Report: GM admits he lost out on Duchene, pursuing other trades

By all accounts Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen was one of the most aggressive pursuers of former Colorado Avalanche star Matt Duchene. Of course, all that amounts to now is a hill of beans, as Duchene was dealt to the Ottawa Senators last night in a blockbuster three-way deal betweens the Avs, Sens and Nashville Predators.

Now, Kekalainen is opening up for the first time about missing out on Duchene and what his options might be for filling the center ice position with Duchene and Kyle Turris off the market. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic recently caught up with the CBJ GM to get his insight into the changing NHL trade market:

“The market is never settled,” Kekalainen said. “Some stuff will always come up, new stuff will come up … something might pop that we never expected. That’s the way it goes in pro sports.”

So, where might Kekalainen end up looking for help? There’s always New York Islanders superstar John Tavares. Expect his name to be linked in any trade rumor until he’s either dealt or decides to re-up in Brooklyn. There’s also a situation in St. Louis worth monitoring with Blues center Paul Stastny. Or, if Kekalainen decides he needs help on the wing there’s Toronto Maple Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk.

Whatever Kekalainen decides to do, it’s clear that last night’s blockbuster has shifted the entire market. Things could get interesting between now and the NHL trade deadline.