CBJ decline. You JUST signed him to an 8 year deal, you can't give up on him and expect to get good value in the process.

Sillinger is a non-starter

Any trade of Miller (if possible) when be contingent of a team believing Miller is going to good value at 8m X 7. starting at the age of 30. Seems like so many Canucks fans don't think so hence the trades of Miller

(likely two middle six centers and a 4-5 defensemen) and Columbus doesn't have to give up a high pick. Columbus also has a glut of RD and replaces one of the centers with Miller. Yet Peekie is 1RD here. Sillinger is more than a "middle six C." So, no CBJ doesn't consider that offer.

I don't believe Sillinger is a non-starter. He likely develops into a middle six center and Columbus is deep with high end young talent.

I also disagree that Miller doesn't have value, I don't think he has the value that he did before the signing but he has value, there was allegedly a pretty solid offer from the Pen's for him near the deadline which was after he signed the contract. Add to that, there are no first line centers available in the UFA class this offseason and there will be a market for him if the team wants to move him.

Of the teams that could be interested, I could see Columbus being a possible fit. The team has put their chips down to be competitive starting next season and most of their current core in their mid to late 20's. Columbus's biggest hole is at 1C (no UFA 1C's) and with Columbus not considered a sought after place to play I could see them being interested.

If Sillinger is more than a middle six then he is a 1C... that he is not, and likely never will be. Saying Peeke is a 1RD in Columbus is similar to saying Bear is a 1RD in Vancouver, he is not a legitimate 1RD.

He could be a 2nd line center without being a top line center or a middle 6 center...

That's fair, I should have worded it more appropriately. When I said he is likely to be a middle 6, I meant he likely ends up as a 2nd or 3rd line center.

I think when talking about a 20 year old player drafted 12 OA, you need to focus on his ceiling, not his floor

Now thats the voice of reason.Excellent point.

I could see why both sides would do this and can see why both wouldn't.

Also that interest Pittsburgh apparently had in Miller is likely gone now that they've fired Hextall.

I won't argue your opinion as to whether Columbus accepts the trade or not, however I disagree with part of your player analysis. JR is a third line center on at least half the teams in the NHL, Peeke is a 4-5 on majority of teams, but Sillinger was not a 2C last year (11 games in the AHL and 11 points in the NHL).

Yup I agree that offer is long gone now. With that said, the point was more so that 1C's are hard to come by and there will be teams that want to win now that would be willing to trade for Miller regardless of his contract may be poor a few years down the road.

So how many consecutive years do the Jackets have to land the biggest UFA on the market before the narrative changes about Columbus' desirability as a city?

I agree with that from a sellers point of view, however an acquiring team has to look at the full range of possibilities and when you trade for a first line player you generally have to part with players that have potential (or picks as they obviously have potential).

Good question, one I don't know the answer too. I personally quite like Ohio, however I remember seeing an ESPEN player survey that asked what players least favourite NHL cities to visit were and Columbus made the list.

I will push back a bit on the big UFA signing last year though, there were reports that JG went there after not getting a contract in his preferred areas and that there were limited if any other options available by the time he signed his contract.

Well he turned down far more money in Calgary, walked away from negotiating with New Jersey, never talked to the Islanders, and leapt at the opportunity to live in Columbus. Not sure why he'd continue to crow about the city and how much he's loving living there a year later too. That's a long time to commit to a lie.

Maybe he loves it, however that was what was reported or at least talked about during that time by insiders on the stations I watch/listen to. It wasn't said he didn't like Columbus either, it was said it wasn't at the top of his list of places to play. He did turn down Calgary, Calgary isn't considered a top destination to play either.

I am not trying to attack Columbus, I have no issues with the place, but again I don't think it is considered to be a desirable place to play. They lost a lot of big names over the years and it was ranked as one of the least favourite cities to play in during a player survey, I believe Columbus and Buffalo were the only American teams to make the list.