NHL Rumors: Blue Jackets, Blues, Canadiens, and Devils

The Blue Jackets are the latest team to say they’d move one of their first-round picks

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has said that they are open to trading the first-round pick they acquired from the Los Angeles Kings for Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo according to Pierre LeBrun. The Kings’ pick won’t be a high first-rounder.

NHL Rumors: Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, and the Los Angeles Kings

LeBrun adds:

“He’d like to get a top-four defenceman as part of the package for a first-round pick.”

The St. Louis Blues have two late first-round picks from the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers, and have already said they would listen to offers. LeBrun adds the Montreal Canadiens have a first they might consider moving as well.

“Then you got a team like the Montreal Canadiens that I believe would listen on the Florida Panthers’ first-round pick, which would probably be a mid first-round pick, if they can make the type of hockey trade like they did for Kirby Dach a year ago.”

No extension talks between the Devils and Timo Meier yet

TSN: The New Jersey Devils are thinking that Timo Meier can be a part of their core long-term, and GM Tom Fitzgerald has spoken with Meier about it according to Pierre LeBurn. Contract negotiations haven’t started.

“That’s interesting because, as you may remember, the initial plan with the Devils was that they didn’t even want to make that trade without having Meier signed to an extension as part of it. They dropped that to get the deal done.

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Then you had the idea that they should sign it as soon as possible but they also pivoted on that. Fitzgerald and the Devils decided to give Meier time to adjust to life on and off the ice as a Devil. They have shelved talks on an extension until after the playoffs because they don’t want to rush it or press him, but they’re still confident they can get that done.”