What about Torts?
Mark Scheig: Pierre LeBrun on Thursday night on Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella.
“I’m starting to wonder if John Tortorella wants to be fired, believe it or not. I know that’s a crazy thing to say, but he’s done a lot of interesting things this year behind the bench and it just makes you wonder.”
Lots of decisions looming for the Columbus Blue Jackets
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: (mailbag) There may be a mutual decision that John Tortorella may not be back with the Columbus Blue Jackets next season. He is in the last year of his contract. There is no guarantee that pending unrestricted free agents Nick Foligno and David Savard will be back. Goaltenders Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins will be free agents after next season and the Blue Jackets won’t let them walk for nothing.
Even if the Blue Jackets don’t have plans to extend Savard, he’s the type of player you keep around for a playoff drive. If they fall out of playoff contention, then they could look at moving him.
Patrik Laine has two more years of restricted free agency. He has arbitration rights. If they go a one-year deal, could see it being $8.5 to $9 million. If going longer, maybe five years for $48 to $52 million.
Would build the Blue Jackets roster around one of either Korpisalo or Merzlikins, Laine and Seth Jones. They need an impact center. Wouldn’t want to trade defenseman Zach Werenski, but he may be a luxury they can’t afford. Moving one of their goalies along isn’t enough for a top center.
Don’t think Foligno will get a contract extension offer from the Blue Jackets anytime soon. If he’s signed before the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, it would likely mean they’d have to protect him. Feel that he will be re-signed by the team, but it will be after the draft.
Don’t know if Max Domi is on the trade block or not, but if they were to move, they’d be selling low on him now.
Defenseman Michael Del Zotto signing a two- or three-year extension at some point makes sense.