Growth Plan: Projecting the Columbus Blue Jackets’ safety record for the 2021 enlargement draft

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Jarmo Kekalainen has freedom to guard his finest with zero no-movement clauses blocking the way in which, and which means Columbus ought to be capable of preserve its core intact with out the danger of one other William Karlsson-esque gaffe.Seth Jones and Zach Werenski|Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire through Getty ImagesWelcome to the Growth Plan, our summer time sequence projecting the protected lists for the 30 NHL franchises who will take part within the June 2021 Growth Draft.
Over the following two seasons, each group – save the Vegas Golden Knights, who will probably be exempt – will probably be planning for the arrival of the NHL’s 32nd franchise and Seattle GM Ron Francis will start to think about the choices for his inaugural roster. As such, over the course of the following 30 days, we’ll profile one group, in alphabetical order, and forecast their potential record of protections and exposures, in addition to tackle every group’s enlargement technique, no-brainers, robust selections and what classes they realized from the 2017 enlargement course of.
This train requires some essential floor guidelines. The 2021 Growth Draft will observe the identical guidelines because the 2017 Growth Draft, however some assumptions are mandatory. These are the rules adopted:
No pre-draft trades
All no-movement clauses are honored
Gamers who will turn out to be restricted free brokers in 2020 or 2021 stay with present groups
Gamers who will turn out to be unrestricted free brokers in 2020 or 2021 both stay with present groups or are left off lists completely (eg. Nicklas Backstrom protected by the Washington Capitals, Tyson Barrie not protected by Toronto Maple Leafs or some other group.)
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It took one low season for your entire course of the Blue Jackets’ enlargement plans to vary. Had Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky remained key cogs of the roster, it was plain as day that each had been going to be protected, though the previous was rather more a certain factor than the latter. However with Panarin bolting to Broadway and Bobrovsky heading for the Sunshine State, there’s no want to guard both. That wipes the slate clear and provides GM Jarmo Kekalainen loads of choices.
Making Kekalainen’s job barely simpler, too, is that he doesn’t presently have a single no-movement clause to work round. True as it could be that the NMC state of affairs can change with one signing right here or one commerce there, that the Blue Jackets don’t have a single participant with such a clause proper now places them forward of the place they had been coming into the 2017 draft, when 4 gamers had been protected, together with Brandon Dubinsky and Scott Hartnell, who was later purchased out by Columbus.
The most effective-case situation for Kekalainen is one during which he retains his choices open. The Blue Jackets’ all-in try didn’t go bust, but it surely didn’t growth, both. Meaning Columbus has to do one thing of a reset, and if there’s nothing handcuffing Kekalainen, he can proceed to construct with out dropping an essential participant.
PROTECTED (7F, 3D, 1G):
Forwards:
Cam Atkinson
Gustav Nyquist
Boone Jenner
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Josh Anderson
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Alexandre Texier
Defensemen:
Seth Jones
Zach Werenski
Markus Nutivaara
Goaltenders:
NOTABLE EXPOSURES: Alexander Wennberg, Sonny Milano, Gabriel Carlsson
STRATEGY: For the way expansion-team-friendly the draft guidelines are, they do permit established franchises the chance to maintain their cores collectively as long as NMCs haven’t been handed out like sweet to veteran gamers. Meaning Columbus will get to maintain the gamers you’d count on on the town. Simply run down that record, which incorporates high purpose scorer Atkinson, first-line middle Dubois, top-six wingers Anderson and Bjorkstrand and Nyquist, who was this summer time’s notable acquisition. Not dangerous in any respect. Heck, the Blue Jackets even preserve their blueline collectively by defending Jones, Werenski and Nutivaara.
Two notes: Texier has accrued an expert season, so which means he must be protected after his spectacular foray into the lineup late within the season. If he retains that up, he’ll be value defending, too, and you’ll perceive why scouts had him as one of many Blue Jackets’ high prospects. Additionally, the Blue Jackets can get away with defending Korpisalo and preserving Elvis Merzlikins, who will solely have two seasons underneath his belt and thus be exempt. That’ll do.
THE NO BRAINER: The muse of the franchise is Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. They’re as essential to Columbus’ success now and sooner or later as some other gamers, so spending two safety spots on the pair of rearguards is the simplest choice Kekalainen goes to must make. Pair them collectively, cut up them aside, regardless of the Blue Jackets select to do, it doesn’t matter. The highest finish of the blueline is the one space the place Columbus has an edge on the vast majority of the league.
THE TOUGH DECISION: Do you let Nick Foligno stroll? He’ll be a free agent in 2021, which means the Blue Jackets captain might stroll not lengthy after the enlargement draft if he isn’t signed. Locking him up, although, means one fewer safety spot and a really troublesome alternative between retaining a promising younger participant corresponding to Texier or letting Foligno doubtlessly swimsuit up in Seattle. Foligno is a participant whose contract standing will probably be extremely intriguing heading into the ultimate season of his pact.
LESSON LEARNED: Don’t overpay to maintain a participant. It price the Blue Jackets a first-round choose and second-round choose to affect the Golden Knights’ number of William Karlsson in a deal that additionally included Vegas taking over David Clarkson’s contract. Your complete factor backfired spectacularly, with Karlsson breaking out and turning right into a official top-six pivot.
Up Subsequent: Dallas Stars
Earlier: Anaheim Geese | Arizona Coyotes | Boston Bruins | Buffalo Sabres | Calgary Flames | Carolina Hurricanes | Chicago Blackhawks | Colorado Avalanche |
(All wage cap data through CapFriendly)
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Tags: columbus blue jackets, expansionConnect: In regards to the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and internet editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the group since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he may be discovered lacking the online on out of doors rinks throughout city.