Sometimes there are just perfect deals. One team has a surplus in one area and a need in another while the second team has what they need and a need in what the first team has a surplus in. That is exactly what happened tonight as the Nashville Predators acquired Ryan Johansen from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Seth Jones.
The Predators have been looking for a true number one center for some time, and at last they may actually have found their man. Johansen had issues in Columbus, often butting heads with new coach John Tortorella. He showed his potential last season when he put up 71 points, scoring 26 goals and dishing out 45 assists. However this season he only has six goals after scoring 59 the last two years. His 26 points this season ranked him third in Columbus behind Scott Hartnell and Brandon Saad. His dismal 6.8 shooting percentage is another cause for concern. But perhaps a fresh start will help bring out the player he was becoming the last two years. He will be paired with James Neal and either Filip Forsberg or Colin Wilson, but he will be in the league's toughest division and see top centers in Tyler Seguin, Jonathan Toews, Matt Duchene, David Backes and more in the Central.
Jones fills a huge need for the Blue Jackets. They are currently last in the NHL in goals against per game at 3.2. While part of that is certainly attributed to the lackluster play of goalies Sergei Bobrovsky and Curtis McElhinney, some changes needed to be made on the blue line. Jones is a former fourth overall pick but has not broken the top pairing in Nashville because of Shea Weber and Roman Josi. He was one of the most highly touted defensive prospects in recent memory and while Nashville didn't need him they took the best player available. He will help a blue line in Columbus that allowed the ninth most shots against per game at 30.5. Finally Jack Johnson will have a capable partner on the top pair.
For the Predators, it is a risk that Johansen becomes the guy they have needed for some time. But they still have an excellent defense which makes the risk worth it. The Blue Jackets have now traded their top two centers from last season in Johansen and Artem Anisimov, and will need to reform their depth down the middle. But they have added a top defenseman which they desperately needed. Overall good trade for both teams, but Nashville came out the winner here. They'll still have excellent defense with a huge boost on offense while Columbus certainly helped itself in one area but now has a gap at center to be filled by either veteran Brandon Dubinsky or 21 year old Alexander Wennberg.
While it might be too late for Columbus to climb back into the playoff picture in the Metropolitan, this trade makes the Central more interesting, where Nashville is currently fifth. Perhaps adding a number one center is what they need to make up ground on Minnesota, St. Louis, Chicago, and maybe even division leading Dallas.