Columbus Blue Jackets Motivated To Acquire Pending UFA Brock Boeser Amid Contract Stalemate

Boeser, who was drafted in 2015 and has been with the team since the end of 2016-17 and put up a career best 40 goals and 73 points last season, is an unrestricted free agent next season and as such has been rumoured to be available for trade.

As time goes on, it looks like a deal between the two sides could be far apart, and according to Insider Rick Dhaliwal the Columbus Blue Jackets could be a team interested in adding his services and extending him long term.

The Blue Jackets have been arguably the biggest surprise team in the NHL this season, after the tragic passing of star Johnny Gaudreau, the team has defied expectations and remains in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race.

Expected to be definite sellers at the deadline, the team could instead look to reward the players and add some scoring punch.

On Monday's episode of Donnie and Dhali, Sportsnet's Ian McIntyre said that while Boeser would love to stay, he's very much a player that could be moved and it looks more likely that he'll be moved ahead of the deadline.

With Jonathan Lekkerimäki on his way and seeming like he may one day be able to fill the sniper role Boeser currently occupies, it might make sense to cash in on a premium asset rather than pay him the big contract he's likely to get this offseason as one of the top UFAs available.

If he's moved however, it'll be a huge change for both the team and the locker room.