The Columbus Blue Jackets Made Aggressive Moves in the Finals
The Columbus Blue Jackets made a coaching change and now have the best record in the National Hockey League. Remember, the Blue Jackets started the season with Dean Evason, and on January 12, he was replaced by Rick Bowness. The Blue Jackets are a different team under him.
GM Don Waddell believes the Blue Jackets are a playoff team, as many expected them to be coming off of their success last season. Things didn’t start well, so a coaching change was made. Given how the Blue Jackets have risen to the top and are in a playoff spot.
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Waddell decided to keep Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment (the team acquired him earlier in the season from the Seattle Kraken), Boone Jenner, Danton Heinen, Miles Wood, and Mathieu Olivier (he signed a new six-year, $18 million, $3 million AAV contract). The theory is that he wants to extend Coyle, Jenner, and maybe one.
But Waddell wanted to get into it this season and decided to add Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks. He was linked to the Blue Jackets entering the trade deadline. As Dave Pagnotta of Fourth Period on TFP Hotstove noted, the Blue Jackets have always looked to add to their front six.
Writing for NHLRumors.com
Peter Berce: “The Blue Jackets are making a strong push to get into the playoffs. They’re in the mix. They got Conor Garland. It looks like Werenski is back in the lineup tonight (Saturday), saying he’s lost a lot of pounds because of his illness the last few days. Don Waddell’s rage and getting Conorland, guy Dave.
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Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, he wanted to add a top guy. Now they’re firing, even a little later on Bobby McMann again. I said earlier in the show, outside of Toronto, they wanted a top guy. They wanted another piece to add to their team.
And Conor Garland is controllable. You are locked in. His non-trade does not start. His new contract won’t start until July 1, however, and he’s locked in a six-year deal.
So they felt that was an area that they had to fix, and the way they played this season, they did well this season, that they were a playoff team, and I think they looked at Boston dead in their eyes, one point behind them right now (two points), Boston didn’t do anything important in terms of strengthening their roster going into the deadline.
And I think Columbus thinks they’re ready to go. So that’s something that will eventually, obviously, be open again. I mean, the Islanders have to step it up too. Pete, they are only three points behind Columbus, and the Jackets have two games in hand. So the Jackets feel like they wanted to add and feel like their roster is a playoff team.
Another one I think will miss, either Boston or the Isles. I think the Isles are advanced enough to stay in it. I would be worried if I were the Bruins.”
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Garland now has four goals in three games with the Blue Jackets. There is a belief that Columbus can make the playoffs. The question remains: who are they taking out? Is it the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, or Pittsburgh Penguins?
But given how the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets have added, and other teams have not, you have to think that with games in hand, it will be the Blue Jackets.
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