5 moves the Blue Jackets can make to get back to the playoffs

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 19: Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Artemi Panarin (9) looks on after a missed shot during game 4 in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on April 19, 2018. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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COLUMBUS, OH – APRIL 19: Artemi Panarin #9 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Washington Capitals in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 19, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Artemi Panarin /

2. Add some fresh blood

Anything starts to stale if you leave it for too long, and the fact that the Blue Jackets already seem tired is not a good sign. They’ve got some really young talent, like Pierre-Luc Dubois, and even Josh Anderson, and yet they aren’t meshing.

One quick solution for this is to trade Artemi Panarin for another big name to revitalize the team mentality. Panarin has already announced that he does not want to talk about renewing his contract with the Blue Jackets. This comes as huge news, and the general mood of the GM Jarmo Kekalainen is reported to be “sad and disappointed.”

Where there is fear in losing Panarin, there should be joy that they could trade his high name for one of equal calibar. The Blue Jackets aren’t among the teams that John Tavares is reportedly leaning towards, but that doesn’t mean that the Jackets couldn’t pick up someone highly anticipated like James Neal or James van Riemsdyk. One pinch player could really sew this team up and make them far more polished for the 2018-19 season.

The need defensive help, but a powerhouse forward could really bring a team together. Someone like Neal, who is fresh off a Stanley Cup final with the complete tomfoolery that was Vegas this year, could really bring a team together. He’s adaptable, clearly, and a leader who many looked to this year. The Jackets could still acquire him while watching their salary cap… and maybe get him for even less if he’s still kicking himself over that missed empty-netter in Game 4.

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