If Cayden Lindstrom wasn’t at No. 4, the Blue Jackets had a back-to-back trade
Aaron Portzline: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said if Cayden Lindstrom isn’t available to them at No. 4, they are ready to trade in reverse.
Pierre LeBrun: Heard the Chicago Blackhawks offered the Columbus Blue Jackets an unprotected 2025 first-round pick, along with another fourth overall pick. The Blue Jackets apparently passed on and selected Cayden Lindstrom.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: With Jake Guentzel leaving the Carolina Hurricanes, if they stop looking to trade Martin Necas and go with a one-year contract or arbitration? In a potential trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets involving the No. 1 overall pick. 4, the Blue Jackets had an extension offer for Necas.
NHL rumors: Guentzel, Stamkos, Duchene, Tanev, Blues, Oilers, Predators, and top 12 UFAs
Cap space has been an issue for some teams trying to make a trade … A few UFA targets for the Ottawa Senators
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen: The Ottawa Senators didn’t get lucky in the Mathieu Joseph or Erik Brannstrom trades and didn’t get the right fit for Jakob Chychrun and maybe Jacob Bernard-Docker.
- Bruce Garrioch: The Senators will not be eligible for Brannstrom and he will be a UFA.
Senior VP Senator Dave Poulin on Saturday.
“I don’t see that (making a trade and free agency) are the same. Sometimes you have to be able to make a trade to get where you want to get financially in free agency.
“You could still see some movement. There are ebbs and flows and there have been many trade talks leading up to the draft that would have included draft picks in those trades. If that doesn’t happen, it may still take financial relief.
“The cap is very important in trying to make deals. We might say to a group, ‘OK, we’re going to do this, but one of the two groups has to remove the financial position’. You will still see movement. We’re going to be in free agency mode to try to fill a few spots, but it might have to happen all at once to make it work.”
The two free agents the Senators can target are Matt Roy and Brandon Montour. The Senators need a right defenseman. Another source said they are looking at Brett Pesce but he will sign with the New Jersey Devils.
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