For the second time in as many years, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has dipped into the international free agent pool.
The team announced on Monday that they've inked Finnish forward Markus Hannikainen to a two-year entry-level contract.
Hannikainen is a 6'2, 185 pounder that tallied 46 points in 60 games while playing in Finland's top hockey league as a 22-year-old.
While the Blue Jackets already have an abundance of quality young forwards, it can't hurt to add another to the mix; especially if they end up trading one or two to bring in help on defense.
It's possible Hannikainen doesn't make an impact at the NHL level, and ends up playing in the AHL, or heading back overseas a la Simon Hjalmarsson. It's also possible he turns into a legitimately good NHL player a la Carl Soderberg.
Either way, it's worth taking a shot on Hannikainen, as it's a no risk move that could turn into a nice reward.
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