Jackets’ options solid in free agency
Re-signing Pierre-luc Dubois is the priority
The market has come to a halt. More than a month after free agency began in this fall's oddly timed NHL offseason, a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, signings are a rarity as the league and NHL Players' Association discuss options for playing the 2020-21 season.
That's good news for teams such as the Blue Jackets, who have yet to re-sign top center Pierre-luc Dubois and won't know how much salary-cap space they'll have left until they do. The Jackets are about $9 million under the NHL'S $81.5 million salary cap with a roster that's nearly full, and Dubois – a restricted free agent whose next deal could eat up $6 million or more of it – is the only one missing.
That wouldn't leave a lot to spare, around $3 million, but there might be some wiggle room if general manager
Jarmo Kekalainen seeks additional help via free agency – especially if prices drop.
Should that be the case, here's a glance at what's left in the market and possible fits in Columbus:
Forwards
Best available: LW/RW Mike Hoffman (Florida Panthers), LW/C Mikael Granlund (Nashville Predators), LW/ RW Anthony Duclair (Ottawa Senators),
LW/C Erik Haula (Panthers), LW/C Derrick Brassard (New York Islanders), C/LW Carl Soderberg (Arizona Coyotes), LW/RW Ilya Kovalchuk (Washington Capitals), F Andreas Athanasiou (Edmonton Oilers), LW/ RW Conor Sheary (Pittsburgh Penguins), RW Corey Perry (Dallas Stars)
Projection: There are two ways to view a recent shoulder surgery that will keep veteran forward Gustav Nyquist out up to five months.
The Jackets must either replace a gaping hole at left wing on their second line with an established NHL player or use it to develop one of their promising forward prospects faster. The latter seems to be the direction Kekalainen is leaning, but that could change.
If so, multiple reports have already placed the Jackets as one of multiple teams interested in Hoffman – a topsix talent who had 29 goals, 30 assists and 59 points last season – and some in the Finnish media expect Granlund to sign with Columbus. Either would help the Jackets' offense, which struggled to produce goals last season without Artemi Panarin.
Other options include two former Blue Jackets: Brassard, who played the first six years of his career with Columbus, and Duclair, who played most of 2018-19 with the Jackets before he was dealt at the trade deadline.
Defensemen
Best available: Zdeno Chara (Boston Bruins), Sami Vatanen (Carolina Hurricanes), Michael Del Zotto (Anaheim Ducks)
Projection: The Blue Jackets' defensive depth took a hit when Kekalainen traded Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara for cap space. Assuming Dean Kukan holds the fifth spot on the depth chart, the sixth and seventh spots will be decided among Scott Harrington, Andrew Peeke and Gabriel Carlsson.
Those aren't bad options, but a couple of available players could pique Kekalainen's interest. The best fit is probably Vatanen, a two-way defender who's only 29 and has a right-hand shot that would fit on a third pairing with the left-handed Kukan.
Goalies
Best available: Craig Anderson (Senators), Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings), Ryan Miller (Ducks)
Projection: It looks like the NHL will play fewer than 82 games next season and the schedule will be compressed. Teams with two proven goalies will have an advantage, including the Blue Jackets.
Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins have both proven themselves as capable No. 1 options and both are in their mid-20s. It's unlikely that either will be traded at this point, but there are veteran options available should the Jackets deal one of them for added cap space.
Anderson and Miller are 39 but posted save percentages north of .900 last season, while Howard, 36, is motivated to prove he's better than his brutal 223-0 record and .883 save percentage in 2019-20 indicate. bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger