Blue Jackets Could Address Big Need With a Jordan Kyrou Trade

The NHL offseason has officially started, and one of the most critical of those offseasons belongs to the Columbus Blue Jackets. They have too many players currently banking on this team to compete, and if they are unable to do so, next summer may bite them quite a bit harder with players trying to force their way out.

There are some guys who aren’t exactly on the market but could certainly be available from teams looking to add draft capital or rebuild a prospect pool. One of those teams is the St. Louis Blues, and one of their franchise centerpieces, Jordan Kyrou, wants to be moved.

There were rumors that he could’ve been dealt around the trade deadline this past season, as he enters year four of an eight-year extension he signed with the Blues back in September 2022. He probably wants a change of scenery to a place where he can compete, and the Blues could get his $8 million a year contract off the books as well.

Why Is Kyrou Worth the Shot?

Kyrou has all the makings of a star in the NHL. He has breakaway speed, skilled and fast hands, and a dangerous shot, which coincidentally is what the Blue Jackets were missing this season. He also plays a two-way game that would pair extremely well on a line that struggles to defend the ice, but creates scoring opportunities the other way.

He would add more two-way play to a team with Charlie Coyle, who was extremely valuable this season, and made a lot of headway both in Columbus and around the league, even earning some votes for the Selke Trophy. Coyle was so good with the Blue Jackets that he snagged a massive six-year extension to ideally finish his career in Columbus.

Kyrou would likely slot into a top-six forward role with the Blue Jackets and would be a fun addition to play with someone like Kent Johnson and Sean Monahan, with the skills to elevate his offense even more.

This would give the Blue Jackets a level of two-way forwards all the way down the lineup that they haven’t had in quite some time. With better defensive forwards, it would help eliminate so much traffic in the middle of the ice and allow the goaltender to face fewer shots from high-danger chances.

As you look at the offensive reasons why a Kyrou addition helps, he would bring speed to an offense that needs to get faster. He brings a goal scoring pedigree that the Blue Jackets also don’t have enough of, as he had registered three consecutive 30-plus goal seasons prior to this season; the Blue Jackets didn’t have a single player reach 30 goals either this season.

After signing a long-term extension, the Blues were banking on Kyrou being one of the main offensive focal points, but with management looking to rebuild, he will want to play for a contender. Do the Blue Jackets make sense for that?

Why Columbus for Kyrou?

Kyrou has already been linked to a variety of teams, including the Blue Jackets. The reasons may be general manager Don Waddell’s desire to compete, league-wide belief that Kyrou wants out, and the Blues’ desire for draft capital to replace him. The Blue Jackets are one of the teams with a need to make a push and a top-15 pick in this year’s draft.

Historically, the Blue Jackets have not been a great team at drafting top-end talent; however, if they could flip a draft pick for a player with a ton of upside, that could be the perfect situation for them. However, why would Kyrou want to come to Columbus?

RW- Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues) is being linked to Columbus

— Brian Wallace (@thedistrictbw) June 10, 2026

Considering Kyrou has already won a Stanley Cup with the Blues, he knows what kind of elite talent needs to be around him to get there. He would join forces with the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Zach Werenski, and would have an elite shooter like Kirill Marchenko, and a rising star center in Adam Fantilli as well. Not to mention Team Canada’s future Olympic goaltender, Jet Greaves, in the crease.

There are a ton of pieces on the Blue Jackets’ roster to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup. The forwards, specifically, were a major reason why they went on the run they did after Rick Bowness was hired.

If they can connect the final few pieces, they could be a serious threat in the same division as the team that just won the Stanley Cup, the Carolina Hurricanes. If Waddell can take a page out of his former team’s book and go get the guy who will help his team win now, he should have zero reservations in doing it.

What Would the Trade Take?

The trade would require the Blue Jackets to part ways with the 14th overall pick in the 2026 Draft, but from there, what the Blues would specifically want has not been made formal. The Blues will ask for prospects on entry-level deals, or at least with a manageable contract to add to a rebuilding roster.

Who might that be for the Blue Jackets? The first player that is ready to take a leap to the NHL, but just hasn’t quite gotten the proper chance with the Blue Jackets, is Luca Del Bel Belluz. Del Bel Belluz is essentially ready for a breakout, has been great in the American Hockey League (AHL), but has never gotten a real shot with Columbus, and has team-controlled term as a restricted free agent (RFA).

Aaron Portzline on @MorningJuice971 talking about the #CBJ if they buy at the trade deadline: "I could see some 2nd or 3rd round picks being moved… the one player that's been parked in the minors that other teams have shown interest in is Luca Del Bel Belluz."

— The CBJ Center (@CBJcenter) March 3, 2026

Though Del Bel Belluz wasn’t moved at the deadline, that time could come during the summer if a player and a pick are enough to engage conversations with the Blues. If they come back asking for more, how much is Waddell willing to give up for a player of Kyrou’s status?

It seems like Waddell knows his back is against the wall, with his stars wanting to compete, but how can he pull off a trade like this for a player with a full no-move clause? Kyrou will control the negotiations from start to finish, and the Blue Jackets will have to find a way to convince him that a team with a playoff drought going on six years is ready to compete now.

Kyrou has total control, but would he have interest in coming to Columbus? He would certainly fix a lot of issues that plagued them down the stretch, and it would give him a fresh start in a new city. Now it is time for Waddell to make his defining offseason move.