This is a challenging offseason for Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen.
He has to make decisions about the club’s pending free agents (particularly RFA Alexander Wennberg), make decisions with his scouts for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, and trying to wheel and deal around the upcoming Expansion Draft that will see the Las Vegas Golden Knights select one of his players.
The rules of the draft require Columbus to protect players with no movement and no trade clauses unless they opt to waive them, which locks in Brandon Dubinsky, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Nick Foligno - and it’s doubtful the club would want to risk parting with any of them.