On this date in 2023, former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen made a trade, which was his second in 4 days, that could only be described as a "Hail Mary." The Columbus Blue Jackets made a significant move in an attempt to bolster their blue line, acquiring defenseman Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils. In exchange, the Devils received a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The CBJ then signed Severson to an 8-year, $50 million contract, which brought an AAV of $6,250,000 per season. The deal, at the time, was perceived as another overpayment to get a UFA to come to Columbus. Three years later, the deal, in terms of the AAV, doesn't look all that bad with the cap skyrocketing. This deal further reinforced their new look back end, as just three days earlier, the Blue Jackets had acquired Ivan Provorov from the Philadelphia Flyers in a three-team trade. Severson, 30, is known for his ability to contribute at both ends of the ice. In his final season with the Devils, he posted 33 points (7 goals, 26 assists) in 81 games. His impact carried over to his first season with the Blue Jackets, where he recorded 28 points (9 goals, 19 assists) in just 62 games. His second season wasn't all that bad, as he collected 6 goals, totaled 25 points, and finished plus-5. Dean Evason had a different perspective, though, as he would scratch Severson down the stretch. Severson called it "embarrassing." Last season, he came back with a vengeance, scoring 8 goals, totaling 32 points, and finishing with a plus-18 rating. When he went down with a shoulder injury that required surgery, the team seemed to begin its downfall, which led to them missing the playoffs. He was asked during his exit interviews if his getting hurt was the start of the downfall. He said that one man going down didn't cause it, and it was essentially a team effort as to why they missed the playoffs. Severson is humble. Damon Severson clearly had a positive influence on the team this season. Once Rick Bowness came in, Severson took off after getting a new partner in Zach Werenski. Yes, Werenski tends to have that effect on players, but Severson has generally been known as a decent defenseman. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
