The Columbus Blue Jackets should be looking to add to their forward depth this off-season. One player who the Blue Jackets should consider making a push for is Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last month [https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=UwAKrOE8HyJ1wv0r&v=-fQgjOrF-qk&feature=youtu.be] that the Blackhawks have made Mikheyev's signing rights available for trade. With Mikheyev being a solid top-nine forward who provides decent secondary scoring and strong defensive play, the Blue Jackets should consider pursuing him. Mikheyev just had back-to-back solid campaigns with the Blackhawks. During the 2024-25 season with Chicago, he scored 20 goals and recorded 34 points. He followed that up this season by scoring 18 goals and setting a new career high with 36 points. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to provide the Blue Jackets with more offensive production if they brought him in. Mikheyev has also recorded at least 31 points in four out of his last five seasons. The only time he did not over that span was in 2022-23 with the Vancouver Canucks when he had 28 points but only played in 46 games. Mikheyev also provides plenty of value because of his strong penalty killing. He was a major part of the Blackhawks' penalty kill this season and could hold the same role if signed by the Blue Jackets. While Mikheyev is not the flashiest of players, he would still be a solid pickup for a Blue Jackets club that is looking to be more competitive next season. On a two- to three-year contract, the 31-year-old forward could be a good value signing for the Blue Jackets to make. In 427 career NHL games split between the Toronto Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Blackhawks, Mikheyev has recorded 98 goals, 103 assists, 201 points, and a plus-38 rating. Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14. Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwm-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and never miss a story. Let us know what you think below. For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7447c574-6125-4b4a-a1f2-d6462ceb8258.webp]
