Can teams tempt the Blue Jackets to move Panarin before the trade deadline
Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe: Teams will be lining up to sign Columbus Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin if he hits the open market on July 1st.
It’s sounding like the Blue Jackets will wait until closer to the trade deadline if they decide to move him, but that could change if teams keep calling GM Jarmo Kekalainen with trade offers.
Panarin may be looking for a big city to play in and one with a big Russian community which may mean Los Angeles, New York or Chicago.
The New Jersey Devils will likely be a team interested and they have a ton of salary cap space.
The Boston Bruins have young roster players and prospects that could entice the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets would be looking at Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Jake DeBrusk, but GM Don Sweeney may not be interested in moving any of them. Others the may be of interest include Danton Heinen, Anders Bjork, Trent Frederic, and Urho Vaakanainen.
Top 25 unrestricted free agents
Craig Custance of The Athletic: A look at the top 25 players who could hit the open market on July 1st if they aren’t re-signed before then.
1 Erik Karlsson – San Jose Sharks – Will likely sign an extension before free agency opens.
2. Artemi Panarin – Columbus Blue Jackets – Maybe more about location than about money.
3. Sergei Bobrovsky – Columbus Blues Jackets – The NY Islanders may go aggressively after a high-end goaltender.
4. Matt Duchene – Ottawa Senators – Wants to play for a playoff contender.
5. Mark Stone – Ottawa Senators – Still only 26-years old.
6. Pekka Rinne – Nashville Predators – Likely re-signs in Nashville.
7. Anders Lee – New York Islanders – Lee would like to stay, and he was named the team captain.
8. Yanni Gourde – Tampa Bay Lightning – Can play up and down the lineup, and the Lightning will have some salary cap issues.
9. Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton – San Jose Sharks – Hard to see either playing for another team.
10. Eric Staal – Minnesota Wild – Have held preliminary talks but nothing serious.
11. Semyon Varlamov – Colorado Avalanche
12. Jordan Eberle – New York Islanders
13. Jake Gardiner – Toronto Maple Leafs
14. Nate Schmidt – Vegas Golden Knights
15. Wayne Simmonds – Philadelphia Flyers
16. Kevin Hayes – New York Rangers
17. Jeff Skinner – Buffalo Sabres
18. Jakob Silfverberg – Anaheim Ducks
19. Anton Stralman – Tampa Bay Lightning
20. Brock Nelson – New York Islanders
21. Derick Brassard – Pittsburgh Penguins
22. Ryan Dzingel – Ottawa Senators
23. Gustav Nyquist – Detroit Red Wings
24. Tyler Myers – Winnipeg Jets
25. Cam Talbot – Edmonton Oilers
