With the uncertainty hanging over the Blue Jackets organization due to the lack of a deal for Rick Nash, most knew the Columbus general manager Scott Howson would be tip toeing through free agency and selecting his targets carefully. It's exactly what he did.
The most recognizable name that the Jackets acquired is Adrian Aucoin that is 5 points shy of 400 points in his NHL career and also has registered 1072 NHL regular season games with 5 different teams. The one year deal for $2 million plus incentives may have been done more for what he can do with the young defensemen more than what he will do on the ice.
“Adrian was the first defenseman we contacted today and we are very pleased to bring him to Columbus,” said Howson. “He is an experienced player who can move the puck and he reads the game very well. He will provide leadership and will be a great mentor to our young defensemen.”
“Adrian has an impeccable track record with Phoenix mentoring some young players,” Howson went on to say at a press gathering. “Leadership, very smart with the puck, great hockey sense. We really think we are upgraded right now.”
What may end up being the most important move of the day for Howson was when he traded defenseman Marc Methot to Ottawa for winger Nick Foligno who hasn't missed a game in the last two seasons for the Sens. Last year was the best season, statistically for Foligno with 15 goals and 47 points. That point total would have made him the third highest point getter on the Blue Jackets behind Rick Nash and Vinny Prospal.
“Nick is a versatile, durable two-way player who at age 24 is coming off the best season of his career,” said Howson. “We’re excited about what he will add to our group of forwards and are very happy to have him join our hockey club.”
Foligno is a restricted free agent and will need to be signed by the Blue Jackets. Last year he made $1.5 million.
Early in the day Columbus added some more goaltending depth when the inked Curtis McElhinney to a one-year, two-way NHL-American Hockey League contract. The 29 year old has played in 69 NHL games and 156 AHL games over his career will make $750,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL level.
The plan would be to serve as a mentor for Allen York with the Springfield Falcons and also be a netminder they can pull up if there would be an injury with the big club. McElhinney 19-26-4 record with a 3.09 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and two shutouts over his NHL career. He was 1-0-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .944 SV% in two games with Phoenix in 2011-12, while going 10-13-0 with a 3.04 GAA and .907 SV% in 25 games with the American Hockey League’s Portland Pirates. McElhinney did come to Columbus at the trade deadline in the Antoine Vermette trade. He never played with the Columbus organization due to an injury and was part of the trade so the Coyotes would stay within the 50 contract limit.
Blue Jackets also signed left wing Jonathan Audy-Marchessault to a standard three-year entry level contract. Audy-Marchessault (pronounced OH-dee MAHR-sheh-Soh) broke into the AHL last season as a rookie and put up 24 goals and 64 points in 72 games with the Connecticut Whale. Most considered the 21-year-old native of Cap-Rouge, Quebec the top free agent out of the AHL.
Out of all of this, one thing looks to be certain which is Steve Mason will be back as one of the goalies with the Blue Jackets next season. The only way that would change is if a goaltender like Antti Niemmi from San Jose would come in a package for Rick Nash. The free agent goalie market is almost empty and Martin Brodeur would have no interest in coming to Columbus at this stage of his career.
Based off of what Howson is saying, this is most likely it in the free agent market for the Blue Jackets but believe that they will keep a sharp eye on what goes on. Zach Parise is the key piece that needs to move to get the teams that are interested in Nash to revisit the trade and start negotiating with Howson again. Expect Parise to announce his intentions today.
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