Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman Linked to 2 Canadian Teams, per David Pagnotta
NHL insider David Pagnotta revealed on his top 25 trade list that the Columbus Blue Jackets could look to trade Ivan Provorov and two Canadian teams came up.
With 2025 only just getting going, the Columbus Blue Jackets are out of the playoff picture. It's been a better season than expected after the heartbreaking death of Johnny Gaudreau.
However, with some of the offensive stars having burst onto the scene, it's time for the Blue Jackets to start thinking about what assets they could move at the NHL trade deadline.
One piece they need to look into trading is pending free-agent defender Ivan Provorov, per NHL insider David Pagnotta.
Provorov is in the final year of a six-year deal he inked with the Philadelphia Flyers back in 2019. The Columbus Blue Jackets picked him up on a discount before the 2023-24 season, and he's given them steady, reliable play on the back end.
However, given the current rebuild, it makes a ton of sense for the Blue Jackets to flip Provorov for more future assets. His $6.75 million contract isn't bad for what the Flyers are retaining, $2 million, making him a palatable trade target for contenders.
That means Columbus can retain more salary in order to gain a better bargaining position when negotiating deals.
While several Eastern Conference teams, such as the Ottawa Senators, could show interest in adding Provorov's defensive presence, and were mentioned as a possible team by Pagnotta, the Vancouver Canucks do have interesting appeal as a suitor.
Vancouver presently sits in a playoff position and can easily benefit from just a little more defensive solidity to round out their roster for the stretch drive.
Provorov is a physical, stay-at-home type that complements the Vancouver roster that is weighted greatly toward offense-minded players such as Quinn Hughes.
Provorov would provide the Vancouver Canucks with a really solid, shutdown-type defenseman who could log heavy minutes against top opponents.
His experience in big moments would help round out a rather decent Vancouver penalty kill and add depth for a possible playoff run.
Most importantly, the Pacific Division is one of the most competitive in the NHL, and the Vancouver front office could feel extra pressure to shore up their blueline ahead of the deadline.
A Provorov trade to a Vancouver-type team could net the Jackets some fairly valuable future assets and give Columbus a bit of cap space.
The March 7 trade deadline is fast approaching; this really is an opportunity for the Jackets to maximize value on Provorov and continue building toward the future.
