Blue Jackets Early Season Trade Targets

The Columbus Blue Jackets, much like every other NHL team in the league, are now preparing for the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.

Now that we are two months into the season, Columbus finds themselves near the bottom of the NHL. There are plenty of players on the Blue Jackets that could be available for trade.

Depending on how the season plays out for the Blue Jackets, they will definitely look at moving out some of their older veterans to help continue building for the future.

The first name that comes to mind is James Van Reimsdyk; he signed with the Blue Jackets this off-season and could be the best rental option that the team has. As a veteran who has a very low AAV, he will be wanted by many NHL teams looking to add depth at the deadline.

Second up is Ivan Provorov; he is an UFA at season's end, which will more than likely mean that he will be dealt this season. Given the organization's cap situation, they may be inclined to retain a portion of his salary to ensure they receive a higher asking price.

Lastly, the captain, Boone Jenner. Is it finally the year that he is dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs? Every year the Maple Leafs media has him going there, and every year he stays put. He is a valued member of the team, but with him being out long-term, it may allow the management group to trade him and move on from the past core.

There are other names that could be moved, such as Sean Kuraly, Justin Danforth, Kevin Labanc, Dante Fabbro, and Jack Johnson, who are all on expiring deals, making them easy rentals to flip.

But there is also Elvis Merzlikins, who has two years remaining at $5.4 million, and his time may be coming to an end in Columbus. He could be an option for a team that is in need of goaltending closer to the deadline.

The Blue Jackets are in an interesting position. They are rebuilding and can see the other side, but with another bad year in the works, they may be forced to trade some pieces off and restructure their core players.

Only time will tell what happens, but we all know something has to give, and GM Don Waddell isn't going to deal with the losing for long before he makes big moves to shake things up.