Desperate for a centre, Blue Jackets eye Nashville's Johansen

The Elbow staff

If it's up to Columbus, centre Ryan Johansen will be saying goodbye to his Predators teammates soon

COLUMBUS, OH – After acquiring a much-needed defenceman in Seth Jones yesterday, Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is far from finished, with sources saying that he is chasing hard after Nashville's Ryan Johansen.

A unnamed source inside the Blue Jackets organization said that the front office is high on the skill that Johansen possesses and believes he would be a perfect compliment to the locker room.

"There aren't many 23-year-olds in this league that have quite as much upside as he has," the source said.

"The belief among those in the front office is that adding a guy like him to this team would put us in the Stanley Cup conversation for many years to come."

Brandon Dubinsky is currently Columbus' leading centre with just 20 points in 34 games.

"Just think what a guy of his skill could do on our top line. I'm not surprised Jarmo is desperate to go after him."