Video: Predators GM David Poile trading Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen.
- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: GM Jarmo Kekalainen on the Ryan Johansen-Seth Jones trade with the Predators.
“It’s one of those trades where you can see a fit for both teams,” Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. “Their strength was our weakness, and our strength — our forward depth — was something they really needed.
“These are hard trades because it’s hard to trade a guy you know is going to be a good player in the league for a very long time. We didn’t want to trade Ryan Johansen. But to get something good, you have to give something good. And this balances our team.”
Kekalainen has been looking to improve their blueline for two years.
“We thought it was the biggest need on our team, to solidfy the back end,” Kekalainen said. “With Ryan Murray and Seth Jones, David Savard and Jack johnson, and with (Zach) Werenski coming … we should be really really good back there for years to come.
“This solves that problem. We’ve been looking for a defenseman for two years and it’s not easy.”
- NHL.com: GM Kekalainen on Ryan Johansen.
“Trading Ryan Johansen was not easy, but improving our blue line has been a priority for us, and to acquire a player of Seth’s caliber, you have to give up a player of value,” Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “We have been through a lot with over the years and he has been a very good player for us.”
GM Kekalainen on Seth Jones
“Seth Jones is a big, skilled defenseman who has the potential to be an elite performer in this league for many years to come,” Kekalainen said. “He has tremendous skill with the puck, sees the ice extremely well, and has the ability to shut down the opposition as well. We believe he will be an anchor on the blue line for our team for many years to come.”
- Predators.NHL.com: Predators GM David Poile.
“Ryan is a big, young center that can score, set up goals, win faceoffs,” Poile said. “He’s a No. 1 center who is still growing his game and has the size and skill that we have been looking for to match up with the best in the League.”
- Adam Vingan: Preds GM David Poile: “If we didn’t make this trade today, we’d be trying to make the same trade tomorrow, the next day, in the offseason.”
