With 9 players signed or left unsigned, there are still 14 to make decisions on.
There is another tier of players that the Blue Jackets should try to keep within the organization, but they aren’t guys that I would say they can’t afford to lose. These are mostly younger guys who may or may not be ready for a larger role next season.
But, at the top of my list is veteran winger Mason Marchment. Whether the Blue Jackets are going to will their way into the playoffs this season or not, I think Waddell should find a way to keep Mush around through the deadline and beyond.
No other player has been able to secure a top-six role for this team on a consistent basis. Not quite like Mason has since being acquired last month. His presence on the top line was sorely missed when he was out with an upper-body injury. When he returned to the lineup, that trio looked immediately dangerous again.
He’s turning 31 this summer, so the dollars and term have to make sense. But, I’m sure there is a middle ground between player and organization. He has fit into this group like a round peg, and could be a piece of the winning puzzle here.
Next up on my list of importance is Mikael Pyyhtia. Simple: if you’re moving on from Heinen and Aston-Reese, this guy can fill that fourth line role just fine. In fact, I would argue that he’s probably more deserving of that job right now. Hence the earlier statement about Heinen and ZAR blocking others. Extending #82 makes sense.
There are four prospects that I think are good to keep around, for organizational depth if nothing else. Defensemen Stanislav Svozil and Corson Ceulemans are both coming off of their entry-level contracts after this season. As are forwards James Malatesta and Jack Williams.
I think all four of these guys are pretty close to earning some cups of coffee in the NHL. But, even if Waddell doesn’t believe that’s the case, they are all skilled players who give the Cleveland Monsters some continuity and a lot of different traits. No need to walk away from any of them.
Lastly, for this portion of the article, let’s talk about Egor Zamula. He hasn’t been here long, but in his brief stint so far he’s shown that he brings some things that the Blue Jackets need more of: size and defensive ability.
I see him a little bit as a “wait and see” player, but there might not be enough time left in this season to truly judge his value. It’s possible that Waddell could look to extend him soon, rather than later.
On the final slide, we talk about some guys that could go either way. One of them might surprise you.
