The 2023-24 season is not one that the Columbus Blue Jackets or their fans imagined it to be coming into the campaign. Most had them projected to finish around fifth place in the Metropolitan Division. However, that is not the case as they sit dead last. As the eyes shift to the trade deadline that is coming up on March 8 along with the 2024 NHL Draft, is it time to figure out what the plan is for the 2024-25 season? One area that might need the most priority is the defense which contributes to giving up the second-most goals (161) in the NHL. Only the San Jose Sharks (175) have given up the most. Goaltending is another position to look at as well, but it seems that defense is something to consider in Columbus.
When it comes to the defense, the Blue Jackets have a good number of right-side (RD) guys but only two true left-side defensemen (LD) on the NHL roster. The only two true LDs on the team are alternate captain Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov. While Columbus does have players who can play on either side of the defense, i.e. Jake Bean, Nick Blackenburg, and Jake Christiansen, it might be good to bring in a true LD to help bolster that side. While the Blue Jackets do have prospects within the system who are pure LD guys, they are a couple of seasons away if not more. It might be a good idea for the team to possibly look at the upcoming free-agency market this summer. Here are two players that might be solid options for the Blue Jackets.
Noah Hanifin
The first player that might be a solid choice is Calgary Flames’ Noah Hanifin. He has tallied seven goals and 23 points in 43 games for the Flames this season. While it was a slow start for Calgary, they are sitting at 20-18-5 with 45 points in the Pacific Division. They are only three points back of third place Los Angeles Kings (48). Also, the Flames are only two points out of the final wildcard spot behind rivals the Edmonton Oilers. Hanifin, who was a fifth overall selection by the Carolina Hurricanes back in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, has had a solid career after nine seasons, his sixth with Calgary. The most points he’s put up in a season is 48 which was during the 2021-22 season. He is currently a plus-46 with the Flames while posting his third straight plus season with a plus-13 so far. That 2021-22 season saw him finish with a plus-27.
Since his time with the Flames, he has averaged over 21:31 of ice time and is currently averaging 23:21 for the 2023-24 season. Hanifin has compiled 179 points over 402 games with Calgary with 141 of those being assists. His overall two-way game is pretty solid and can be a force on the offensive side of the puck. The thing that makes him a solid defenseman is to look at how he is utilized and can be a guy to lean on. He is a defenseman who will not be in the box much as his most penalty minutes (PIMs) in a season is 33 which was back in 2022-23. He hardly ever passes 20 PIMs a season outside of the 33 from the previous year.
Related: 3 Potential In-Season Trade Destinations for Flames’ Noah Hanifin
He is expected to be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2023-24 season. The current deal with the Flames was six years, $29.7 million that he signed back in August 2018. Hanifin’s current cap hit with the Flames is $4.95 million and is expected to possibly go up. A possible contract between the Blue Jackets and Hanifin could look somewhere between three or four years with a $6.5 to $7 million AAV. However, it is possible that it could go as high as $9 million so that is in play as well if Columbus wants to stomach that high of an AAV for Hanifin.
There have been rumblings about Hanifin walking at the end of the season according to Elliotte Friedman unless the Flames decide to trade him to get some assets back. It is uncertain what will happen but if the upcoming turning 27-year-old does make it to free agency, the Blue Jackets might want to take a shot on him.
Gustav Forsling
Another solid left-side defenseman to look at is the Florida Panthers’ Gustav Forsling. The 27-year-old Swede has tallied five goals and 17 points in 42 games this season. Over the previous two seasons in Florida, he has accumulated 37 (2021-22) and 41 (2022-23) points while scoring over 10 goals a season. His assists over the last two seasons went from 27 to 28 and is on pace to meet that again. He has averaged around 21:56 of ice time with the 2023-24 season seeing him getting 22:12. When it comes to plus/minus, in the last two seasons he’s had a plus-41 (201-22) and a plus-19 (2022-23) while he is at plus-27 this season.
He is currently in his seventh NHL season, his fourth with the Panthers, and he has gotten better over time ever since coming to the Sunshine State. When he joined the team in the 2020-21 season, he went from 17 points in 43 games to previously mentioned 37 points in 71 games and 41 in 82 games. While his PIMs are high compared to Hanifin’s, his plus/minus has only been in the positive since coming to the Panthers.
Related: Panthers Need to Find a Way to Protect Forsling in Expansion Draft
Outside of his offensive output, he is a player who isn’t afraid to get down and block shots. Over the last two seasons, he has blocked 86 and 106 respectively with him having 58 already in 2023-24. Forsling is someone who the Jackets could use on both ends of the puck and could be a catalyst on special teams as well. His 200-foot game could be something that Columbus might utilize along with helping younger guys as well since he’s only 27.
Forsling is in the last year of his three-year, $8 million deal that he signed back in July 2021. His current cap hit is only $2.66 million per year. A reasonable deal for Forsling if it worked out with the Blue Jackets could see a deal for four years with a $3.5 to $4.5 million AAV. It could give Columbus more wiggle room if they wanted to go after more guys in free agency or look for trades as well. Either way, Forsling could be a great addition to the Union Blue on the blue line.
Decisions, Decisions
As a whole, the Blue Jackets have to figure out what to do with their current blue-line situation. Especially when it comes to Bean, who will be a restricted free agent (RFA) after the season. Furthermore, most of their defensive core is signed through the 2024-25 season. Only Provorov (UFA) and Adam Boqvist (RFA, arbitration-eligible) come off the books going into the summer of 2025. If they do add Hanifin, Forsling, or someone else, they will need to figure out who will stay and who they might have to ship off if they plan on adding to the position.
If the Blue Jackets want to compete next season and grow over their rebuild, getting a solid blue line addition with some veteran experience might go a long way for them in 2024-25. Only time will tell what general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and his staff do over the next few months. It’ll be something to watch for Blue Jackets fans and others around the NHL.