The Columbus Blue Jackets have been granted an exemption to fall below the NHL salary cap floor by the Oct. 7 deadline, according to a report from Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. This news comes after the tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau, where the late forward’s salary will still count for $2 million against the salary cap due to a signing bonus payout.
Despite this setback, Portzline notes that the league has waived the deadline for cap compliance, with hopes that the Blue Jackets will reach the $65 million cap floor in a “reasonable time.” Currently, the Blue Jackets are hovering just below the cap floor with a total salary of $64.43 million and a full roster of 21 players, according to PuckPedia.
In light of their situation, the Blue Jackets have expressed interest in adding a veteran forward to their roster, potentially through a trade. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reported on the team’s plans, quoting Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell as saying, “I still want to get at least one more forward in house. The sense is that the Blue Jackets are willing to be creative in how they do that. I don’t think it will necessarily come in the form of another UFA. They’ll look at PTOs, they’ll look at the waiver wire.”
“I think they’re also being pretty active on the trade market, trying to see if maybe there’s some situations around the league, maybe some younger players that could become available from other teams as they work through their own roster issues,” Johnston continued. “But the sense is the Blue Jackets will be patient here, and they may end up getting this forward by trade, versus the traditional route in just signing one.”
The Blue Jackets are gearing up to start their regular season on Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild, and it remains to be seen how they will address their salary cap situation and finalize their roster before the puck drops. Stay tuned for more updates as the story unfolds in the world of NHL hockey.
