Team: 2024-25 Columbus Blue Jackets

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 16, 2024

Published: May 8, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Making a prediction for the off-season after the lottery. Not much has changed.

First off, the draft:
- I believe it will go Celebrini, Demidov and Levshunov, in which case I predict the Blue Jackets pick Lindstrom.
- Boqvist is traded.
- Bean too if anyone wants him. I don't know if the Flyers would be interested, Columbus'll basically take what they can get for him.

With regards to the Laine situation, I remain hopeful that he comes back and re-discovers his game next season.

Merzlikins is probably bought out, but I wanted to think about where he could go with retention. Ottawa? Carolina? LA? I sent him to Detroit, but it's basically any team that wants him. In general, if they can trade him at 50 % retained and not have to pay too much or even get something for it, I think they should. Why? Here is the difference in million dollars between retaining on him and buying him out (positive values mean that the retained cap hit is larger than the buyout cap hit):
24/25: +1.550
25/26: +1.075
26/27: -0.225
27/28–29/30: -1.750
2024/25 doesn't really matter. They have plenty of cap space and won't make the playoffs. 25/26 they maybe make some big move. Based on a previous ACGM I made, the CBJ could sign a player like Draisaitl for $13,500,000 (so basically a worst case scenario from a cap perspective) and still have around $4,500,000 in cap space with a Merzlikins buyout. So they still have some flexibility that year. After that, the cap hit is lower if they retain on him rather than buy him out. So I think retaining is just better.

To replace him, they bring in a veteran G like David Rittich on a one-year deal, letting Greaves get some more starts in the AHL.

The GM makes no big moves, but takes a year to assess. With Laine coming back, he only signs a veteran defensive LD to give them some size and strengthen the defense and PK.

Mateychuk spends the year in the AHL until Provorov is dealt at the TDL, at which point he is brought up.

Jiricek improves his skating and finally becomes an NHL regular.

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