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 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.