About a month ago, the thought was that President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell was still looking to add a piece or two at forward.
With the passing of Johnny Gaudreau, everything was put on hold.
Now, with the start of the preseason only a little more than a week away, the Blue Jackets are trying to address not only the original needs, but the impossible task of filling Johnny Hockey's spot on the roster.
They made one move Sunday, signing winger James van Riemsdyk to a one-year contract worth $900k. He's a steady hand and provides a much-needed veteran presence on a team who lost one of their best leaders on and off the ice with Gaudreau's passing.
Van Riemsdyk seems a good bet to fill in the left wing spot on the third line, presumably centered by Cole Sillinger and potentially with someone like Dmitri Voronkov or Yegor Chinakhov playing opposite of JVR at the right wing position.
But Waddell may not be done. While the passing of Gaudreau put the Blue Jackets under the cap floor and technically ineligible to play, the general manager has strongly hinted that the NHL would give an exemption, given the circumstances. Gaudreau, at a cap hit of $9.75 million, was the highest paid player on the team.
In addition to the loss of Johnny, it's also player turnover and potential games missed that are the reason for the pre-season signings. Justin Danforth is recovering from surgery and it's not yet known how long he may be out — we should learn more on that later this week. Patrik Laine is in Montreal now, and there doesn't appear to be anyone from Cleveland ready to make the jump full-time into the NHL.
So if JVR is only one piece of the two-piece puzzle, what other free agents could Waddell be talking with right now? Here are five possibilities for the Blue Jackets to add more depth without trading assets to do so:
Phil Kessel
2023-24: Did not play in the NHL.
Age: Damn near 37.
Why He Fits: Why would the Blue Jackets want someone who turns 37 a week before the regular season starts, who didn't even play last season, and who tortured the city of Columbus for years as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins?
A lot of reasons. Like van Riemsdyk, he would bring a steady, calm presence to a franchise that needs it. In the 2022-23 season, the last he played, Kessel had 14 goals and 22 assists and played all 82 games. But more than that, he's also still got a passion for the game and that's something that the Blue Jackets (and their fans) want to see out of a player. He's also a notoriously fun guy to be around. Given some of the cultural issues in recent seasons, that kind of personality off the ice might really help the team on the ice. Also — and not a reason to sign him, but more of a fun fact: Kessel is just eight points away from becoming the 96th player in league history to notch 1,000 points.
On Monday's "32 Thoughts" podcast with Elliotte Friedeman, he stated the following: "I wondered if there was any chance that Phil Kessel may end up there (the Blue Jackets). Just simply because I think this is a serious season for Columbus. They were disappointed last year. They want to show some improvement, but I kind of wonder about a guy like Kessel simply because he's got the reputation of being someone who really lightens the mood and just creates a lot of enjoyment when he's around."
Don't be surprised if Kessel is a fan-favorite in Columbus by the end of the calendar year. This one could happen.
Jakub Vrana
2023-24: St. Louis Blues (21 games, 2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points)
Age: 28
Why He Fits: Vrana has shown flashes of brilliance, scoring 24+ goals in back-to-back seasons with the Washington Capitals in 2018-19 and 19-20. He also added 19 goals in the COVID-shortened, 50-game season of 2020-21. But he's played in just 72 games over the last three seasons, scoring 26 goals in that time. Injuries have bitten him, but he's still just 28 and should be cheap enough if the Blue Jackets want to take a flyer on him. Vrana is currently signed to a professional tryout contract with the Capitals, but given their cap situation (way over as of now), it seems unlikely that they'll be able to actually sign him to a contract.
Kailer Yamamoto
2023-24: Seattle Kraken (59 games, 8 goals, 8 assists, 16 points)
Age: 25
Why He Fits: In his first six seasons in the NHL, Yamamoto averaged 40 points per campaign with the Edmonton Oilers. The 25-year-old struggled with the Seattle Kraken last season, scoring eight goals and adding eight assists for a 16-point effort in 59 games. Like Vrana, Yamamato feels young enough and has shown enough ability to score in the NHL to get another chance. Also like Vrana, he's signed to a tryout contract: Yamamoto's is with the Utah Hockey Club, who could afford to sign him if they wanted to, but the Blue Jackets could offer him a guaranteed contract should they choose.
Tanner Pearson
2023-24: Montreal Canadians (54 games, 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 games)
Age: 32
Why He Fits: Another free agent signed to a professional tryout contract here, as Pearson was picked up a few weeks ago by the Vegas Golden Knights. He may not move the needle too much, but has plenty of NHL experience (644 games) despite missing almost all of the 2022-23 season (his last with the Vancouver Canucks) with a hand injury that nearly put him into retirement.
For Columbus, adding Pearson would be the addition of another veteran presence. He was also line mates with new Blue Jacket center Sean Monahan for a chunk of time last season in Montreal, with their line putting up 2.9 goals/60 minutes in their time together. The two remain good friends. Monahan, who undoubtedly has had a crushing offseason with the loss of his close friend Gaudreau, could appreciate having a friend by his side.
Adam Erne
2023-24: Edmonton Oilers (24 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points)
Age: 29
Why He Fits: Like everyone else on this list, Erne is on a PTO. This time, it's with the New York Rangers. But while Erne has never been one to light up a box score — he has just 91 points in 379 career NHL games — he has been a dependable defensive-minded forward in his eight-year career. In Columbus, Erne would likely slot in as a fourth-line player who could help fill a roster spot here while keeping guys who need minutes in Cleveland. He's probably the least-exciting name on the list, but the guy always seems to land on an NHL roster and that's not an accident.
