On the Columbus Blue Jackets and Josh Anderson …
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: The start of the NHL season is a week away, Blue Jackets restricted free agent forward Josh Anderson remains unsigned he’s believed to have asked for a trade. This trade request is news to Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen.
“This trade request is news to me,” he said. “And we are not looking to trade Josh Anderson.”
Aaron Portzline reported on Tuesday that the sides were “as little as $150,000 per year (apart) on a three-year contract — but both sides are standing firm on principle.”
It is believed that the Colorado Avalanche asked for Anderson in a trade package for Matt Duchene, but it was rejected by the Blue Jackets.
Pierre LeBrun: Further adding to Friedman’s report, Blue Jackets GM Kekalainen confirms he’s not aware of the Anderson trade request and they are focused on re-signing him.
Pierre LeBrun: Anderon’s agent wouldn’t comment much, only saying that talks are ongoing and that they “would hope to have a resolution soon.”
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 590 and expanded on Josh Anderson trade request and his situation with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“I should stress it didn’t come directly from Anderson’s camp,” began Friedman. “I heard about it. I was working on it. The agent just sent me a text saying he wasn’t going to talk about it. Initially the team, I sent a note through their communications staff saying I was hearing it, would anybody talk about it. Initially they didn’t. And then after I wrote the piece they came back and said that’s not our information and besides, we’re not looking to trade him.
“So I think it’s possible there’s a bit of a semantics issue. One thing I do believe is that a sign and trade came up, and that maybe you’d sign him and then trade him. So that’s probably the answer to the gray area here.”
The Blue Jackets like Anderson, but they are keeping in mind that in the next couple of years they also have free agents in Cam Atkinson, Jack Johnson, Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin, among others.