Duchene to the Blue Jackets? Canada’s top teams must like that

Deal improves chances for Jets, Leafs, Flames

Does anyone know what type of flowers Pierre Dorion prefers?

We ask on behalf of Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and Flames GM Brad Treliving, who owe the Senators general manager the biggest bouquet you can find for sending Matt Duchene to the Blue Jackets on Friday.

While they are at it, they better pick out a card. Maybe the three of them can save money and sign it together.

After all, it’s Toronto, Calgary and Winnipeg — not Columbus or Ottawa — that benefit the most from this trade, which not only sent Duchene to Columbus for a package of prospects and draft picks, but made it so that the Blue Jackets will likely also hang onto Artemi Panarin for the duration of the season.

In the process, two of the top three potential rentals were effectively taken off the market. That they ended up in a non- threatening place such a Columbus just happened to be a huge bonus.

While they are at it, maybe the Blue Jackets can also acquire Mark Stone, Wayne Simmonds and Mats Zuccarello. Better them than a team that can actually win the Stanley Cup — much less advance past the first round.

That’s the big takeaway here.

The trade deadline isn’t always about what players your team will end up with by 3 p.m. ET on Monday. It’s what your team’s rivals don’t end up with. And if you are a fan of the Maple Leafs, Jets or Flames, you have to be happy that Duchene and Panarin are not only off the board — but are also not in Boston, Nashville or Vegas.

Columbus, you can handle.

The Blue Jackets aren’t a threat to anyone. Certainly, not based on their recent playoff history or with the way they’ve played lately.

Even with Duchene slotted behind Pierre- Luc Dubois as the No. 2 centre, this is still a team that as of Friday afternoon was one point out of a final wild-card spot, having lost two of their past three games.

Who knows, maybe this is the shot in the arm that gets the Blue Jackets into the playoffs. Maybe it even gets them home-ice advantage. But it doesn’t get them any closer to a Stanley Cup — not if Columbus, which has never advanced past the first round, has to play Tampa, Washington or Pittsburgh in the first round.

That would not have been the case if Boston or Nashville or Vegas had ended up with Duchene. Put him in any of those cities and you’re odds of winning the Cup dramatically changes.

Can you imagine Duchene playing behind the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron, with David Krejci and Charlie Coyle as the other two centres? What would the Predators’ lineup look like with him, Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris down the middle? Or in Vegas, who are so deep at the centre position that adding Duchene might have meant slotting him in as the No. 3 centre behind William Karlsson and Paul Stastny.

So, yeah, that sound you heard on Friday at noon was the rest of Canada breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Duchene did not end up in Winnipeg, who definitely could have used him to light a fire under Patrik Laine. But at least the Jets won’t have to see him when they play the Predators in the second round. The question is whom will they see.

With Duchene gone from Ottawa and Panarin likely remaining in Columbus, all eyes are now focused on what the Senators will do with Stone, the winger whose price has risen dramatically based on the recent supply and demand.

Will he re-sign in Ottawa? If not, could he end up in Boston, Nashville or Vegas?

Or maybe a team like Winnipeg or Calgary makes a pitch for him, simply for the sake of keeping him out of their rivals’ hands. It’s what the Penguins did years ago when they acquired Jarome Iginla at the deadline, not so much because Iginla could help them but more so because they didn’t want to see him end up with the Bruins.

After that, the pool gets significantly shallow. Again, that might be a good thing if you believe that the Leafs, Flames and Jets only need to tinker rather than add a big piece at the deadline.

Whether it’s Simmonds or Zuccarello or Gustav Nyquis t, seeing anyone other than Stone in a Bruins, Predators or Golden Knights jersey is not going to scare you the way that Duchene or Panarin might have. Then again, a year ago Washington’s big addition was acquiring defenceman Michal Kempny at the deadline.

Two months later, he was the difference maker in the Capitals being able to win the Cup.

So maybe hold off on that flower order until we find out where Adam McQuaid or Ryan Dzingel ends up.

TONY CALDWELL / POSTMEDIA NEWS A mural at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa features Matt Duchene, who was traded on Friday to Columbus.