Speculation season has begun.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are down multiple injured players, so it should be no surprise to hear they're interested in adding external help. Further, they know they need help at center ice.
NHL insiders have recently let it be known that that team's interest in finding a center hasn't waned. Earlier this week, one of them went a step further to explain exactly what GM Jarmo Kekalainen is looking for.
The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun was on TSN 690 in advance of the Blue Jackets' game against the Montreal Canadiens and gave an update on where the team stands.
“It’d be a center,” said LeBrun. “And that’s why they were in on Matt Duchene. They think they made a pretty good offer is what my understanding is. They didn’t get him. And so just because they didn’t get Matt Duchene doesn’t mean that that desire of adding a center disappears. It’s just that the next person up hasn’t quite materialized. I don’t think it’s clear what Columbus can go out and do now. But at some point in time between now and February 26 there’s no question in my mind I believe the Columbus Blue Jackets have identified that as their top priority, all things being equal, in terms of other potential injuries and other issues.
“But as it stands right now, I think they want to go out and find a top-two center or certainly a top-six forward, and they feel pretty good about their team if they can do that.”
The interest in Duchene has been well-known since this past summer, indicating that their pursuit of a similar player isn't going to stop just because they missed out on their first target.
In the short term, the Blue Jackets are getting by with the likes of Jordan Schroeder filling in at center and chipping in some minutes. It's unlikely that a knee-jerk reaction would take place as they wait for key cogs to heal, but nonetheless, the Blue Jackets are officially a team to monitor as the trade talk intensifies.
