Speculation: Sorry to be the one to ask, but what do the Blue Jackets do?

[HFpapi]

Marner is a UFA, so they can sign him without giving up any assets on July 1st. Unless you talking about a sign and trade with Toronto.

Yeah I just ninja-edited my post, didn't occur to me you meant as a free agent. Can't imagine him walking for free. Think Leafs a) re-sign him or b) trade him at deadline to a team he's willing to resign with immediately.

 

[bonneaug]

They either rally or crash and burn, I don't see much of an in between. It's gonna be, from a hockey and overall sport standpoint, an interesting watch. Of course, a terrible tragedy of human life on the other side.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I think until after the funeral for the Guadreau’s that happens on Monday, will there be any formal type of talks. Informally probably in the next few days.

The plan per GMDW prior to this tragedy was to add a veteran forward by all indications, but that would have been a bottom 6 player. Probably after camp or cap compliance for other teams.

This.

Waddell already said folks had reached out with some potential deals for the CBJ to take on salary post-Laine trade. I suspect whatever those discussions were will start again and would likely bring the Jackets above the floor.

I would think that if needed, the NHL would provide some lenience to the organization (maybe an extension of some sort?) given the circumstances. But given that things seemed to be moving in this direction prior to this tragedy, none of that may be needed.

Also, as a CBJ fan, I don't find this thread/question distasteful. It's a reality and it's certainly questions we've been asking ourselves. If folks are uncomfortable with the timing, I certainly understand, but those folks can also ignore the thread.

 

[tmg]

I think this season they were going to use their cap space as a resource to assume some overpaid player contract(s) (but not with excessive term) in exchange for them gaining picks and prospects, and on that sense that is likely still the plan now with even more cap space than foreseen.

Next summer is when they will be able to actually shop for a talent upgrade pursuing a player or players who provides good value for big money. There is no opportunity to do so at this point this summer - the players who might deliver good production aren’t available as free agents, and the quality ones who are signed aren’t about to be traded for (because teams would want quality assets in return, and this team shouldn’t be dealing away its future for present talent)

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

its

I think they will be given an extension to get to the floor but I don't think they need it. They are not far from it. I think they are only 2.8M from the floor
Monahan has no choice at this point in time.

He absolutely has a choice he could ask out, and under the circumstances I think they would understand and would move him.

 

[Larry Hanson]

They are barely under the cap floor, you'd think the NHL would grant them an exemption but who knows.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

They're below the cap floor, but obviously there's about a 0.1% chance the league or NHLPA do anything about it.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Personally, I think it's okay to begin talking about this. Players are arriving in their respective cities for informal skates, and the business of hockey pushes on.

Johnny is a huge loss to the Jackets, and of course all of hockey in general. He is irreplaceable on the ice and in the community. The team unfortunately, will take a massive hit this year. There are very little to no, high price UFA's left to bring in.

I for one, am rooting for the Jackets to have a phenomenal season, in tribute to Johnny.

I've always been a JG fan, but haven't watched him much after he got to Columbus. I'm not trying to be a jerk - but he has 12g & 48 points last year so that's not exactly "irreplaceable". With Laine playing limited games last year - it's not like JG/PL had huge offensive production that CLM has to replace. They added Monahan, so I'll expect they lean on him for veteran leadership.

I like Evanson as a coach, and I expect that he'll have the much younger Jackets team playing with their hair on fire. He did a great job in MINN with an "underdog mentality", and expect that he'll do the same in Columbus. The Jackets will count on the younger guys more, but I expect Waddell to take a long-term approach and not promote guys before their ready (especially Lindstrom). With some better health luck and a bounce back year for Merlinkins I think that Jackets will be a feisty team that makes other teams earn the 2 points.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I wonder if they will get any compensatory draft picks.

I know the Rangers did when Cherapanov died

The Leafs didn't when Amirov died.

There is no precedent set.

In both cases those were prospects.

In this case It's an established player.

I wonder if that makes it different.

The Jackets should get something

 

[Jared Dunn]

I don't think it's insensitive to bring it up, and I'm sure it's the awkward, solemn conversation being had by Columbus' brass.

I feel like under the exceptional circumstances they will be given a pass to reach the salary cap floor

 

[Jared Dunn]

I wonder if they will get any compensatory draft picks.

I know the Rangers did when Cherapanov died

The Leafs didn't when Amirov died.

There is no precedent set.

In both cases those were prospects.

In this case It's an established player.

I wonder if that makes it different.

The Jackets should get something

At the risk of sounding insensitive, you could argue based on his play so far losing his cap hit alone is getting something, I don't think there's an argument to be made that the signing had gone well so far although he genuinely was one of my top candidates for a bounce back season

 

[BonMorrison]

Just keep letting the kids develop in what will likely be another year around the bottom - hopefully a big year for Johnson who looks like will step into that top line role now.

