5 Trade Landing Spots That Could Revive Johnny Gaudreau’s Career

5 Trade Landing Spots That Could Revive Johnny Gaudreau’s Career0 of 5

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Two years ago, in his final season in Calgary, Johnny Gaudreau had 115 points, was a league-leading plus-64 and was about to become one of the biggest free agents available that summer.

A year later with Columbus, he posted an OK 74 points and had the sixth-lowest plus-minus rating at minus-33 and things haven’t gotten any better this season.

Gaudreau has 11 goals and 45 assists (56 points) and his minus-26 rating is tied for the 20th lowest in the league. The Blue Jackets are once again one of the worst teams in the NHL and it’s a staggering change of fortune for Gaudreau and Columbus.

Johnny came east to be a little closer to his family in New Jersey, but after the success in Calgary, we can’t help but wonder if a change of scenery is desperately needed, and darn it, we’re going to find it.

We’ll suspend a little disbelief and just understand that anywhere we pick out would have to find a way to make it work out one way or another and that he would have to waive his no-move clause as well.

It’s a lot of hurdles, but we’re going to do our best to find a way to bring the excitement and success back in Gaudreau’s game.

Philadelphia Flyers1 of 5

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All right let’s get the obvious one out of the way.

Johnny Gaudreau grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, just outside Philadelphia. When he hit free agency the main question all of us asked was, “How soon would he sign with the Flyers?” It turned out we didn’t really know what we were talking about because that didn’t happen.

But with the Blue Jackets in a bad way and things not working there with Gaudreau, finding a deal with the Flyers to get him as close to home as possible would be the sweetheart story we were denied a couple of summers ago.

Getting Gaudreau to Philly in a much more defensively tight system would help provide the structure needed to help him become more of a positive player again and given how well the Flyers have played under John Tortorella it might be an ideal place to help revive Gaudreau’s all-around game.

Of course, Tortorella being there could be reason enough for Gaudreau to use his no-move clause, even with his family being right there in the area. It would be a hard sell to make and any conceivable trade idea someone could come up with could be blown apart easily with worries about the fit both on the ice and on the books.

New York Islanders2 of 5

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The Islanders are in a weird place of their own. They might be a playoff team, or they might not be. They’ve got an older roster and any prospects they’ve got are a ways away from helping out.

Johnny Gaudreau is not a younger player anymore (he’s 30) but he’s offensively gifted with high-end skill and an ability to set up teammates, as well as score goals himself. That kind of player is hard to find on the current Islanders roster. Brock Nelson is more of a power forward, Bo Horvat is a two-way threat who can fill the net and Mathew Barzal is a speed merchant who can make plays all over the place.

The Isles need more than that to keep pace in the Metropolitan Division and adding Gaudreau to their forward group would give them a necessary speed and skill injection.

The Isles are teeming over with the kinds of juicy contracts to help balance out the salary ledger in a deal and potentially give the Jackets more of what they’re looking for to better fit the roster they’re aiming to put together with their inevitable new GM.

Washington Capitals3 of 5

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Much like the Islanders, the Washington Capitals are in a fascinating position. They’ve got an even older roster and while they’ve been able to better integrate younger players into the mix, they could stand to add more skill to the group.

That’s where Johnny Gaudreau could help out and Nicklas Backstrom could, in his own way help make it work out.

Backstrom’s leave from hockey because of his health gives the Capitals his $9.2 million cap hit in LTIR to work with should they need it. We’ve seen T.J. Oshie slowed by injuries this season, Alex Ovechkin only recently started looking more like his old self, and without Backstrom, they’ve lacked depth for playmaking. They’ve been fortunate to watch Dylan Strome find his way in D.C., but if the Capitals want to maintain being a playoff team or contender, they’ll need help.

Adding Gaudreau to their forward group would add another wrinkle to the Capitals attack and even though his cap hit is substantial, none of their older players are getting any younger. Adding a slightly younger and revitalized Gaudreau could help everyone out.

Boston Bruins4 of 5

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Something you may not know or have forgotten about Johnny Gaudreau is that he was a star in college hockey at Boston College and a team like the Bruins would make for a great landing spot for him.

The Bruins are staring a fascinating offseason in the face in which there will likely be substantial changes ahead. And while they’ll be right at the salary cap’s upper limit, there are (potentially) the building blocks of a trade to be done here.

On paper, a deal that builds around Linus Ullmark for Gaudreau and figuring out the other pieces would make sense for Columbus and for Boston to potentially add another scoring threat to their lineup to go along with David Pastrňák who’s had to do some serious heavy lifting for their offense.

The Bruins will most likely be signing goalie Jeremy Swayman to a big extension this summer and that means Linus Ullmark’s time in Boston very well may be ending. Of course, Ullmark famously turned down a trade to Los Angeles at the deadline this year using his no-trade clause to veto it.

This idea is more than likely dead on-arrival, but…we dare to dream here and please don’t crush our dreams, OK?

Detroit Red Wings5 of 5

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When the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings meet next season at Ohio Stadium in the Stadium Series, it’s a game that could use some additional intrigue and drama, right?

We know, Ohio State and Michigan hate each other, but do the Wings and Jackets? Not exactly. That’s why sending Johnny Gaudreau to the Red Wings would spice things up really nice.

But Joe, why would Detroit even do that?

Well, you see, dear reader, what are the Red Wings going to do if they miss the playoffs again this year? What if Patrick Kane doesn’t re-sign with them? What if they feel their team needs a different element for their offense that only a veteran like Gaudreau can provide?

We’re here to pose the questions and provide the answers to the questions no one is asking.

But really, adding Gaudreau to the mix with the Red Wings with Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond would make them obscenely skilled. And, yes, rather diminutive as well. But like all of our ideas of where to send Johnny Hockey, it’s easy to pooh-pooh, but what’s the fun in that?

Making Detroit that much speedier and more skilled would make them obscenely fun to watch and help make that battle in 2025 outdoors against Columbus that much more interesting.