The next several days will go a long way in shaping the Columbus Blue Jackets roster for the 2025-26 season.
They could potentially make two selections in Friday's first round of the NHL Draft — or the club could opt to move one or both of those picks for immediate impact players.
Free agency then begins Tuesday, July 1, and Columbus will look to make a big splash by adding a top-tier free agent to the team.
It all makes for a wild ride over the next week or so for the Blue Jackets and their fans.
"I feel comfortable that we’re going to be able to do a few things that could make our hockey team better," said President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell on Thursday. "That’s our goal.”
Columbus made a pair of smaller moves Thursday, trading goalie Daniil Tarasov to the Florida Panthers for a fifth-round selection in Saturday's second day of the draft, and then later swinging a trade with the Minnesota Wild, reacquiring Brendan Gaunce in exchange for Cameron Butler in a swap of AHL forwards.
But bigger things are expected.
Here's the latest buzz surrounding the Blue Jackets and how the weekend could shake out:
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Waddell has made it abundantly clear that they want to upgrade the top two lines of defense. One way to do that is to acquire a right defenseman to put opposite of Zach Werenski on the top line, and one player to keep an eye on is Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames. Multiple reports indicate that trade talks surrounding Andersson, 27, have intensified as the two sides have been unable to make progress on a contract extension. Andersson has one year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $4.6 million, and both David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and NHL analyst Jeff Marek have mentioned the Blue Jackets, amongst others, as a potential suitor.
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The Blue Jackets are also reportedly interested in Noah Dobson of the New York Islanders. Like Andersson and the Flames, contract talks have stalled between the 25-year-old Dobson and the Isles. Reporter Andy Strickland posted to X on Thursday afternoon that Dobson is asking for more than ten million a year in his next contract. That seems steep, but with the increasing cap, it's a number that will become commonplace over the next couple of years. The Montreal Canadiens seem to be the favorite to land Dobson, but Columbus could be right there. An enticing option, and one worth considering perhaps overpaying for.
Hear Noah Dobson is asking for north of $10 million per year on an extension. #isles
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) June 26, 2025 -
Two other defensemen linked to the Blue Jackets: Buffalo's Bowen Byram and K'Andre Miller of the New York Rangers. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that Columbus has expressed interest in Miller, and suggests Dmitri Voronkov as the return — though that's speculation on Brooks' part. Both are traditionally left defenseman, so it would either mean one of them switching to the right side, or that neither would be placed on the top pair with Werenski.
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If they can pull finding a top-tier partner for Werenski, look for a second pairing of Denton Mateychuk and Dante Fabbro heading into training camp. While Fabbro remains unsigned and becomes an unrestricted free agent Tuesday, the expectation remains that a deal will get done and he'll be back with the Blue Jackets on a long-term contract.
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Talks are far less optimistic when it comes to another blueliner: Ivan Provorov. The two sides haven't made much in the way of progress yet, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. One thing to keep an eye on here: the Blue Jackets have through Monday to trade his rights. While the return would not be substantial, it would be better than the alternative of losing him for nothing. Two years ago, Columbus was on the flip side of one of these deals, acquiring Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils for a third-round pick and signing him to an eight-year deal.
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As for Friday's first round of the NHL Draft: it's no secret the Blue Jackets would like to move one — or both — of their selections. But Waddell won't make a deal for the sake of making a deal. "We're not just going to trade the picks because I said we're going to," said Waddell. "We're going to trade them to make meaningful trades for our hockey club." Whether or not a deal is made is an answer we'll get Friday, but there are several teams looking to move around — mostly down — so the value of Columbus' 14th and 20th overall selections may not be as high as it would be in a typical draft. The quality of the draft class may be a factor, as well. While not "bad", it's not as strong as some have been recently.
#CBJ GM Don Waddell jokes, "I probably look like I haven't slept in a couple days."
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) June 26, 2025
Waddell: "We could have traded both (first-round) picks by now. Had offers on both of them but didn't feel there was value for us. We're not just going to trade the picks because I said we're - If they make either of the picks, who they take is a crapshoot. One name to keep an eye on though is Joshua Ravensbergen. The goalie prospect is expected to go in the first round — a relatively rarity — and would immediately become Columbus' top goalie prospect. Another name: defenseman Sascha Boumedienne. If that last name is familiar, it's because his father — Josef — was part of the Blue Jackets' organization between 2013 and 2024 in both scouting and coaching roles. There are other names, of course, but it's a wide net with no clear-cut idea of who may be available when Columbus is on the clock.
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The trading of draft picks isn't Waddell's only option, of course. Yegor Chinakhov's name has come up periodically as a player that could be a desired piece in a trade, as has Cole Sillinger's. If the Blue Jackets could find someone to take the contract of Elvis Merzlikins or Damon Severson, they'd more than likely jump at the opportunity — but that seems unlikely, as does a buyout of either.
- Free agency begins Tuesday, but let's see how these next few days shake out before putting too much of a list together. Look for that Monday.
