Columbus Blue Jackets reportedly eyeing trade for one of the NHL's worst contracts
The Columbus Blue Jackets are willing to do whatever it takes to get over that salary cap floor as they sit dangerously close to it, and a trade seems likely.
Few teams have the cap space that the Columbus Blue Jackets have, and it certainly seems that way as the organization seems prepared to take advantage of its financial flexibility. The season has gotten underway, and the Blue Jackets are weighing a number of options on how best to utilize their cap space. One practical avenue is to take on "bad" contracts from other teams, as long as those moves come with attractive asset sweeteners, such as draft picks or youngsters. In that way, Columbus can pick up valuable assets for the future while assisting a team in need with its cap situation.
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Blue Jackets' GM Don Waddell is willing to listen to these types of offers, but his openness has its limits. Waddell has made it fairly clear he's not looking to absorb any long-term burdens in talking deals that benefit Columbus without tying up their cap space for years. That would indicate that an outlook exists in which, yes, he will take high-salary players, but they must be of the shorter-term variety, preferably expiring next season or shortly thereafter, so Columbus can remain financially fluid as they attempt to rebuild.
The issue, Seravalli says, is that many of those contracts other teams want to deal with have commitments of three to five years. To date, he's been quite adamant he won't be bringing in players on such long-term deals, with the speculation being that the team will be in a position to make a playoff push within the next couple of seasons. Tying up cap space in potential liabilities is only going to hurt the team when they are a little closer to contending. Thus, any contracts with substantial term left on them are probably a nonstarter with Columbus.
Rival teams looking to offload their problematic contracts should understand this: Columbus is only interested in deals involving shorter-term commitments. Deals with one or two years remaining could become tantalizing, especially if extra assets are attached to potentially help further shore up the rebuild of the Blue Jackets. Long-term deals, however, simply are a nonstarter since Columbus wants to preserve cap space for future moves as this team develops.
Another challenge that the Blue Jackets will face during the season is staying above the floor, which rests at $65 million, and Columbus currently sits only about $2 million over that minimum. That means Columbus could need to add salary soon to stay above the cap floor. Even after a modest 5-5-1 start, the team has been realistic about its playoff chances, too, and views this as a growth season. The Jackets can position themselves for success down the line, without jeopardizing that long-term vision, simply by using their cap space wisely.
