The Columbus Blue Jackets appear poised to let pending unrestricted free agents Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and Erik Gudbranson test the open market on July 1st. While Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has indicated that discussions with free agents will resume, the recent re-signing of Charlie Coyle by another team may suggest a lower probability of retaining Jenner, Marchment, and Gudbranson.
Meanwhile, speculation surrounds the Vancouver Canucks’ potential next head coach. With Manny Malhotra being a prominent name in discussions, there’s also the intriguing possibility of the Canucks drafting his son, Caleb Malhotra, with the third overall pick. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests that the Canucks organization is moving swiftly in their coaching decisions, and familiarity with Malhotra could expedite the process if he is deemed ready for an NHL head coaching role. Furthermore, Friedman noted that the possibility of drafting Caleb Malhotra is being taken seriously by some teams, and when questioned about it, Canucks assistant GM Ryan Johnson’s response of “I’m not worried about that” was deemed particularly telling.
