Welcome to the Hotstove! As always, I'm your host, Travis Yost.

When RDS and other outlets broke news about Jeff Carter - allegedly - wanting out of Columbus, the hockey world went wild. Carter, an enigmatic and mercurial talent, has long been a polarizing hockey player in today's National Hockey League. A guy that can score with the best of 'em, but can also frustrate endlessly.

Carter was sent in the off-season from Philadelphia to Columbus, and by all accounts, was distraught to leave the City of Brotherly Love. Now, with the Columbus Blue Jackets in a complete tail spin, reports have surfaced that Carter may already want out just eighteen games into the season.

The question: Should Columbus entertain the trade for Columbus? If they do shop him, what kind of value can be expected? And, who are the likely suitors?

Roundtable includes Jan Levine, Ty Anderson, Aaron Musick, Shaune Vetter, Bill Meltzer, Pete Tessier, John Jaeckel, and Rich Cloutier. Yep, we had to pull up some extra chairs!

As always, weigh in below.

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Travis Yost: No player ever wants to be the focus of trade rumors, but it appears Jeff Carter may have brought this upon himself. Now, it's tough to say whether or not Carter and/or his agent leaked this news to the press, or whether NHL media is taking a potential storyline and running with it, but suffices to say Carter hasn't really 'fit' into the Columbus organization comfortably since the trade.

Unfortunately, I can't fathom a scenario where Jeff Carter's traded out of Columbus anytime soon, for a number of reasons. The two big issues? One - his trade value is at an all-time low. It's the other end of the spectrum for a guy who once potted 46 goals in a single season. Two - Columbus isn't in a position of bargaining strength. Not only did Jeff Carter handcuff them by - allegedly - asking for a trade, but the team's already devoid of talent at almost every position, and moving Carter now is just begging to end the season with about five total wins.

Now, fans of complete tank-jobs might be thrilled with the aforementioned, but it's a horrible business move, especially in a smaller city like Columbus that is trying desperately to stay relevant on the local front. Right now, pretty much no one cares about this team because of their poor start.

Third, though, and perhaps most importantly, is that a law of averages has to set in at some point. Columbus has had essentially everything go against them to start the season. As hockey fans, we're always trying to stay ahead of the natural ebb and flow for players and teams, and right now, this has to be an absolute nadir. If you continue icing Jeff Carter on the same line with Rick Nash, points will come. Period. They're too talented not to.

Columbus is better off hoping that the two click, if only to increase Carter's trade value in the future. Right now, teams are salivating for a low-buy on a guy who can fill it up on a nightly basis, but Columbus would be wise not to take the bait.

Teams that might come knocking if Carter officially hits the block? Well, more than a dozen. I think two of the more intriguing - and likely - options include Toronto and Ottawa, two teams from the province of Ontario in desperate need of a top-six pivot.

Richard Cloutier: Jeff Carter was hosed by the Philadelphia Flyers last summer.

When he signed the long-term contract extension, he did so in good faith. Yes, he must have known there was a window where he could still be dealt, but who offers a player a long-term deal with an NTC to start in a few months and then immediately deals him? It was an absolutely jerk thing for the Flyers to do.

Part of the reason Carter likely signed the contract extension is because he saw the value of being a Flyer. He knew this is/was/always will be a team that can challenge for cups. Instead of finding himself on a team with a future, he's now on the worst team in the NHL. Perhaps more notably, he's on a team that hasn't ever looked like a playoff threat. The fact he was traded is almost as bad as who he was dealt to.

Of course if Carter wants to be moved he should ask and have his request granted. The Jackets stink and he never intended on being there. It might be a nice thing if Carter gave it a season first before deciding that he wants out, but if he doesn't want to be there, he doesn't want to be there. I can think of a number of teams that would welcome Jeff and give up quality assets to acquire him. Perhaps the Toronto Maple Leafs? Carter to Kessel has a nice ring to it.


Peter Tessier: If Carter wants a trade he better be doing something to make sure it's worth trading him and that is yet to be seen. Jeff Carter, for whatever reasons, has far too much baggage for a player this early in his NHL tenure. He needs to do what the best players do focus on hockey and play the game, stop worrying about everything away from the rink. NHL players are no different than any other young adult early in their chosen profession- just focus on your career.

Carter has to take a long sober look at and within himself. How is a GM supposed to trade him now with any expectation of fair return? Is Carter's play or attitude a detriment to the team right now? How does Carter know the next situation will be any improvement?

What I see is a player who is rattled and needs to learn some life lessons before his life improves. To do so he has to play. If he can't be moved immediately- which is likely, then play out the season. He needs to work his tail off and make it so teams want to have him on their roster. Right now he's taking the Dany Heatley approach and we can see how that has worked out for him.

John Jaeckel: A simple question with no simple answer. And boy, it must suck to be Scott Howson these days.

Trading Carter, at his request or not, is an acknowledgement that you whiffed on dealing Jake Voracek+ for him over the summer. Because whether your team's chemistry situation is that bad, and/or because he's a quitter, it doesn't look good on you as a GM either way.

All that said, the practical considerations are these: he wants out, but you also need to get value for him. Furthermore, there has been and is a valid question surrounding the fact that while a good goal scorer, he is not an elite set-up man, which is what many feel is a better fit with Rick Nash.

On top of all that, the Jackets have numerous holes and albatrosses. Trading Carter, if you can gin up the bidding, could really help solve some issues.

If it's even remotely true that Carter has asked out, if I were Scott Howson, I would definitely put the crosshairs on his back and his wares on the market. He needs to go. But I would also take my time and get the best deal for the future of the franchise. This year is a trainwreck anyway. Take the time to get a trade that will help for years to come.



Bill Meltzer: Jeff Carter is a very good, skilled NHL player. He's not a franchise player. I'd put him in the next category down.

