Columbus Blue Jackets Offer Two First-Round Picks Ahead NHL Draft

The Columbus Blue Jackets surprised many during the 2024-25 NHL season by contending for a playoff spot and winning 40 games, their best since 2018-19. General Manager Don Waddell confirmed the team is open to trading both of their 2025 first-round picks, 14th and 20th overall, to accelerate their competitiveness next season. The Blue Jackets have a promising young core and one of the best prospect pools in the league, but they are also facing key contract decisions, particularly on defense with unrestricted free agents Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro, and restricted free agent Jordan Harris. Cap space and the need for roster improvements make keeping both Provorov and Fabbro challenging, while the team aims to strengthen its defense by potentially moving or not re-signing less impactful players. Despite multiple teams having first-round picks available, the Blue Jackets are motivated to leverage their selections and salary cap flexibility to push into playoff contention. However, the abundance of first-round picks on the market this year may limit trade options, and not all first-round picks typically end up being traded for impactful players.