Initial Creation Date: Jul. 6, 2022

Published: Jul. 7, 2022

Team: 2022-23 Columbus Blue Jackets

Jackets need to make a bunch of moves this offseason to unload their logjam on the wings and on the left side of their defense. I think 1 blockbuster could do it and get this team even closer to being a serious contender. May still need better bottom pairing defensemen if Bean and Peeke don't progress enough.

1. I know the Jackets have been talking to the Yotes about Chychrun, but I think there's a better fit on this team for John Marino. Trade moves Pittsburgh up 9 spots for a guy like Brad Lambert. I literally ripped this trade off a Penguins AGM from about a week ago and I really liked it for both teams.

2. I saw Tkachuk may possibly be available from Pierre Lebrun, but I don't know what his value would be. My guess for him coming off a 46 goal season and probably at the peak of his value will take the equivalent of 2 NHL players, a top prospect, and 2 first rounders.

Texier as of 6 months ago was worth a first and a mid level prospect to Jarmo and I think he's the biggest piece returning to Calgary in this trade, Bemstrom is a serviceable bottom 6 scoring threat who plays great defensively; I think he would fit with Calgary much better than he does with the Jackets. Christiansen just started sniffing NHL playing time and looked very good in the limited time he played at the end of the season after everyone got injured again. Trading Chinakhov hurts my soul and I would rather send Foudy, but I think this is the piece that gets Columbus to the top of the board on the Tkachuk sweepstakes. If the 6th overall and Foudy can get the job done instead of Chinakhov and the 21st, I would much rather do that deal. If you don't have the best piece in the deal, you better be ready to overpay I guess. This solves the logjam a for a short period until Marchenko and Johnson are ready.

I believe Tkachuk has that top level grit Jarmo talked about in his press conference yesterday. Also I think he compliments either Bjorkstrand or Laine very well on whichever line he's on and would really make a lot of space on ice for all three players to shine offensively.

I had to edit Boqvist's salary when he signed his new contract after I started making this. I was wrong by about 1.15 million AAV. And therefore I could keep Nyquist instead of trading him to Seattle. I still think one of Voracek or Nyquist get moved by the TDL.

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