The Jackets are pretty anemic at center. I think they very much would like to get Brassard. With Panarin and BOB likely leaving, it could be now or never for them. If they think they got a viable shot maybe they'd move Jenner. I think he's far from being untouchable.
Except adding Brassard at the cost of Jenner doesn't make the Jackets better nor position them in a "now or never" situation.
I disagree. But what it would come down to is if they think Brassard relative to what they need would help them more. Looking at their situation at center, I can't imagine Brassard not being their 2C. Jenner is a 3C, so they're getting the higher caliber player, just short term. And again if we had to add a piece to make it work I'd do it, provided it wasn't a huge add.
Brass is not a "higher caliber player" than Jenner. Jenner is centering the team's de facto second line. Yes, Brass would draw in as a middle-six C in Cbus, but with Jenner, not instead of. If CBJ traded Jenner, then it's middle six centers would be Brass (rental) and Wennberg (struggling and maybe needs a change of scenery but management seems OK with waiting for him to hopefully come around).
The only C the Jackets might legit move is Nash, and I guess I see why he might be a fit in Pittsburgh but he's been pretty ineffective here. I have my doubts that Kekalainen is ready to end that experiment, either, unfortunately.