The Columbus Blue Jackets appear to be changing course ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. Instead of shopping veterans Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle, and Mason Marchment, the team is now leaning toward keeping all three and working on contract extensions.
According to a report from RG.org’s James Murphy , GM Don Waddell plans to open talks with the trio—each a pending unrestricted free agent—during the Olympic break next week.
The shift comes after a dramatic turnaround under new head coach Rick Bowness, who was hired January 12 following Dean Evason’s dismissal. Since then, Columbus has gone 10-1-0 and climbed to within five points of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. With the team suddenly in the playoff hunt, trade chatter around Jenner, Coyle, and Marchment has cooled considerably. They’re now believed to be off the market.