The Columbus Blue Jackets are a good team. They have worked hard to build a core of young players that can compete at the NHL level. However, to be a great team, they will need to find more players that put the puck in the back of the net.
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While we are months away from the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, every NHL team is looking at external options to make their team better. The Blue Jackets have two trade options that could be made available before the deadline; both can score goals.
1. Frank Vatrano – Anahiem Ducks
Vatrano is an under-the-radar goal scorer in the NHL. Although he is off to a slow start, he had 37 goals in 82 games last season with the Ducks. The year before that, he had 22 in 82 games. This year he has two goals in 14 games but will likely end the season with somewhere around 30-35 goals.
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This is the type of player that the Blue Jackets could benefit from. They don’t have a player that can score 40 goals at will like Vatrano can. He would pair very nicely with Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson as a line.
2. Andrei Kuzmenko – Calgary Flames
Kuzmenko is another player who has had a slow start to the season. After a few tough seasons, he is due to have a season similar to his first year in the NHL. With the Vancouver Canucks, he had 39 goals in 81 games. However, since then he has had eight and 14 in respective seasons. If Kuzmenko can find his footing this season, he can end the season with 25-30 goals.
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Kuzmenko’s fit with the Blue Jackets would make a lot of sense both on and off the ice. Especially given he is a Russian native and would likely find a home amongst the other Russian players on Columbus, like Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov.
Blue Jackets’ GM Don Waddell has work to do to fix the goal scoring issue; it wouldn’t be surprising to see him have interest in one or both Vatrano and Kuzmenko.
