The NHL Trade Deadline- From a Blue Jackets Perspective
There are still some deals trickling in, but the Jackets have made a handful of moves today, with the returns mostly looking toward the future. In all, the Jackets made five deals, here they are:
Raffi Torres to Buffalo for Nathan Paetsch and a Second Round Pick
We all knew this deal was going to happen, and Scott Howson got the asking price that he was reportedly looking for. Paetsch was thrown in to off-set salary. He's a depth player at best, and is a restricted free agent at year's end. I like this move for the simple fact we gain the pick. The second round hasn't been kind of Columbus since their inception, so here's hoping they will strike gold with this pick. It will be hard to see Raffi go, but hopefully he'll re-sign with the Jackets in the summer, as rare as that maneuver can be.
Milan Jurcina to Washington for a Sixth Round Pick
Milan, we hardly knew ye. A short time after acquiring Jurcina (along with Chris Clark) from the Caps for Jason Chimera, he's headed back to the Capitals for a sixth round pick. He was diagnosed with a sports hernia today, so that likely killed his value. Getting another for him should be looked at as a bonus.
Fredrik Modin to Los Angeles for a Conditional Pick
I have to be honest, I didn't think we'd be able to move him, even with all of the media speculation. For the Jackets to get any value whatsoever is a good thing. It's believed that the pick is a Seventh Rounder, my guess the conditional part is based on games played. It's too bad he couldn't be the dependable workhorse with the Jackets that he was with the Lightning, when he was in the lineup he was a beast along the boards. Good luck in the playoffs Freddy!
Mathieu Roy to Florida for Matt Rust
Rust is a scoring forward who is currently playing for the University of Michigan. Bringing in prospects is never a bad thing, but I personally really liked Roy's play. He didn't look out of place at all when called upon. Rust is just another player on the long list of prospects developing in college for the Jackets.
Alexandre Picard to Phoenix for Chad Kolarik
It's no shock to me that Picard is no longer a part of the organization. He was never able to break into the Columbus lineup and stick there. Kolarik is a depth forward who will replace Pic in Syracuse. Kolarik is an RFA after this season.
Overall it was a less-than-exciting trade deadline for the Jackets, the essentially just shipped out spare parts and got value where they could. The most intriguing pieces coming back are of course the second rounder and Rust.
What are your thoughts on the moves made by the Jackets today?
Was this a successful trade deadline for the CBJ organization?
| Yes | 48 |
| No | 72 |