Now, they are in a position to deal from strength if they decide to move forward Artemi Panarin before the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline on Monday at 3 p.m. ET.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen continues to downplay the possibility of trading Panarin, Columbus' leader with 68 points (24 goals, 44 assists) this season who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
RELATED: [Duchene traded to Blue Jackets by Senators for picks, prospects | Dzingel traded to Blue Jackets by Senators]
"We're serious about winning and Artemi Panarin is a huge part of our team," Kekalainen said during a conference call with the media Sunday. "And as I've said, it would take a lot not only in the long term but in the short term as well to make that kind of trade. We're not trading Artemi Panarin for draft picks."
That doesn't mean Kekalainen definitely won't trade the 27-year-old, though.
It's a going to be a difficult needle for Kekalainen to thread, but he's already part of the way there after adding Duchene and Dzingel.
If the Blue Jackets can add another piece that helps them this season and in the future as part of a package for Panarin, and maybe recoup some of the draft picks they gave up in the trades for Duchene and Dzingel (potentially two first-round picks and two second-round picks), Kekalainen can make a case that they are a better team, even without Panarin.
That is always the objective at the trade deadline.
Acquiring Duchene, who has 60 points (28 goals, 32 assists) in 52 games this season, takes some of the pressure off 20-year-old center Pierre Luc-Dubois and gives Columbus a solid one-two punch to compete against Metropolitan Division rivals such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are strong at center with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and the Washington Capitals, who have Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom in the middle.
Dzingel had 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists) in 57 games with the Senators and happened to be Duchene's left wing for much of that time. In Duchene's first two games with Columbus, the 28-year-old centered a line with Panarin and Cam Atkinson on his wings and had two points (one goal, one assist), but Dzingel could seamlessly fit at left wing on that line if the Blue Jackets decide to trade Panarin.