Trade Pieces

With the Jackets having addressed their needs on defense by acquiring Provorov and then Severson, the attention now logically turns to the Jackets ever pressing issue to improve at center. Every name from Hayes to Lindholm has been floated as potential acquisitions for the Jackets and rightfully so. Yet the question now needs to be asked, with the 22nd overall pick, the prime trade chip the Jackets had in their pocket having been used to acquire a defenseman, what are now the potential pieces that they could use to land the center they so desperately want? Let’s look at some of the pieces that the Jackets could use in a potential trade. 

Note: I am not speculating here on who the Jackets are looking to acquire. I am merely evaluating as many pieces as possible as to what the Jackets could possibly use in a potential trade. Obviously not every piece would be used, and it is entirely possible only one or two of the lower value pieces are used and not the bigger pieces.

Roster Players

Jack Roslovic

For all the talk of the Jackets wanting to acquire a top 6 center to shore up the middle of the ice, it is incredibly fascinating to have Roslovic as a likely piece to come off the roster as just a couple of seasons ago, Roslovic was brought in to fill that exact need. However, the results have been a mixed bag at best. While he is a skilled player that is capable of putting up points in spurts, he is incredibly inconsistent in his two-way play and especially in his own zone. Essentially, if he isn’t on one of his random burners, not only is he not bringing much to the ice, but he also tends to have a negative impact on the play with his line routinely getting scored on and giving up high danger chances. Put that together with the fact that he’s not a young guy anymore and is entering his contract year, a change of scenery may be the best course of action. He may not have the value on the market that he once had but he can fill a role on a roster if a team out there is willing to take a chance on him. It is even possible Jarmo would be willing to retain some salary to maximize his value and especially if he is included in a trade to upgrade from him.

Emil Bemstrom

With the glut of wingers projected to be vying for a spot in training camp, it is more than fair to say that the clock is ticking on Bemstroms time in Columbus. While he has had success at pretty much every other level and has even shown that he can at times be a relatively effective bottom 6 winger at times, he has overall failed to take advantage of the opportunities that have been afforded to him over the last few seasons with all the injuries that opened up space on the lineup. This is despite continuously being given these chances to translate his scoring potential into a meaningful NHL role and most glaringly, especially in a top 6 role. Entering a contract year and with his chances at solidifying a roster spot not looking so great even in the most optimistic of views, it would make sense for the Jackets to try and find a new home for Bemstrom while he’s still relatively young and has some sort of potential value, however small.

Andrew Peeke

Having made trades for Severson and Provorov to upgrade the defense, there is now a massive overflow of defensemen on the roster and especially on the right side. So, despite Mike Babcocks propensity to have a deep defense at his disposal, it is logical to guess that Jarmo will look to move a defenseman and by doing the math, Peeke seems to be the most obvious choice. He isn’t a terrible defenseman, solid in the defensive zone, can block shots, can make a decent enough first pass and for all the Jackets injuries the last few seasons, has shown the ability to stay relatively healthy as well. The issue here is that he’s been tremendously overexposed and played much higher in the lineup than he should be due to those injuries. In all practical circumstances, he’s much more effectively deployed as a 3rd pairing guy who can step up in emergencies. While his trade value probably isn’t very high, his style of play would probably be at least somewhat attractive to a team looking to shore up its defensive depth with a younger, affordable player with manageable term.

Prospects

Cole Sillinger

This is a really fascinating situation the Jackets find themselves in with Sillinger. On one hand, he had a really difficult season, one of the more prominent examples of a sophomore slump seen in recent years and it ended off with a less than impressive stint in Cleveland. On the other hand, he's still ridiculously young with loads of upside that will be hard to part with despite his struggles. If the Jackets are looking to make a major move to upgrade at center and that move comes with a long term extension, it is not inconceivable to think that the Jackets may be forced to include Sillinger as a main piece going back. Time will tell if the Jackets will actually trade Sillinger but his inclusion in any deal will likely only be for a high end center locked up through the prime of his career. Otherwise, bet on the Jackets holding onto to him.

Corson Cuelemans

Over the last few seasons, while the Jackets have not had good performances on the ice, they have been able to build up their prospect pool with multiple seasons of having more than one selection in the first round. While many of the prospects selected are projected to have a long term impact on the Jackets roster, Cuelemans is a guy who, especially after the sign and trade for Severson, finds himself facing a near impossible task to make any sort of impact on the lineup in the foreseeable future. As such, if the right move comes along, using Cuelemans value as a still relatively high upside and recent first round selection to upgrade elsewhere on the lineup would be a wise move for the Jackets to make. 

Picks

‘23 34th overall

In a draft where many experts say that the number of potential first round quality prospects reaches into the second round, the Jackets 34th overall pick may as well be a first round pick and as such is arguably one of if not the highest value asset the Jackets have left in their possession that they may be willing to trade. If the Jackets find themselves in a position where they can either select a high upside player who may not be able to contribute for another 2 seasons or trade the pick for a top 6 center with term who can fill a need right away, it will be a very intriguing decision process for the Jackets to go through and it will be very tempting especially if the player they're looking at acquiring is a player they highly covet.

’24 or ’25 1st round pick

Typically, when a team is looking to be competitive, future first round picks are used in trades for players to help the team in the present. And for a Jackets team that is clearly looking to be on the up and up as soon as this season, it is logical to wonder if their future first round picks would be in play for a player who could improve the team. While Jarmo is a general manager who has been reluctant in the past to trade his first round picks, given his stated goal of wanting to return to the playoffs quickly raises the question if he would then be willing to part with future picks for present help especially given how strong the current prospect pool and how adept he is in identifying and drafting NHL caliber players with his later round picks. So while not entirely likely, it is not completely out of the question that in the right deal he would deal one of those future first round picks, however unwillingly, for help now.

In conclusion, the Jackets do have plenty of higher end trade pieces as mentioned here as well as many lower value pieces not noted that they could use to improve the roster. Obviously while moving any of these higher end trade pieces would be more of a dramatic risk as opposed to the more calculated risks that were taken with the Provorov/Severson deals, since Jarmo has shown that he wants to be better now, it is not unfeasible to think that he could move one or more of these pieces for immediate help to try and save his job by getting the Jackets back into the playoffs.