Rick Bowness scratched Dmitry Voronkov for both of Columbus's weekend games, and the Blue Jackets forward's name is still out on the trade market.
He sat Saturday's 1-0 overtime win over the Rangers and Sunday's 2-1 loss in Minnesota.
The 26-year-old has just one assist this season, and he's in the final year of a two-year, $8,350,000 deal.
Don Waddell has been open to moving him dating back to last season. David Pagnotta noted his name stayed out there after the trade that sent Kirill Marchenko to Toronto and brought Matthew Knies to Columbus.
A deal isn't imminent. Columbus is believed to be shopping for an upgrade, and Voronkov could be packaged for immediate help.
Here's the problem with the plan. Scratching your trade chip in back-to-back games only tells 31 other GMs how little you think of him.
It's like trying to sell a car while keeping it in the garage under a tarp.
Toronto comes to Columbus with Marchenko and Knies on display
Columbus isn't exactly flush with scoring. The Blue Jackets are 3-4-0 and sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division.
Conor Garland has yet to register a point on a $6,000,000 cap hit.
Adam Fantilli has three points while carrying a $13,750,000 cap hit.
Kent Johnson won Saturday's game in overtime, and Jet Greaves stopped all 29 shots for the shutout.
Knies has settled in with four points. Marchenko has nine in Toronto, which makes Tuesday's visit from the Leafs a little awkward.
Bowness has bigger problems than one forward. Columbus has lost both road games it has played.
Big, heavy and still young, he isn't the kind of player teams usually give up on this early.
So what does Waddell want back? Something that helps right now, and a struggling forward on an expiring deal won't fetch that alone.
His $4,175,000 cap hit comes off the books after this season, which makes him a low-risk add for a team with room.
Watch Tuesday's lineup closely. A third straight scratch would say the Blue Jackets are done waiting, and the next call Waddell takes might be the one that ends it.
Should the Blue Jackets trade Dmitry Voronkov before he plays another game?
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