Managing the pain
Jackets make deal with Vegas to minimize damage
LAS VEGAS — The Blue Jackets prepared for Wednesday’s NHL expansion draft for more than a year, considering every move they made from a new perspective and negotiating hard in recent months with the Vegas Golden Knights to mitigate the damage.
But the Blue Jackets knew this was going to hurt. They
knew they’d lose a player they valued — and likely more.
The Golden Knights made center William Karlsson their pick off the Blue Jackets’ roster, snapping up the Jackets’ third- line center and top penalty killer.
It was part of a larger package that had been brewing for weeks.
The Blue Jackets were desperate to protect 23-year-old right wing Josh Anderson and 23-year-old backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, and they didn’t want Vegas to disrupt what they feel is the budding strength of the club: the defense.
It took a first-round draft pick — the Blue Jackets’ No. 24 overall this season — and a second-round pick in 2019 to push Golden Knights general manager George McPhee
away from those “hot spots” on the Columbus roster.
But, as a “sweetener” for the Blue Jackets, the Golden Knights agreed to acquire David Clarkson. More accurately, they agreed to acquire his contract, as Clarkson will likely never play again because of a degenerative back injury.
The move clears $5.25 million off the Blue Jackets’ salarycap figure, which