The Columbus Blue Jackets have a lot of decisions to make this off-season. Aside from shoring up their goaltending, they also need to figure out what they’re going to do with Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro.
Both defencemen are pending unrestricted free agents and obviously have a say in the matter, but the Blue Jackets need to decide if they want to bring them back or not.
The smart move would be to keep them. If both Fabbro and Provorov walk, that leaves some big shoes to fill in free agency—and this year’s class isn’t all that strong. Sure, there are names like Aaron Ekblad, Ryan Lindgren, and a few others, but none are worth letting both of these guys walk.
When Fabbro was claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators, he instantly fit in playing alongside Zach Werenski. The chemistry was there from the start, and they quickly became a solid top pairing. As for Provorov, he’s become a steady and reliable presence on the back end. If he were to leave, he’d be the biggest loss of the off-season.
There just aren’t many options on the open market that can replace what both of them bring. It’s not worth letting two key pieces of the blue line walk and then hoping to plug the holes with free agents who may not be a fit.
If GM Don Waddell’s time with the Carolina Hurricanes is any indication of how he’ll operate in Columbus, expect him to push hard to re-sign them. In Carolina, he was known for keeping the same core on defence together. That same approach should be applied here. Keeping this blue line group intact would be a big step in the right direction.
