Roslovic was dealt to the Rangers for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, while the Blue Jackets are also retaining 50 percent on the rest of his salary for the 2023-24 season. He tallied 51-95-146 in 246 games as a Blue Jacket, including a 6-17-23 line in 40 games this year that featured 13 points in his last 12 games with the team.
Peeke went to Boston in exchange for defenseman Jakub Zboril and a third-round pick in the 2027 draft. The Notre Dame product registered 10-32-42 and 96 penalty minutes in 218 career games with the Blue Jackets after making his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season, collecting 1-7-8 and six penalty minutes in 23 outings this season.
Zboril, who was optioned to Cleveland (AHL), is a 2015 first-round pick who has played in 76 NHL games with the Bruins over the course of four seasons, notching a 1-15-16 line. The 27-year-old has skated in 31 games with Providence of the AHL this season, notching nine assists.
Subban, meanwhile, will provide depth to the Monsters. An eight-year NHL veteran at age 30, he has spent all of this season with Springfield (AHL), where he is 11-14-4 with a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage. He last played four games in the NHL with Buffalo in 2021-22 and has a 3.10 GAA in 86 NHL games over eight seasons.
“With Subban, you need five goalies in the organization,” Davidson said. “We essentially had four after we lost Spencer Martin, so we added Subban as depth. He’s good, and he’s gonna help Cleveland. With Peeker, we have a surplus of defensemen. We have people coming (in the prospect pipeline), so we’re making room, and he’s another good man that’s worked his tail off. With Jack, he’s an expiring contract. It’s just something we had to do, and he’s gonna do very well.”
Davidson said the Blue Jackets did have discussions with teams about potential bigger moves, but the decision was made to stay the course. Columbus has been building a young team through the draft and prospects, and the team is in the market for a full-time general manager after Jarmo Kekalainen was relieved of his duties in February, so the urge to make any major moves was not at the forefront of discussions.
“I will say we had lots of talk that was very intriguing, but I felt and we felt that’s something the next general manager should take care of,” Davidson said. “I think it just made sense to do that at this point in time. We took care of the business that we needed to take care of business with, and now when the new person comes in, that person will be able to take care of that business.”
One other move was made today as the Blue Jackets recalled forward Trey Fix-Wolansky from Cleveland to take Roslovic’s spot on the active roster. The AHL’s third-leading scorer with a 23-31-54 line, Fix-Wolansky has scored in six straight games for the Monsters and has two goals and three points in 16 career NHL games.
Other moves could also be on the horizon as the Blue Jackets come down the stretch.
“Though the last 19 games, there’s nothing in stone, but we’d like to take a look at various players,” Davidson said. “Who earns it? You gotta earn it. And there’s a possibility that could happen. There’s no guarantee we’re not going to have injuries the rest of the season. There’s gonna be some player movement to take a look at some various players as we march through the season.”
Davidson said he enjoyed being in the trenches this year working alongside assistant general managers Josh Flynn and Basil McRae as well as front-office personnel Rick Nash and Chris Clark, but with the Blue Jackets in the market for a full-time GM, he couldn’t help but laugh as he looks ahead.
“It was good, but it won’t be my job next year, I can tell you that,” Davidson said.
