(HFNHL) Blue Jackets keeping busy this off-season

[Ohio Jones]

After a regular season that saw the Blue Jackets score a franchise record 118 points (IIRC) to finish second overall, followed by a crushing second-round game 7 defeat, Columbus is busy fine-tuning the roster to try and take the next step. At the same time they're trying to restock the prospect cupboard that has fallen from top-5 to bottom-5 in the league.

(In other words, they're trying to suck and blow at the same time.)

Prior to the draft the Jackets acquired sophomore LW Marcus Foligno and picks for veteran puck-mover Matt Carle.

Then they moved out Jussi Jokinen for Nikita Nikitin in a move motivated both by cutting costs (Jokinen was slated to earn $3m as the Jackets' fourth line center), and as an insurance policy in case one of RFA blueliners Ladislav Smid or Carl Gunnarsson received an offer sheet that was too good to pass up.

Most recently Columbus shipped out some of the surplus 2014 picks they'd accumulated, along with hefty cash considerations, to the financial disaster that has been the Washington Capitals. in return Columbus was able to partly shore up their reeling farm system, adding minor pros Christian Thomas, Cameron Gaunce and Mark Alt.

Thomas, son of former NHLer Steve "Stumpy" Thomas, is back with Columbus for the second time in his young career, after having been part of the package that sprung Teddy Purcell last season. He adds to the Jacket's paper-thin depth on RW in the farm system.

Gaunce and Alt are both big boys who help solidify a farm blueline that has lost Ryan McDonagh, Dougie Hamilton, Alexei Emelin, Eric Gryba and Nate Schmidt in recent years. Gaunce is a well-established pro with a smattering of NHL experience who projects as a two-way bottom-pairing two-way guy, while Alt is a longer-term project, a two-sport high school star whose development cratered in his junior year in college. He'll look to rebound in this, his first full pro season.

Columbus also announced it has inked star prospect Justin Schultz to an entry-level deal. It's expected Schultz will play a regular shift in the coming season, but it remains to be seen in what capacity.

Next up, the Jackets will look to free agency to try and fill the vacant 4th line pivot spot. Observers expect the Jackets to be busy on the UDFA front as well.

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[Ohio Jones]

After striking out with established free agents, The Blue Jackets went out and acquired the pivot they needed through trade. Coming to Columbus is the Avalanche's Gregory Campbell in return for a 2015 3rd round pick.

the epitome of a Jackets checking-line player - big, feisty, full of hustle, defensively responsible but with a little bit of pop. Campbell comes with a three-year deal with a $2.2m AAV.

"It would be a bit steep if we planned to use Greg as a 4th liner," said Jackets GM Doug "The Kraken" Emerson. "But we balance our lines 5-on-5, and we expect he'll be a key component of our PK. Add in his character, leadership and work ethic and we consider it good value for us."

Emerson acknowledged that th team had hoped to see one of their young centre prospects step forward to claim the spot, but at the team's recent evaluation camp, it was clear that skaters like Patrice Cormier and Gabriel Dumont need a little more seasoning before they can be counted on as regular controbutors at the HFNHL level.

The addition of Campbell addresses the one hole the Jackets had following last month's activity. Head Coach Mike Babcock likes what he sees heading into training camp.

"We're pretty solid up front and on the blueline. It's a mostly veteran roster, but with some kids knocking on the door, and some like (Marcus) Foligno and (Justin) Schultz forcing their way into the conversation for regular minutes."

Schultz actually presents the Jackets' coach with a conundrum, since he's currently seventh on the team's depth chart (NHL Bruins playoff surprise Torey Krug is eighth). Schultz could dress as a power-play specialist, but that would slow his development, and the Jackets would be hard-pressed to scratch one of their forwards. Finding defence pairings that work well together will be the coaching staff's focus at camp, as Schultz's offensive game might make it impossible to keep him out of the lineup.

The biggest change from last season's franchise record-tying roster is in net, where Devan Dubnyk inherits the reins from Tomas Vokoun. The Jackets' projected lineup stands as follows:

Johan Franzen - Eric Staal - Nikolai Kulemin
David Clarkson - Brandon Dubinsky - Teddy Purcell
Marcus Foligno - Travis Zajac - Alexandre Burrows
Rob Klinkhammer - Gregory Campbell - Drew Miller
Extras: Brandon Yip, Chris Thorburn, (Patrice Cormier, Gabriel Dumont)

Kimmo Timonen - Mark Giordano
Ladislav Smid - Carl Gunnarsson
Barret Jackman - Nikita Nikitin
Extras: Justin Schultz, Torey Krug, (Cameron Gaunce, Brian Dumoulin)

Devan Dubnyk
Ben Scrivens
Extras: Nikas Svedberg, (Anthony Stolarz)

The Jackets aren't done with free agency just yet. Smid, Gunnarsson and Yip could still attract offer sheets, and the Jackets will be watching the lottery balls on eight Undrafted Free Agents this week in the hopes of snagging one or two to help shore up their battered farm system.