from Steve Gorten of the Columbus Dispatch,

The turning point was the trade deadline.

That’s when the Blue Jackets’ season that had been mired in mediocrity was steered out of the muck. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen did some subtle, deft maneuvering — or in simpler terms, “one hell of a job,” coach John Tortorella said.

In three separate trades over two days, Kekalainen acquired three veteran players in the final year of their contract: forwards Thomas Vanek and Mark Letestu, and defenseman Ian Cole. He gave up relatively little — a fourth-round pick this year, a third-round pick in 2020, a player the team had just waived (Jussi Jokinen), and two AHL prospects (Tyler Motte and Nick Moutrey).

Since those roster reinforcements, the Jackets have lost a total of three games.

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