The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the lookout for a top center
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic: The Columbus Blue Jackets traded their No. 1 center in Pierre-Luc Dubois six weeks ago, and although they landed center Jack Roslovic in the deal, they are in the market for a No. 1 center.
“It’s a challenge because they’re just not available,” Kekalainen said this week. “You usually have to draft and develop one. We did that well with one player (Dubois), and now he’s not here.
“Now we have to get back into our hunt, finding a centerman either through the draft or through a trade. They aren’t available very often. There could be some available in the free agent market next summer.”
The Blue Jackets maybe have been tipped off their past offseason that an offer sheet may have been coming for Dubois, as they moved out a bunch of salary just in case.
Edmonton Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Montreal Canadiens Phillip Danault may be the top pending UFA centers this offseason, and luring free agents to Columbus is not an easy task. RNH and Danault are likely No. 2 centers at best.
A look at five of the top free agent centers
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
David Krejci
Alex Wennberg
Mattias Janmark
Blake Comeau
Available cap space for the Blue Jackets will also be shrinking in the next couple of years as Patrik Laine and Seth Jones will be eligible for extensions.
Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen isn’t afraid to make a big trade, but acquiring a No. 1 center isn’t easy. Their prospect pool isn’t deep as they’ve traded two of their past four first-round picks.
The Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators and Buffalo Sabres are open for business. Sabres Jack Eichel and Red Wings Dylan Larkin would be intriguing options for the Blue Jackets. Either talks would likely start with Zach Werenski.