 

[squashmaple]

The bluejackets have 1 playoff round win in 24 years, it’ll be 1 playoff round in 25 years after this season and it’ll remain one playoff round for awhile or longer. The management since inception has been reflective of their on ice performance. Hopefully with kekelainen gone, they need a few more years to draft and develope then start competing for playoffs

Not to be that guy, but beating the Leafs in the play-in counts, too.

 

[Fogelhund]

I wonder if they will get any compensatory draft picks.

I know the Rangers did when Cherapanov died

The Leafs didn't when Amirov died.

There is no precedent set.

In both cases those were prospects.

In this case It's an established player.

I wonder if that makes it different.

The Jackets should get something

You get compensatory picks for when first round picks passes away before being signed. So, no.

 

[TehDoak]

My guess is they likely get a cap floor exemption for the season due to the timing of everything. Or they pick up some LTIR dead cap from someone to get to the floor.

 

[Fogelhund]

There are likely some teams looking to offload some cap, or willing to move an insured LTIR player... so getting above the cap shouldn't be too hard, and they should receive additional picks to do so. It will be interesting to see how they do it though.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Freddy Gaudreau for future considerations.

Gaudreau gets a restart under a coach that has favored him. Columbus gets a semi cheap bottom 6 forward that can act as a Swiss army knife that plays wing and center.

 

[ponder719]

If the Blue Jackets are still required to get to the cap floor despite this (and I would hope the league would grant a hardship exemption to offer them flexibility) it would be no issue for them to find any number of teams willing to give them expiring salary. The Flyers very nearly traded the Blue Jackets Ryan Johansen for Patrik Laine, according to a Montreal reporter, and if the Flyers' attempt to terminate Johansen's contract goes south, they could pay Columbus to take him, or Cal Petersen, either of whom goes away at the end of the year and would just provide cap ballast to clear the floor. I don't want to speak to who other teams would find expendable, but I'm sure there are a dozen options out there. That would give the Blue Jackets what they need to get through this immediate period, some assets for the deed, and would tie up absolutely nothing going forward, so they'd still be in position to make a big splash this offseason.

That said, if CBJ wants to add longer-term pieces, that's obviously within their reach, I just would imagine the plan this year is to get through the season and reorient themselves towards the future.

 

[895]

Why are people talking about cap floor exemptions? It's completely not necessary.

There are so many teams with overpaid players that would love to ship a guy over for free.

 

[innitfam]

Yeah, Marner as a UFA makes sense but not sure the Leafs let him get to free agency.

I wonder if a deal for Zegras can be worked out in season or next offseason.

To get to the cap floor this season, here's a wild one: Does Jonathan Toews still want to come back? Could be a good guy for that locker room.

If Toews is coming back it's to Chicago.

As for the OP, if they aren't granted an exemption for reaching the cap floor, they'll probably sign 1-2 vets as placeholders until next year. JVR maybe.

Trade wise they could also swing a deal to take on salary from a team close to the cap.

 

[Leonardo87]

Folks,

Troll was taken care of , let's move on. If you are going to try and bait members here and troll with inconsiderate comments, you are going to be jettisoned not just from this thread but the entire Trade/FA forum.

Thank you.

 

[ITM]

At the risk of sounding insensitive, you could argue based on his play so far losing his cap hit alone is getting something, I don't think there's an argument to be made that the signing had gone well so far although he genuinely was one of my top candidates for a bounce back season

I think it is a kind of poor qualification that states: “At the risk of sounding insensitive” as if to say, this loss is secondary to allowing some measure of appropriate time to pass before talking about the seemingly more important issue of noting in a forum before a funeral has taken place, that the Blue Jackets have an “opportunity” to maximize their apparent windfall.

Take a break. Allow time - a completely foreign concept in today’s world - to provide for more important things to take their natural course.

THEN, feel free to talk about possibilities as the season moves on. Heck, let camp get underway first and then talk about possibilities.

As a lifelong hockey fan, who isn’t a BC fan, a Flames fan or a Jackets fan, my hypothetical hockey talk life is full just thinking of the little man’s smile and skill, watching his highlights and distantly, silently sharing in the heartbreak that his loss has brought to me, the incidental fan.

And as an incidental fan, I see zero reasons in which equivocating this profound loss is an opportunity to discuss ways in which it can be maximized.

Here’s a way to measure appropriateness just as a first step:

Has the funeral taken place yet?

 

[HabsAddict]

Habs have Price that is on LTIR. I don't think Hughes wants anything for him nor will be giving anything up to take him.

At this point teams are ready to go so i don't think there are any trades to get rid of salary. But, there could be a trade that pushes a team past the cap and a team pays to get rid of a contract

 

[Malkinstheman]

I think they sign JVR or Patches to get above the cap. I dont think a signing will be announced until camp though

 

[SteelCityCannon]

Why are people talking about cap floor exemptions? It's completely not necessary.

There are so many teams with overpaid players that would love to ship a guy over for free.

Would the Jackets be obligated to take on cap "for free".

I think they'll get an exception, but if it turned into that it would be monumentally f***ed up.