ColumsuOn the Columbus Blue Jackets …
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: The Blue Jackets continue to look for a top-six center and continue talks with the Colorado Avalanche about Matt Duchene.
The Avs traded for center Colin Wilson to help fill the hole if they trade Duchene for a defenseman, and he Blue Jackets signed to two depth minor league defensemen.
The Predators may have gotten out of the race for Duchene by signing Nick Bonino to a four year deal. They could still be talking the Avs, but with Bonino and Ryan Johansen reportedly looking for $8.5 million, they may not able to fit in Duchene’s $6 million cap hit.
For the Blue Jackets may have include Ryan Murray and one of Boone Jenner, Oliver Bjorkstrand or Cam Atkinson.
If moving one of those forwards, the Blue Jackets could look to add Ilya Kovalchuk in a sign-and-trade with the Devils.
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen won’t trade some of their young talent for Matt Duchene or over pay for a big-named free agent
“We have until the (trade) deadline next spring,” Kekalainen told The Dispatch. “We’re always trying to improve our team, but we’ve always said we’re not going to go crazy and mortgage the future to try and get a short-term fix.
“We feel like our window is just starting to crack open. We’re a young team. We don’t see any reason to try and go crazy. We don’t want to be kicking ourselves two or three years from now.”
The Blue Jackets would like a top-six center but they won’t over pay. The Bruins, Predators and Penguins have reportedly had trade talks with the Avs about Duchene.
“You can’t mortgage the future thinking this has to be the year,” Kekalainen said. “We’re not there right now.
“If there’s a deal there, we’ll make it. But it’s not as if our window is closing.”
Kekalain isn’t desperate to make a move and has plenty of time to get something done.
“We have plenty of time in the fall and before the (trade) deadline to do something if we feel there’s something we absolutely need in our lineup,” he said.