Something's wrong in Columbus. The Blue Jackets are an inconsistent mess and no matter how much John Tortorella huffs or puffs about it, it just doesn't seem to change. A team this talented shouldn't be this bad, and yet they are. Worse, the Blue Jackets' ineptitude is all but forcing GM Jarmo Kekalainen's hand when it comes to trades. With the team far out of the playoff race and facing an identity crisis, Kekalainen seems certain to enact a deal or seven in order to shake up the dressing room and maybe even alter the makeup of the team.
Not every player is available though. Prospect Kerby Rychel wants out, according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Post-Dispatch, but it seems Kekalainen has shown little interest to this point in dealing the talented young forward. Teams like New York, Calgary and Toronto have all shown interest, but it's been to no avail.
The 21-year-old Rychel, a former first-rounder, has appeared in 11 games for the Blue Jackets this season, notching three assists. In 20 games for the Lake Erie Monsters he has five goals and 11 assists. He plays with plenty of grit and certainly seems like the kind of player who could thrive in a power forward role, but his limited production probably has Kekalainen thinking he's better off holding onto the asset than selling low.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that Johansen, whose name has already been brought up time and again in trade reports, has been joined by the like of Scott Hartnell on the trade block, along with "others" in Columbus.
Really, it's not a surprising development considering the way the Blue Jackets season has gone. So much promise has turned from frustration, to anger, to bewilderment, leaving fans and Kekalainen alike to wring their hands and wonder just what went wrong.
It's not an easy question to answer, but it'll be up to the veteran GM to figure out where the problem is emanating from, otherwise it's very possible he won't be the one calling the shots in Columbus anymore.
