsi For %: 43.9
5v5 Fenwick For %: 44.6
OZ Start: 44.7
Contract Status
Pederson was in the final year of a two year contract signed with San Jose. After just one year, he was included in the Brent Burns trade. Early in the season, he was then included in the Ethan Bear trade from Carolina to Vancouver. Three franchises in one season, with stops on two AHL teams and two NHL teams.
As a 25 year old who has played at least 3 professional seasons and fewer than 80 NHL games (just 71 in three seasons so far), Pederson is a Group 6 UFA. With the plethora of bottom 6 forwards projected to be in camp, it’s hard to see where Pederson fits in. Maybe an AHL-only deal with the Monsters? Despite just 11 points in 71 NHL games, Pederson has put up 166 points in 227 AHL games.
High Point
We love goals against Pittsburgh, don’t we, folks?
Score early, score often. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/pJVB2dHIsb
— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) March 8, 2023
Pederson was a +2 in this game, and the Jackets roared out to a 4-0 lead early in the second period. Then the Pens scored five unanswered to win in overtime.
Low Point
Let’s go with this entry from his fantasy hockey player page at CBS Sports:
Pederson drew the ire of the Bruins after hitting Patrice Bergeron up high. After serving a cross-checking penalty, Pederson dropped the gloves with Trent Frederic, who won the fight with one punch. Pederson should be considered day-to-day ahead of Saturday’s game versus the Panthers.
One punch ended his season. Yikes.
Report Card
C-
We needed a twelfth forward; he was that. It was worth taking a flyer on the guy to see if he could be more here than in Vancouver, San Jose, or Arizona. Seems like me may just be a AAAA guy.