Blue Jackets looking to trade

"Free agency has slowed to a crawl in its second week, and a handful of NHL general managers are digging in for a game of chicken. On one side we have GMs who desperately need salary cap room. On the other side are clubs -- like the Blue Jackets -- who are looking for a certain type of player.
The Blue Jackets need help on defense. The San Jose Sharks need cap relief. They are perfect examples of what has become the second stage of free agency since the dawn of the NHL's salary cap almost five years ago.
Earlier this offseason, Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson offered to trade forward Jason Chimera to the Sharks in exchange for defenseman Christian Ehrhoff.
Sharks GM Doug Wilson was not interested. Ehrhoff is a second-pair defenseman -- maybe a first-pair guy in Columbus -- and he can run a power play. Chimera has a rare combination of size and speed, but he's seen as a "plus" third-line left winger.
It makes sense that Wilson said no. But he might be forced to soften his stance on such trade offers as training camp winds down.
NHL rules require that all clubs be at or below the $56.8 million salary cap limit by opening night, and that's going to take some work for the Sharks.
The Sharks have only eight forwards under contract for 2009-10. They need a back-up goaltender, too. And yet they're only $1.34 million under the salary cap.
"I'm not in any hurry," Wilson said. "We've got plenty of time to be patient."
But something has to give. He must hope that the next two months -- leading up to training camp -- will bring a significant offer for one of his players, and, with it, cap relief.
Howson is waiting. Like other small market GMs, he's waited for this day, when other clubs' salary cap woes might force them to make trades they wouldn't otherwise consider.
Howson has talked to San Jose, Toronto (which has nine NHL defensemen on its roster) and others, possibly Carolina, Edmonton and Dallas, in his search for an offensive defenseman.
"For us to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, we have to improve our defense," Howson said. "We have to spend less time in our own zone and more time with the puck.
"We like our six defensemen. We have six guys right now who we could easily start the season with today. But, other than Kris Russell, the other five are a similar style of player."
Howson, like Wilson, is vowing patience. He's still snooping around the free agent market -- 39-year-old Sergei Zubov is a possibility -- but Howson said that he's willing to start the season with his current six defensemen -- Jan Hejda, Mike Commodore, Rostislav Klesla, Fedor Tyutin, Marc Methot and Russell.
"We could add a player during the season, or we could do it at the trade deadline," Howson said."