Report: 'Foundation Rattling Trade' Could Be Coming for Blue Jackets

Columbus blue jackets head coach Rick Bowness yells behind the bench

Everyone watched as the Columbus Blue Jackets collapsed down the stretch to fall out of a potential playoff berth. And certainly, everyone saw what head coach Rick Bowness thought of it, in one of the most epic coaching rants in recent memory.

The head coach (who has since been re-signed to return next year) later explained that he wanted his troops to "spend the summer being uncomfortable."

This latest suggestion from Columbus beat writer Aaron Portzline in The Athletic should also do the trick, as far as bringing an uncomfortable feeling to the Blue Jackets:

It does feel as if a foundation-rattling trade could be good for this group, perhaps at all spots on the ice.

GM Don Waddell has said that he is willing to trade his first-round pick (which will be the 14th selection) in this year's draft to get something done.

Blue Jackets have 4 key pending UFAs to sign

But first, a lot will depend on what he's able to accomplish with regards to his own pending unrestricted free agents. There are a number of key players that Waddell must deal with on this front, from centers Charlie Coyle and Boone Jenner, to winger Mason Marchment, to defenseman Erik Gudbranson.

Coyle, in particular, will be one of the top names on the open market, if he makes it there. With the thinning out of this year's UFA class due to most of the top names signing extensions to remain with their current teams, Coyle has shot up the ranks, and has a chance to write himself a big ticket if he gets to July 1.

If he, and Marchment, another top name on the pending UFA list, get away, then Waddell will really have to take a big swing to bring in a notable top-six addition.

Portzline writes that the Blue Jackets "aren’t believed to have engaged deeply in contract talks" yet with any of their free agents.