Blue Jackets a mess, what moves should happen.

 What is CBJ's next moves after a poor season so far, who should go and who should stay.

Now coming out of the offseason the Columbus Blue Jackets were in a pretty good position as they had basically become fully healthy after having a atrocious season in which they were ravaged by injuries, they then also strengthened their blueline in the offseason by adding Provorov and Severson and got Fantilli to sign his ELC so he could play in the NHL this year, so things were looking up and that didn't even last the entire season, as they first let go of newly hired coach Mike Babcock after a situation in training camp before the season even started giving Pascal Vincent the head coaching job, then early on players like Gaudreau, Laine and Severson were benched by Vincent on different occasions, then Kent Johnson who is one of their bright young players was sent to the minors to start the year and then in-season there were talks about young guys like Voronkov and Chinakov wanting to go back to play in Russia, then you have Merzlikins asking for a trade and with all of these issues the team is at the all star break only 16-24-10 in their first 50 games and the only Metro team to not be at 50 points, so it was a bad start and bad season so far for the Jackets and they really haven't made much headway from last season and even though before the year started I didn't think they would be a playoff team, I thought they would be competitive and be playing some meaningful games in March, but obviously I was wrong, so now with the team where it is right now I am going to go through their pre all star break roster and sort the players into 4 categories on who I think needs to stay in Columbus and who needs to go. 

Sergei Belski USA Today Sports

1st: Key young players who should stay.

A.Fantilli, K.Johnson, K.Marchenko, C.Sillinger, D.Voronkov, Y.Chinakov, D.Jiricek,

Now this Jackets team has the bases of a solid NHL team and it seems like they have a lot of good pieces that are 23 years or younger who are going to be a big part of this team for a long time and I think these 7 players are guys the Jackets are going to keep and I don't even think would at least at this moment consider trading. So everyone besides Voronkov, Fantilli and Jiricek here are currently RFA's and I think all are in line to get a raise, first you have Johnson who was a former 5th overall pick a few years ago and is going to be a mainstay in the teams top 6 long term and I think he hasn't had the best of seasons only having 15 points in 34 games and I think he can eventually be a point per game player but locking him up will be huge, then you got Marchenko who seems to be a 2nd round steal right now as he is turning into a lethal goal scorer already having 36 goals in 107 games over the past 2 years, and I think getting him extend will be big as he can be a 40 goal scorer eventually in my eyes, then you have Sillinger who had a really good rookie year but wasn't great last year and hasn't been too bad this year and I think he needs to be signed to given he is the teams future 2 or 3C, as for Chinakov who will also need a new deal this year, he is having his best season yet and I think he fits in the teams middle six going forward and could eventually be a 50-60 point player for the Jackets, while Fantilli is having a fantastic rookie year and looks to be the teams number 1C, Voronkov has been a solid find for the Jackets and I think should be a key piece of their middle six going forward, and Jiricek while he has been up and down this year, I think has a future as a solid offensive top 4 D with the Jackets and should be a mainstay on that blueline for years to come, so all in all these 7 players are going to be big pieces of the Jackets team going forward and I would be surprised if any were moved. 

Sergei Belski USA Today Sports

2nd: vets who should remain with CBJ. 

J.Gaudreau, A.Texier, J.Danforth, B.Jenner, Z.Wereinski, D.Severson, E.Gudbranson, J.Bean, D.Tarasov

Now I also think there are a few veterans who have fit in well with the Jackets that I think they shouldn't be so quick to move and I think the Jackets should seriously keep probably all of these guys on the team cause I think they fit in well. Up front who have Gaudreau, now they could look to move him but A. he has a high cap hit and B. he could be a very good top six scorer that I think the young group of Jackets need to become a better team and it is really hard to replace Gaudreau's production in the lineup so even though some people could see him be dealt, I don't think they should, now Jenner's name has definitely popped up in the rumour mill, but he is on a steal of a contract, is the teams captain and is a good locker room presence and I feel that he could be a good veteran leader for a young Jackets team so I would keep him, Texier and Danforth are both pretty good bottom six forwards, Texier is younger and more of a 3rd line player but I think he fits well with the Jackets, and Danforth is a bit older and more of a 4th liner but I also think he has been a pretty good fit with Columbus so I would keep both of them, meanwhile on the blueline I don't think it is too surprising they should keep Wereinski who isn't overly old and is the teams number 1 D and I think he would be extremely hard to replace, Severson and Gudbranson are not on the younger side of things and are pretty good veteran D, as Severson has fit in pretty well in the top 4 and is on a long term contract, while Gudbranson doesn't have a good contract but has found a home in Columbus and I think keeping both would be smart, while Bean is another solid young defender who was talked about in the trade market earlier in the year but has carved himself out a 3rd pair role with CBJ so I think he should stay, as should Tarasov in net who I think is this teams future in net and I think at the very least could be the Jackets 1A long term, so in my eyes these players are some of the guys older then 23 years old on the roster right now that I would probably keep around to help this young team grow and develop.