He's usually been streaky offensively, but he can score in bunches at times. He's not a playmaking center. He's a shooter, but he'll generate his fair share of assists off rebounds. He's big and is capable of playing mean, but don't expect it too often. He's worked on his defense (a detriment at the start of his career), and become solid. Ditto his faceoff ability.

Carter is not, and will never be, a panacea for Columbus or any other team. He's someone who can do well with the right talent around him. If he truly wants out of Columbus -- which is, of course, now being denied -- I would accommodate his wishes.

Philadelphia got a nice return from the Blue Jackets for Carter between the first round pick that was used to draft Sean Couturier plus Jakub Voracek. Columbus could also get something of value if they dealt Carter. He's just 26 and in the prime of his career.

If Carter stays in Columbus, he'll eventually get on track and get back to scoring at his accustomed 30-plus goal pace. Injuries were the biggest reason for his slow start. What he won't necessarily do is be able to carry the team along with Rick Nash.


Shaune Vetter: You have to feel bad for the Jackets. They finally decided to go "all-in" and take a dedicated stab at not just a playoff spot, but perhaps a division title and a deep playoff run and it's been nothing less than a colossal failure.

At the heart of the perceived BIG upgrades in the summer was Jeff Carter. The man who was to finally give the organization it's first super-star centre, a player who could take the pressure off of Rick Nash and help lead the team to its greatest success as they spent to the cap and tried to finally move into the upper echelon of teams who have a legitimate shot at Lord Stanley's Mug.

There have been a lot of issues this season, Carter and Nash's playing styles don't seem to mesh, Mason has been spotty at best and just can't seem to bring back the form that made him one of the top puck-stoppers in the game as a rookie, a suspension of the defenseman many expected to be the backbone of their blueline sent the team into disarray just as the season started, and the team looks to be as cohesive as oil and water on most nights.

Taking that all into consideration, the main factor in the teams struggles can likely be traced to the deal that originally brought Carter to Columbus. It was a bold move, a move that rightfully excited Jackets fans, but it was a move that didn't sit well with the player and it was obvious from the outset. Jeff Carter simply put, wanted no part of going to Columbus. That was a red-flag right there. Any time you need to convince a player to come play in your city, it's not likely to end well and this case was no different.

Sure, they all said the right things after he was prodded into finally showing up, and everyone was all smiles on the outside as the team showed a brave face, but the results on the ice show the true picture: This team isn't happy. We know for sure that one player isn't happy since he never even wanted to be there in the first place. The team has no choice but to try and get the best return it can for Jeff Carter.


Aaron Musick: Listen, things are going south for Columbus, worse than ever before. They made a big move bringing in Carter, to give Nash a center that can make his skill.

There's only one problem: Carter isn't a playmaker. Columbus would have been much better making a pitch for Brad Richards or trading for Mike Richards, Paul Stastny or another playmaking center.

Carter is a big center who has size and a hard shot. Carter and Nash both need guys feeding them the puck to spring them loose. They're not like Phil Kessel or Cory Perry who can create their own chances, they need others to create chances for them to finish.

This why there is a lack of chemistry between the two and one of the reasons why Columbus is last in the standings. Columbus should not be actively looking for a place to trade Carter but they should be looking to improve.

They need a playmaker in some way shape or form stat. If that means trading Carter for the right deal, then they should do it, for both Carter's and their sake.

If they do trade Carter, they should ask for a goaltender in return. Steve Mason has been calling Andrew Raycroft with advice on what to do with his Calder trophy. Mason is a head case and cannot be trusted when the game is on the line. Regardless of what Columbus does, their first move should be to get a real goaltender because Steve Mason just will not cut it.

This probably means the Kings, with Carter's friend Mike Richards and backup Jonathan Bernier, are the ideal trading partner for the Blue Jackets but they should move fast so they have time to get back into a possible playoff hunt.


Jan Levine:The determination on if to trade a disenfranchised player is a team by team decision. One has to evaluate how much of a distraction that player is being now and worry as to how much he can become down the road.

In the case of Jeff Carter, it seems fairly well-known and clear that he did not want to come to Columbus. He did not make the decision to sign with the Blue Jackets, but was traded there with little say in the matter. That's how all deals work, but at times, for several reasons they don't work out.

Columbus viewed Carter as a building block. If the personalities don't mix and performance won't match his salary, especially going forward as he gets less and less interested, and potentially more and more distracting, then it may behoove Columbus to deal him now. However, that said, they need to balance that decision on how this will impact the franchise going forward and would making this deal end up seeing someone like Rick Nash, who signed to stay there, start asking for a one-way ticket out of town.

At the end of the day, Columbus is not operating from a position of strength, and unless they are sure that Nash won't want to leave town, then they may be forced to keep Carter and hope it all pans out at the end.


Ty Anderson: Wait, Jeff Carter's playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets? I thought that guy donning number seven for the Jackets this year was an extra walker from set of the Walking Dead.

Let's be honest, Carter of '11-12 is not the same Carter we saw in Philadelphia. Not even close, in fact. He hasn't scored a goal. He hasn't had a point since Oct. 8, and he was virtually invisible when I saw him play in Boston on Thursday. He's been the polar opposite of fellow Philly-exiled forward Mike Richards. Bringing me to my next point: Who would really want to pay the price that Columbus would likely want to dump Carter? Better yet, who would want to take that contract on?

Carter's making 5.27 million from now until the sun burns out (okay, that's a stretch -- only 'til 2022), and has absolutely no signs of being a capable player outside of the Philadelphia organization. The raw talent will always be there, but I've never felt that Carter was a player that could be a go-to guy. He was able to simply fit in Philly. This disaster in Columbus is only giving that theory some legs.

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