What about some of the Blue Jackets' under-the-radar re-signings this offseason?
The fifth line is attempting to wait patiently as the Columbus front office does its best to extend one of the biggest RFAs in franchise history - Patrik Laine. The negotiations are taking longer than some had hoped, but at least both sides remain at the table with the hope still alive that a deal will get done by the start of the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are busy taking care of business by extending other key players, such as Jack Roslovic and Daniil Tarasov. But what about the re-signings focused on depth and filling out the roster for the 2022-23 season? Let's take a look at three under-the-radar extensions and what impact they may have on the team for the upcoming season.
Dunne's name hasn't been mentioned very often in connection with the Blue Jackets lately, as he spent the entire 2021-22 season with their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. The 6-foot-4, 210 lb. center had a stat line of 6-5-11 in 29 games last season, in what was his second campaign suiting up for the Monsters.
Dunne did see limited action back at the end of the 2020-21 season. He appeared in 6 games with an average time on ice (ATOI) of 10:23 and a stat line of 0-0-0. Though he did record seven blocked shots, 12 hits, and a takeaway during his stint in the NHL.
The CBJ did sign Dunne to another two-way deal so they must not be willing to close the door on his NHL potential just yet. He does have great size for an NHL center. However, with his age (will turn 24 two months into the season) and the fact that he wasn't called up at the end of last season when so many of his teammates were, the former undrafted free agent will likely be stashed in Cleveland in case of emergencies only.
The Central Ohio native was able to realize a dream when he was called up, this past April, to play for the Blue Jackets team he had rooted for his whole life. His debut was brief, lasting just over three minutes, but he was able to stick around for 13 games in total, with an ATOI of 8:36. He was able to notch his first NHL goal as well as three total points. Another plus for Meyer was his physical play, something that was largely missing from Blue Jackets' forwards last year. The right-winger recorded 27 hits, which extrapolated out to a full 82-game season, would have been 170 hits, good enough for third on the team.
Meyer didn't make it to the NHL till he was 24, but he did make the most of his opportunity when presented to him. Unfortunately, due to Columbus' youth and depth, he may be stuck in Cleveland for the better part of next season, but securing his second NHL (two-way) contract was certainly a win for him, and you can bet he will be ready if and when his name is called again.
Gaunce started out with higher expectations than the two previously-mentioned players. He was selected 26th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2012 and made his debut three years later. He has played very sparingly in the NHL over six of the past seven seasons, donning a Blue Jackets sweater for the first time last year.
He appeared in 30 games, last year for Columbus, the third-highest total of his career. He had an ATOI of just 8:06, but he was able to tally five goals and two assists with a pretty impressive 11.4% shooting percentage. He also had nine blocked shots, 42 hits, and 8 takeaways.
It's safe to say that Gaunce's career has not lived up to expectations, but at least he is still competing for a roster spot ten years after being selected. That is better than a lot of former first-round picks can say. He will undoubtedly spend a good bit of his time with the Monsters, but he did receive a little bit more security than Dunne or Meyer as he was able to secure a two-year, two-way contract.
