Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are in a good position coming out of the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, four points out of a playoff spot, so does that impact how they approach the Deadline?
“If we’re in the playoff mix, I don’t know if that changes our thinking or my thinking,” general manager Don Waddell said in an interview with the team website Wednesday. “Because you look at it, the one thing we probably won’t do is go out and try to add (unrestricted free agents) at the Deadline. You might go around the edges a little bit, but having in particular three forwards that play good roles on our team, to add another (UFA) and give up assets probably doesn’t make sense.
“If we could trade for somebody that has term, that we like going forward, that’s a different value that we look at. We’ll see. All the UFAs right now on our team play a good role for our team, so if you take anybody off, you’re going to have to replace them because of the positions that they play.”
The Blue Jackets (29-20-7) are 10-1-0 under Rick Bowness, who was named coach after Dean Evason was fired Jan. 13, and four points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card in the East. They visit the Bruins on Thursday.