The Columbus Blue Jackets and the rest of the National Hockey League are preparing for the upcoming NHL expansion draft come July 21
Players up for grabs to Seattle that were or are Blue Jackets players or alumni.
Note: Available player lists came through via NHL.com, I just sorted out and got the former players, and they’re listed with position and current team
F Sonny Milano (ANA)
F Derrick Brassard (ARI)
D John Moore (BOS)
F Matt Calvert (COL)
F TJ Tynan (COL)
CBJ
F Max Domi
F Zac Dalpe
F Nathan Gerbe
F Mikhail Grigorenko
F Ryan MacInis
F Stefan Matteau
F Cliff Pu
F Kole Sherwood
F Kevin Stenlund
F Calvin Thurkauf
F Daniel Zaar
D Gavin Bayreuther
D Gabriel Carlsson
D Adam Clendenning
D Michael Del Zotto
D Scott Harrington
D Dean Kukan
G Cam Johnson
F Blake Comeau (DAL)
F Sam Gagner (DET)
D Kris Russell (EDM)
F Alex Wennberg (FLA)
D Markus Nutivarra (FLA)
D Anton Stralman (FLA)
D Kevin Connauton (FLA)
D Ian Cole (MIN)
F Matt Duchene (NSH)
F Ryan Johansen (NSH)
D Ryan Murray (NJD)
D Jack Johnson (NYR)
G Keith Kinkaid (NYR)
F Artem Anisimov (OTT)
D Cody Goloubef (OTT)
F Vitaly Abramov (OTT)
F Jonathan Davidsson (OTT)
F Ryan Dzingel (OTT)
F Jakub Voracek (PHI)
D David Savard (TBL)
G Curtis McElhinney (TBL)
F Marko Dano (WPG)
With all these former Blue Jackets here is the exposed all star team
Domi—Duchene—Voracek
Brassard—Johansen—Gagner
Dzingel—Wennberg—Abramov
Calvert—Anisiomov—Comeau
Carlsson—Savard
Cole—Stralman
Murray—Nutivarra
McElhinney
Kinkaid
Spare F: Milano
Spare D: Del Zotto, Kukan
All of the projected lists have been releasing since the deadline past, and the mock drafts for the upcoming draft have as well. With Columbus, the two picks analysts and fans think will be selected by the Kraken from the Jackets is either Domi or Carlsson.
Domi has been mentioned at length in my last blog about how this pick could be a great move by Seattle, and how it would make Columbus look extremely bad as a result. With this, he is getting off-season surgery that could delay his season until December 2021.
Gabriel Carlsson is really intriguing as he still has a load of potential from being a first round draft pick in 2015. Carlsson has been up and down all season with the Jackets and Monsters alike, and could continue to rise toward the top pair with the veterans leaving the roster.
If Carlsson leaves as well as Jones, the Union Blue will be in a circumstance of weak defensive depth, last seen before the hiring of Jarmo Kekalainen. Losing a potential top 4 and a current top 4 defender in the same offseason could totally deplete a team’s roster in the short and long term.
Fans: Which player would upset you most ?
Preseason Announcement
As the post season begins, the preseason for next season has been announced so fans can buy tickets for this season. The Jackets are playing the same four teams over an 8 game period between September 27 and October 9, 2021. The four teams they are battling with before the regular season are the Buffalo Sabers; Detroit Red Wings; Pittsburgh Penguins; and St. Louis Blues.
Here is the official release from the NHL of their preseason:
Monday September 27 @ Pittsburgh 7pm
Tuesday September 28 v Buffalo 7pm
Wednesday September 29 v St Louis 7pm
Saturday October 2 @ Detroit 7pm
Monday October 4 @ Buffalo 7pm
Wednesday October 6 v Detroit 7pm
Friday October 8 @ St Louis 8pm
Saturday October 9 v Pittsburgh 7pm
Speaking of upcoming season changes, Columbus is back in the Metropolitan Division for the 2021-2022 season, along with the Carolina Hurricanes. They reunite with Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; New York; New Jersey; and Washington.
Prideful Moment
This morning it was announced by Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Prokop that he is openly gay, making him the first contracted player in league history to wave the rainbow flag. This a major accomplishment in the progressive world we are in as well as the hockey world.
Earlier this season, we witnessed a full African American lineup with the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning with Matthieu Joseph, Gemel Smith, and Daniel Walcott; and with the Ontraio Reign with Quinton Byfield, Devante Smith-Pelley; and Akil Thomas.
Any progress is good progress and any news is good news; this is a win for the league to continue
More to come...
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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