from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

Because as the small-market Blue Jackets attempt to construct a team that can finally win at least one round, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen went big again, acquiring Matt Duchene after previously pulling off trades for Seth Jones (for Ryan Johansen) and Artemi Panarin. And Saturday, the team made another trade, for Ottawa winger Ryan Dzingel.

There is of course a significant risk/reward factor at play here as Columbus retrenches for a playoff run and the tournament itself. Evaluating their roster and their fan base, management that includes president John Davidson will apparently let it ride with pending free-agent evacuees Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, and why not?

There is no past to speak of, other than the stirring 16-game winning streak a couple of years ago. The future is always an amorphous concept. It is the present that informs the Blue Jackets’ decisions.

More power to them.

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You could not make this up. Except we are talking about the Ottawa operation, so it is not make-believe. A tribute video for Duchene during Friday night’s first period against visiting Columbus? Please.

Duchene, who came from Colorado last season at the cost of a shot at Jack Hughes (plus) was on the Senators’ roster for 128 games. The record: 44-73-11.

A tribute next for Stan Neckar?