Seth Jones-Ryan Johansen Swap Headlines A Day Of NHL Moves

The NHL’s trade deadline may be over a month away, but the first major deal of the season was made on Wednesday, when the Nashville Predators sent Seth Jones to Columbus in exchange for Ryan Johansen.

Jones, the son of former NBA player Popeye, has been a capable defenseman during his time in Nashville, but fell victim to the numbers game; with Roman Josi, Shea Weber and on the blueline, the 21-year-old was sitting at least fourth on the depth chart.

Johansen, despite his offensive talent, didn’t mesh with head coach John Tortorella, who has a reputation for demanding responsible defensive play and butting heads with offensive stars. The coach had previously questioned the center’s fitness and made him a healthy scratch.

The trade addresses needs for both teams; Nashville has lacked a true number one center for the last few seasons and Columbus’ woes all start on the defensive end. It looks like the Predators got the better end of the bargain now, but Jones’ future could change that down the line.                                                                                                                                                                                                         Elsewhere in the NHL, the Washington Capitals signed veteran forward Mike Richards to a pro-rated, $1 million contract for the remainder of this season. His previous contract was terminated by the Los Angeles Kings after Richards was charged with possession of a controlled substance after crossing the US-Canadian border with prescription painkiller Oxycodone. He has met with commissioner Gary Bettman and is cleared to join the Caps immediately.  

The Kings also added Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers; AHL center Jordan Weal and a third-round draft pick will go the other way.

Photo: Ryan Johansen in November 2014 by Lisa Gansky, via Wikimedia Commons.

Article by Joe Kozlowski