Kent Johnson has Dean Evason facing a real summer choice in Columbus.
The noise around Kirill Marchenko is louder, but Johnson may be the more interesting trade chip because the risk is lower and the upside still feels open. He carries a $1,800,000 cap hit through 2026-27.
That number matters because Johnson's value is no longer tied to what he was last year. It is tied to whether another team believes his 2025-26 step backward was a blip, not the truth.
The drop was hard to miss. Johnson played 76 games and finished with 7 goals and 22 points after putting up 24 goals and 57 points in 68 games the year before.
That is why the file gets interesting for Don Waddell. Johnson is still only 23, still has first-round pedigree, and still looks like the kind of player a different room could bet on before the price climbs again.
Columbus also is not dealing from the bottom anymore. The Blue Jackets finished 40-42-0 for 92 points, which means they can think about reshaping the roster instead of just collecting patience and excuses.
The 5 teams I would watch most are the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Vancouver Canucks. Each one has room for a buy-low swing on a young forward with skill.
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Another high-profile NHL player has emerged as a trade candidate as Kent Johnson is available
Calgary stands out because Craig Conroy still needs more talent through the middle, and Johnson fits the age of that group. The Flames finished with 77 points and are still building forward support around a younger core.
Montreal makes sense because the Canadiens are pushing up the standings and still looking for more skill behind Nick Suzuki. A team that scored 283 goals can afford to chase upside instead of pure safety.
Chicago is obvious. Connor Bedard is set to miss the start of the season, and the Blackhawks still need more offense around him anyway after finishing with 72 points.
Pittsburgh fits the Kyle Dubas profile. The Penguins are always looking for skilled rebound bets, and Johnson would give them a younger piece to bridge the gap around an aging core after a 98-point season.
Vancouver is the sneaky one. The Canucks were last in the Pacific at 58 points, and a player like Johnson is exactly the type of low-cost upside move a team in that spot should be testing.
The Blue Jackets do not have to move him. But if Evason and Waddell think Johnson's best season is already behind him in Columbus, this is the kind of trade window that can disappear fast.
Should the Blue Jackets trade Kent Johnson before his value changes again?
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