After looking at who is expected to be available on the free agent market, it is more than fair to say that the Jackets would likely be underwhelmed at what their options are to fill the gap on the left side of the second defense pair. That together with the fact that the cap is only going up slightly this summer and there could be some very interesting names that become available as cap casualties and possibly even at a reduced acquisition cost. Let’s look at some of the defensemen who could be available this offseason.
Ivan Provorov
Once upon a time, some in the community were probably irked that Provorov was selected by the Flyers one pick ahead of the Jackets pick. How the times have changed, after a couple solid seasons, he has fallen on hard times leading to rumors that both he and Flyers may be looking to move on. He makes $6.75 million but only has 2 years left on his deal which could make for a smart investment especially given his upside and still only being 26 years old. The tricky part is what the cost to acquire him could look like as teams will likely look to land him for pennies on the dollar while the Flyers probably still view Provorov as having the potential to be a number 1 defenseman in the NHL. The Blue Jackets would be wise to have the Flyers on the phone since even if a deal Provorov can’t be reached then maybe it would be wise to explore the next player on this list.
Travis Sanheim
Even though he just signed a long-term deal that kicks in next season, the team already seems to be regretting the deal. His play has stagnated, and a fresh start may be needed to kick start the top 4 potential many still view him as having as well as clearing space for some of the Flyers younger and promising defense prospects. They do need to decide over the summer over his future with the team since a full NTC kicks in with the start of contract which runs for 4 seasons. If the Flyers are motivated to move a relatively young defenseman who still has good upside to develop, Sanheim could be acquired for relatively reasonable price. The only impediment is the 4-year minimum commitment the Jackets would have to make due to his NTC. If they think he can perform well up and down the pairings, he’d be an ideal fit in Columbus.
Nate Schmidt
Schmidt finds himself on a Winnipeg team that is entering a potentially massive offseason filled with speculation that some of the bigger names may be flipped to shake things up. He makes big money but mostly finds himself either on the second or third pairing which could render him a cap casualty if the team is looking to invest the cap being used for him elsewhere. A couple of potential roadblocks, although his actual money is less than his cap hit, he does count for almost $6 million against the cap which is a significant commitment to make for another 2 seasons especially since it’ll be for him to perform essentially the same role he does in Winnipeg as a high energy, high character veteran. The other thing to consider is that he does hold a modified NTC so he would have to be ok with coming to Columbus in the event the Jackets are serious about pursuing him.
Logan Stanley
Stanley is an interesting case. On the one hand, he’s got great size and plays a good defensive game. On the other hand, on ice inconsistency and the lack of ability to stay in the lineup led to a rumored trade request. The issue is really that he’s got pretty good value, but he isn’t fully developed, doesn’t make a ton of money and Winnipeg is honestly not very interested in trading low for him. If they can be persuaded that it would be the right move for all parties involved to move on, Stanley would be a relatively low risk, low reward type of acquisition that even in a worst-case scenario, is a relatively cheap placeholder until prospects in the Jackets system are ready to move into full time roles.
Sam Girard
Continuing the fallout from the Stanley Cup victory, Colorado comes into this offseason with another cap crunch and Girard is next up as a casualty. He makes a decent chunk of cash at $5 million a season and he also has Byram coming up to take his spot. He brings good puck moving and offense from the defense position and he’s not as atrocious as you may have been led to believe in the defensive zone as well. The Jackets would be wise to inquire, especially given they can accommodate Colorado by taking his entire salary on (for a price, of course) and that Girard is still relatively young and has untapped potential that can be developed in Columbus.
Matt Grzelcyk
Another candidate to be a cap casualty is Grzelcyk from the Bruins. He has managed to carve out a good role for himself on the Bruins over the last couple seasons, however he was scratched twice in their shocking opening round loss to the Panthers and with the team primed to go through an overhaul this offseason, they may look to move on from him. The fit is there in Columbus on multiple levels as he brings much needed experience on the back end and the commitment would only have to be for one season in the worst-case scenario. It is also possible that depending on how the Bruins navigate their cap this offseason Grzelcyk could be available for a fairly reasonable price as well if they feel pressured to make a move.
Brayden McNabb
Not as obvious as an option but McNabb could find himself expendable in Vegas this summer with Hague coming up behind him. He has good veteran experience having gone deep into the playoffs multiple times and would provide excellent leadership in Columbus and on top of that would only be a 2-season commitment. The issue is twofold, he is on a reasonably priced contract, making tad under $3 million and on top of that, has a modified NTC for the duration of his contract. As such, it would not be unreasonable to assume that McNabb wouldn’t want to willingly go to a developing team especially since it would mean sacrificing potential shots at the Stanley Cup over the duration of his contract.
Jon Merrill
Having just signed with the Wild last offseason, Merrill’s name really hasn’t floated around that much. However, it is fair to wonder if the veteran defenseman on a very reasonably priced deal paying him only $1.2 million for the next 2 seasons could possibly be available especially since he doesn’t have any trade protection. He’s a solid depth option and likely wouldn’t cost too much for the Jackets (or any team for that matter) to acquire him, given of course the Wild are motivated to move him at all. The only issue this author sees here is that Merrill may be better suited as a fringe third pairing guy rather than a plug and play on the second pairing.
Brett Kulak
The Oilers are yet another team on this list that is facing some cap gymnastics this summer. Given they are likely to try maneuvering around the edges, it is not unreasonable to think that Kulak and his modest $2.75 million could be trimmed off in favor of other cheaper options such as Broberg or Niemelainen to improve the roster elsewhere. Given this scenario, the Jackets could probably land Kulak at a reasonable acquisition cost. The only potential roadblock here is that he still has 3 seasons left on his deal which is probably a tad more than the Jackets are likely willing to commit to a veteran stopgap defenseman. Regardless, if some of the more obvious and bigger names available end up elsewhere, do not be surprised to see the Oilers and the Jackets potentially explore this.
Noah Hanifin
More of a long shot option, Hanifin nevertheless may be available out of Calgary given the uncertainty around his willingness to sign an extension when he becomes eligible for one when free agency opens. From the Jackets perspective, finding a long-term spot for Hanifin on the roster may prove difficult since he’ll likely want a longer-term contract which will put him in direct competition with Mateychuk or Svozil among others. However, if he is willing to sign the deal and be part of the solution and allow the situation to play itself out over time, he would be a monster addition to the roster. It also doesn’t hurt that he brings loads of familiarity with Gaudreau. Obviously, a deal won’t happen without an extension, and it would be fair to question his availability in general now that Sutter has been let go but if he is indeed available, the Jackets should absolutely be all over him.
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