Turbo Boost

Blue Jackets general manager Andrew Payeur made another big addition to the team's NHL lineup as he continues to make the transiton from "rebuild" to "rebuilt" with the acquisition of winger Teuvo Teravainen from the floundering Tampa Bay Lightning. Payeur continues to make moves to give his team more firing power while they fight through the ever toughening Metropolitan division for a playoff spot.  The underlying thread weaving through the team's recent moves is an eye to the future, as the team has brought in only players who are already under long-term contracts. The package given up for Teravainen was significant, including prospects Alex Turcotte, Zach Dean, Aleksi Heponiemi and Blue Jackets captain Derek Ryan. 

Speaking to the media about the trade prior to the team's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, GM Payeur said "We felt comfortable dipping into the prospect cupboard for this trade thanks to the progress of our other prospects". Turcotte was brought in to be the team's future number one center but within a year had been eclipsed in the Organizations prospect depth by the likes of Philip Tomasino, Cole Sillinger, Peyton Krebs and Brendan Brisson. Likewise, Heponiemi continues to be passed on the depth chart by up and coming prospects down in Greenville. Zach Dean. selected 38th overall in the 2021 EHE Entry Draft has had an up and down year in the QMJHL with the Gatineau Olympiques. He shows tremendous skill when he plays but has struggled to stay healthy for long stretches including an injury in training camp which lead to a slow start to his season, something the team believes held him back from making the Canadian World Junior team roster where he was one of the final cuts.

The Teravainen trade mirrors closely to the team's trade of long time Blue Jacket Evgeny Kuznetsov to the Vancouver Canucks one year ago, almost to the day. In that deal the team traded Kuznetsov for a similar package including Turcotte, what ended up being the 35th overall draft pick (Dean was selected just 3 picks later), a depth NHL player in Zach Aston-Reese and a late draft pick. Kuznetsov had grown out of favor with the team despite being the teams career leader in goals, assits and points for his lackadaisical play in the defensive zone and inability to lead the team come playoff time.  With Teravainen, the team adds a player known as much for his sound defensive play as his dynamic playmaking.

The trade brings the brilliant run of captain Derek Ryan's Blue Jackets career to an end. Best known for leading a stripped down roster to within a tie breaker of the playoffs during the 2020-21 season where he potted 50 points on the season including a stretch of 17 points in 22 games as the teams defacto number one center after the midseason trade of Kuznetsov. Ryan, a pending unrestricted free agent was the subject of many recent trade rumours and was expected to be moved at some point prior to the trade deadline to help a playoff team make a cup run. It's expected the Lightning will make him available almost immediately to give him an opporunity to play in the playoffs. It's an experience he's only had once in his long career, playing in a single game for the Anaheim Ducks in 2018.

Just two weeks earlier the team traded a 4th round draft pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for depth player and penalty killing specialist Jason Dicksinon. Dickinson has fit in nicely with the club, posting 5 points in 9 games and a +5 rating. This after the player managed just a single assist and -10 rating in 22 games with the Blueshirts.