Presumably teams pushing for a playoff berth wouldn't often consider dealing their second leading point-producer and a player who is also an associate captain. Typically teams make trades to improve their odds of making the postseason and moving Brandon Dubinsky, depending on the potential return of course, wouldn't seem to make Columbus better. Yet Bruce Garrioch says he keeps
hearing that the Jackets are indeed looking to trade the 27-year-old forward.
Garrioch doesn't indicate what teams have or may have interest in Dubinsky though even at a relatively hefty $4.2MM, it stands to reason there would be no shortage of suitors. Dubinsky plays with grit, energy and is a solid offensive contributor. He has 29 points in 39 games and is projected to finish the campaign with a scoring line of 19-38-57. His point production combined with his intangibles makes him a valuable asset to the Jackets; so why would they consider moving him?
The simple answer is money. We know that at best, Columbus is a mid-market team. This means they don't generate the revenue necessary to spend to the salary cap ceiling each season. This year the Jackets have the 13th highest payroll in the NHL and entered the campaign with just a couple hundred grand of space. That's not a salary structure the Jackets can sustain.
Currently Columbus has $51.66MM tied up in 16 roster players for next season with Ryan Johansen set to be a restricted free agent and Nikita Nikitin, Derek MacKenzie, Marian Gaborik, Blake Comeau and Curtis McElhinney all slated for unrestricted free agency. At the very least the Jackets will need to replace those players on the roster. Finding an offensive player to take the place of Gaborik and to combine with Nathan Horton to give the Jackets another goal-scoring threat will not be cheap. Even though the cap is scheduled to rise to about $71MM, we have to assume the Jackets will be more comfortable in the $60 - $65MM range leaving them little wiggle room this summer. That's why trading Dubinsky could be necessary.
If we look at the Jackets' payroll obligations beyond this season we find that the trio of James Wisniewski (three years, $5.5MM cap hit), Fedor Tyutin (four years, $4.5MM cap hit) and Jack Johnson (four years, $4.357MM cap hit) all have term and sizable cap charges remaining on their deals. Their contracts would make it difficult to move any of them in trade.
Nathan Horton was just signed last summer and wouldn't appear to be a candidate to be moved in a cost-cutting measure.
RJ Umberger has three more seasons and a cap hit of $4.6MM. He wouldn't be easy to deal given his contract.
So, if Columbus determines they have to move someone in order to gain some needed payroll flexibility, Dubinsky might be the best option. Since he only has one year left on his deal he comes with less of a commitment than the other options. Obviously he has value on the ice meaning any deal involving Dubinsky wouldn't require Columbus to pair up other assets just to be rid of the last year of his contract.
It may not be something the Jackets
want to do but depending on their financial picture, trading Brandon Dubinsky might be something they
need to do.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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