Just because the devils and the Sabres gave up a recent high draft pick for cheap doesn’t mean Columbus will also
NJ has legit NHL calibre players who did recently make the PO. Buffalo is stacked with similiar style of players (small and skilled), so moving their prospects out for help now, I can see that.
Johnson will be onto his 3rd HC in the NHL this upcoming season. Not like he is redundant skill/size wise on the CBJ roster. But, he's a guy, similar to Zegras who needs to learn to play a 200 foot game or he needs to put up monster points to justify weak defensive play.
Waddell has no loyalty to him. So, Johnson needs to step his game up or Waddell will move off him. Pretty much a make/break season for Johnson in CBJ. And we still don't know who their HC is going to be.
One of those college kids who signed and burned an elc year early, thus makes him ineligible for an OS. So, the CBJ will grind him on a new contract I suspect.