Blue Jackets Set Asking Price for Top Defenseman

The Columbus Blue Jackets are looking for a good return in exchange for their top defenseman.

sMar 19, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (9) handles the puck during the third period of the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images / Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

It’s that time of year again in the NHL as top trade candidate emerge, and this year should see a lot of talk about Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov. It’s been about a month since teams started to gain interest in the Blue Jackets’ top blue liner, and prices are starting to be set.

According to Pierre LeBrun in the Athletic, the Blue Jackets don’t have interest in moving Provorov any time soon, but when they do, they’ll be looking for at least a first-round pick in return.

“They will most likely trade the pending UFA Provorov when the time is right, and the asking price will be a first-round pick,” LeBrun writes. “And they may not necessarily wait for March 7 if a team steps up with that first-round pick earlier in the New Year.”

Provorov is a left-shot, 27-year-old defenseman who is in the final year of an affordable contract. His full contract costs $6.75 million, but the Los Angeles Kings are retaining some of that salary cap hit.

Any team with interest in Provorov will likely pay as much as $4.725 against the salary cap. There are sure to be more than a few teams willing to lose a first-round pick for Provorov’s talents.

Especially if it’s a team that has aspirations of pushing for the Stanley Cup, it could be a very late first-round pick anyway.

Through 19 games this season, Provorov has scored a goal and five assists for six total points.

Provorov is in his ninth NHL season and second with the Blue Jackets. In 633 career games played, he has scored 71 goals and 184 assists for 255 total points. He’s a career minus-33, but much of that decline came with some poor Philadelphia Flyers teams.

The Flyers selected Provorov seventh overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, before making his NHL debut in 2016.

The Blue Jackets aren't concerned with making a move right away, but as the season goes on and the chips start to fall around the league, Provorov is sure to be a name to watch.

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