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The Columbus Blue Jackets recently made Kerby Rychel available for trade in hopes of bringing in some help on defense.

It doesn't sound like that will be much of a problem for Jarmo Kekalainen and co., as Rychel is generating a lot of interest around the league.

Elliotte Friedman via TodaysSlapShot: “I reported last week about Kerby Rychel potentially being available for Columbus. I’m hearing the market on him is pretty hot, that a lot of teams are calling. They’re looking for a defenseman in exchange, whether it’s straight up for him or it’s part of a package. I think there’s a lot of interest in that guy. There are a lot of teams that look at him and say, ‘He’s the kind of player that we want.’"

Though Rychel's concussion last season may scare some teams off, he has been cleared to resume workouts so it's hardly a surprise that teams are interested in his services.

He was highly touted entering the draft, as evident of him being a top-20 pick in 2013, and he's done nothing that would suggest he can't be a good top-6 forward at the NHL level.

Rychel is coming off a good season as a first year pro where he tallied 33 points in 51 games with AHL Springfield. He also registered three points and posted good possession numbers - he had a +8.04 Corsi For percentage relative to the team - in five games with the Blue Jackets.

With 14 forwards already signed as well as Oliver Bjorkstrand and Sonny Milano, among others, still on the way, the Blue Jackets are in great shape to move from a position of strength in order to address an area of need (defense).

Nothing is done yet, but that looks to be Kekalainen's plan.

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