Jerome Miron USA Today Sports

3rd: players to be moved in next year.

J.Roslovic, I.Provorov, A.Peeke, A.Boqvist

Next up are 4 players I have a feeling will be very likely to be moved either before this years deadline or in the offseason. Now first is Jack Roslovic who is form Columbus and ever since arriving there has been up and down and so far this year he hasn't done overly well, but given the fact the Jackets will be sellers this deadline and that he is there one prominent UFA, I think there is a very likely chance that he will be moved by March 8th, Provorov is another name that has come up in the trade rumour mill over the past little while, now Provorov has been pretty good on the ice for the Jackets and has been a solid offensive D-Men for them but may not be the best locker room fit for the Jackets, so I think with his contract and production, there is a likely chance that whether by the deadline or in the offseason he does get moved, as for Peeke and Boqvist they have both been in the rumour mill for most of the year for the Jackets as they would likely to move some of their defensive depth, now I am not confident both will be moved but I do think it is possible, Boqvist is two years younger, is a offensive defensemen, has more upside and is a year away from being a RFA, while Peeke is more of a defensive minded D and id older while he doesn't have as much potential and will be a UFA in two years, so I definitely think Boqvist is more likely to be dealt but I think both are on the block and could be dealt, so it will be interesting to see but these 4 guys I could easily see bee moved if not by the deadline then in the offseason.

Tim Fuller USA Today Sports

4th: players who should be moved after next offseason. 

P.Laine, S.Kuraly, M.Olivier, E.Bemstrom, E.Merzlikins

And lastly here there are 5 players that I don't think have long term fits with the Blue Jackets and I do see the Jackets moving but not by the deadline or in the offseason. So the first one may be a bit surprising in Laine who has dealt with a ton of injuries over his time in CBJ and really has never found that 40 goal form he had with Winnipeg in Columbus, and after the season he has had this year I think a fresh start is need for him, but he does have a cap hit of over $8 Million for two more years after this one which I think may be too  much for some teams to take on which is why I think they would wait until next years deadline or the following offseason to move him, Kuraly is a pretty good bottom six forward and I think has also been a really good producer in Columbus but he only has this year and next on his contract so I do feel he would be a likely trade candidate at next years deadline as a depth addition for a playoff team, same sort of thing I would say with Olivier as he is a solid bottom six forward that brings a lot of grit and can put points up at times, but he is also a UFA in the 2025 offseason and I think would be a deadline move at next years deadline, then there have been some rumblings that Bemstrom may want a fresh start, and he isn't a prospect anymore and is still going up and down the roster and I think a fresh start could help him a lot as I could see him round out as a solid bottom six forward but I think CBJ may hold on to him for one more year, and then you have Merzlikins who has asked to be moved out of Columbus, now in a perfect world I think the Jackets would like to move him by the deadline, but he has a nearly $5.5 Million dollar AAV for this year and 3 more and I don't think too many teams would be interested in him right now, which is why I would think he maybe spends one more year with the Jackets to prove himself and then is moved the following year in the offseason when he has less term, but I do think Merzlikins will get dealt eventually by the Jackets, and in my eyes these 5 players don't have long term futures with the Jackets but I don't necessarily see them being moved prior to puck drop at the start of next year.

So to recap this has been another awful season for Columbus and they are going to have another high draft pick, but this team does have a fantastic future ahead of them and if they can make some moves like I said and get a bit better of locker room chemistry and start to gel well and not have too many issues, this team should be playoff bound in no time but I think change is needed and I feel like those 9 players may be gone soon for the Jackets, but I would love to hear your thoughts down in the comments section below, does CBJ have a bright future, and if so what moves would you make to be competitive soon.