By waiving both Kyle Wilson and Mike Commodore, without immediately making call-ups from Springfield, Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson has ignited a raging brush fire across the Columbus hockeyscape and beyond. Lots of rumors are starting to fly. The latest one has Columbus sending Rick Nash, R.J. Umberger and Nikita Filatov to Pittsburgh for Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Alex Goligoski. Sweet Cheez-its! Could something like that really be in play? There's a multitude of possibilities here, but only two scenarios really make any sense.
The first scenario would have Columbus trading an active player (not named Wilson or Commodore), thus creating a third "open" roster spot and receiving three active players in return. This could also play out as a four player for two player type of deal. Obviously the active player being traded from Columbus would have to be a really big name for the Jackets to get three players back and, let's face it, the Jackets only have one really big name player. However, the trade referenced in the rumor above doesn't really fit the mold that Howson has already cast. The Jackets would be giving up two active players and getting three back. There would still be an empty roster slot, meaning he wouldn't have had to waive Wilson AND Commodore. Nash, Wilson and Filatov for three players? Maybe.
The second scenario would have the Blue Jackets adding two players to the active roster without giving up any in the deal. It could look something like Filatov and a draft pick (or picks) for two active players.
Any scenario other than these two eventually leads to questions about Howson's decision to waive Wilson and Commodore without making corresponding call-ups, or at least the timing of those moves. In other words, if Howson was considering more call-ups one would think the players involved would be on a flight to Anaheim already.
So which is it, Door Number 1 or Door Number 2? Scott Torgerson (@myguythetorg) from 97.1 The Fan says he has a "great source", the identity of whom he is naturally protecting, who tells him the Blue Jackets are working on a BIG trade. The Source narrowed the list of potential trade partners down to San Jose, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal and Pittsburgh.
There's also this from @EricSmith_FSO, who covers the Blue Jackets for Fox Sports Ohio:
"The rumor I heard last night from a source about a proposed trade, if it happens, would rock this town."
The notorious Eklund, The Anonymous Hockey Blogger and Founder/CEO of Hockey Buzz, took it one step further, saying the rumored trade would not only rock Columbus but the entire "hockey world". As one CBJ blogger said to me yesterday, "Eklund is only right about once a year," so caveat emptor on this one.
If there is anything to these rumors and sources and what have you, then the answer appears to be lurking behind Door Number 1, meaning the Blue Jackets might be on the verge of trading an active player or players in a deal that involves a total of five or 6 players. That would be BIG. Door Number 2 - Filatov and draft picks for two players - is Boys Husky, but it's not BIG. And it probably wouldn't rock The Newport, let alone Columbus as a whole or the "hockey world".
As the Blue Jackets prepare for back-to-back road games against the Anaheim Ducks and the L.A. Kings, we're left with lots of questions, lots of rumors and a plot that thickens with each passing minute. Whatever happens, based on the clues that Howson has provided, it's starting to look like the team that takes the ice at Nationwide on Tuesday night against Phoenix is not going to be the "same old Jackets".
The first scenario would have Columbus trading an active player (not named Wilson or Commodore), thus creating a third "open" roster spot and receiving three active players in return. This could also play out as a four player for two player type of deal. Obviously the active player being traded from Columbus would have to be a really big name for the Jackets to get three players back and, let's face it, the Jackets only have one really big name player. However, the trade referenced in the rumor above doesn't really fit the mold that Howson has already cast. The Jackets would be giving up two active players and getting three back. There would still be an empty roster slot, meaning he wouldn't have had to waive Wilson AND Commodore. Nash, Wilson and Filatov for three players? Maybe.
The second scenario would have the Blue Jackets adding two players to the active roster without giving up any in the deal. It could look something like Filatov and a draft pick (or picks) for two active players.
Any scenario other than these two eventually leads to questions about Howson's decision to waive Wilson and Commodore without making corresponding call-ups, or at least the timing of those moves. In other words, if Howson was considering more call-ups one would think the players involved would be on a flight to Anaheim already.
So which is it, Door Number 1 or Door Number 2? Scott Torgerson (@myguythetorg) from 97.1 The Fan says he has a "great source", the identity of whom he is naturally protecting, who tells him the Blue Jackets are working on a BIG trade. The Source narrowed the list of potential trade partners down to San Jose, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal and Pittsburgh.
There's also this from @EricSmith_FSO, who covers the Blue Jackets for Fox Sports Ohio:
"The rumor I heard last night from a source about a proposed trade, if it happens, would rock this town."
The notorious Eklund, The Anonymous Hockey Blogger and Founder/CEO of Hockey Buzz, took it one step further, saying the rumored trade would not only rock Columbus but the entire "hockey world". As one CBJ blogger said to me yesterday, "Eklund is only right about once a year," so caveat emptor on this one.
If there is anything to these rumors and sources and what have you, then the answer appears to be lurking behind Door Number 1, meaning the Blue Jackets might be on the verge of trading an active player or players in a deal that involves a total of five or 6 players. That would be BIG. Door Number 2 - Filatov and draft picks for two players - is Boys Husky, but it's not BIG. And it probably wouldn't rock The Newport, let alone Columbus as a whole or the "hockey world".
As the Blue Jackets prepare for back-to-back road games against the Anaheim Ducks and the L.A. Kings, we're left with lots of questions, lots of rumors and a plot that thickens with each passing minute. Whatever happens, based on the clues that Howson has provided, it's starting to look like the team that takes the ice at Nationwide on Tuesday night against Phoenix is not going to be the "same old Jackets".
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