ICYMI: Bobrovsky has agreed to waive his no trade clause

Goalie Bob has one foot out the door in Columbus.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
ICYMI: Bobrovsky has agreed to waive his no trade clause
Zuma Press

When Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was put under a team imposed suspension last week many fans and analysts wondered whether or not the superstar goalie had played his last game for the organization. It’s not exactly a secret that the pending unrestricted free agent goaltender plans on testing the open market this upcoming offseason and his suspension could serve as the catalyst for a trade so that the organization and player could make a fresh start.

Over a week later though and Bobrovsky is still a member of the Blue Jackets organization and, in fact, is a HUGE part of the team’s playoff push. But… with the NHL’s February 25th trade deadline looming on the horizon, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekkalainen has a big decision to make. Keep Goalie Bob for the stretch drive and the Stanley Cup Playoffs and risk losing him for nothing to free agency or trade him now and recoup some future assets for a goalie that clearly has one foot out the door? It’s as big a dilemma as a GM can have in today’s NHL… oh and you can count superstar forward Artemi Panarin in the same boat as Bobrovsky. One thing is clear, there aren’t many NHL GM’s who would trade places with Kekkalainen.

According to a report from NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, Bobrovsky approached the team months ago and provided them with a list of teams he’d be willing to waive his no trade clause for.

From LeBrun’s article for The Athletic:

In talking to a few people around the league over the past week, my understanding is that two-time Vezina Trophy winner informed the Blue Jackets months ago he’d waive his no-move for a trade he’d approve and, I believe, provided a list of teams.


At the same time, LeBrun made it clear that he doesn’t believe that Kekkalainen is shopping his number one goaltender.


But at the same time, I don’t believe the Jackets have ever asked him to waive it. Not yet anyway.


Still… if Bobrovsky did in fact approach his team with some trade options, you have to imagine that his next move is to formally request a trade. This hasn’t happened yet, but the writing is CLEARLY on the wall for Kekkalainen and staff. The Bobrovsky Era in CBJ is in its final weeks. The question now is “Where does he end up?” Obviously there were be multiple suitors for Bobrovsky on the free agent market, but the trade market is tricky to gauge. 

The Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins are all potential landing places at the trade deadline, but the list of suitors increases SIGNIFICANTLY in the offseason when you factor in teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.