Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson Emerges as Potential Avalanche Trade Chip
Kent Johnson, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 2021 first‑round pick (5th overall), was a healthy scratch ahead of a game against the New York Islanders, sparking talks he could be a trade asset for a cap‑strapped Colorado Avalanche. Colorado’s roughly $2.37 million in cap room and a looming Cale Makar extension fuel the chatter, though Jackets GM Don Waddell stressed they’re not selling off their core and Johnson’s status remains uncertain. Johnson has appeared in 254 NHL games with 134 points and was once hailed as a franchise cornerstone, but his development has stalled, keeping trades as a possibility but far from certain.