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NHL Rumours: Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets

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NHL rumours

It’s about that time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re still waiting for the last four teams to be decided in the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, there’s plenty to discuss in regards to player and front office moves. There are some key decisions that need to be made sooner rather than later. The offseason is not as far off as some people think. Today’s NHL rumours focus on the Vancouver Canucks and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.

NHL Rumours

Vancouver Canucks

Rumour: We go back to the list of the top 12 pending unrestricted free agents according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. Today’s focus moves onto Canucks centre Elias Lindholm.

Analysis: The Swedish pivot was the prized pick up after a number of players inked long-term extensions. Vancouver General Manager Patrik Allvin made the swap with the Calgary Flames to acquire Lindholm before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. The 29-year-old had some initial struggles with his new team. There was some chatter that he could be flipped a second time at the trade deadline to a different team. That’s how rough an adjustment he was having to a new team and a new coaching staff. However, he’s come up large during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Lindholm is in the final year of his contract that saw him making $4.85 million this season. The veteran centre was banking on having a great season to increase his value. However, a shaky regular season may have decreased the asking price for him. A strong post-season may be able to recoup some of that value, but fitting him in with a raise could be a problem.

The Canucks have to consider deals for Dakota Joshua, Casey DeSmith, and Arturs Silovs among others this offseason. Allvin probably can’t sign everyone he wants, but losing Lindholm would be one expensive rental for Vancouver.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Rumour: Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period had some Los Angeles Kings-related notes. One of those includes former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin receiving consideration for the Blue Jackets general manager job.

Analysis: Columbus is looking for a new GM after Jarmo Kekalainen was fired in the middle of the season. Team President John Davidson is leading the search and Bergevin is getting a look according to Bernstein.

The former Habs general manager has been working as a senior advisor for the Kings. However, he likely wants to get another general manager’s job. Bergevin was in that post from 2012 until 2021 with some mixed results.

He does have a good track record of making some solid trades and has found some late-round gems in the NHL Draft. Bergevin did finish second twice in the General Manager of the Year award voting in the 2013-14 and 2020-21 seasons. He made the call to get Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Both players seem to be at the heart of the Canadiens’ rebuild.

Montreal did reach the Stanley Cup Final in the 2021 season before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Conversely, he’s struggled at times in the first round with some questionable choices. There have been some picks that missed and Montreal did always land the big-time free agent.

The Blue Jackets do have some promising young talent in Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, and Zach Werenski. However, the Jackets are going to need some more work before they are a finished product. It’s also going to be a tough climb up the mountain in a very tough Metropolitan Division.

Bergevin does have front office experience and has an eye in making a deal. These could be useful tools in turning Columbus back into a post-season team.

Main photo by: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

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