Keep an eye on the Columbus Blue Jackets during the next 24 hours. We believe they're working the phones hard to bring in some help up front.
A source told ESPN.com on Tuesday afternoon the Jackets were talking with the Senators about a possible deal that would see goalie Pascal Leclaire going to Ottawa and forward Antoine Vermette heading to Columbus.
Leclaire, scheduled to return from injury in three to four weeks, is earning $3 million this season and will earn $3.6 million next season and $4.8 million in 2010-11. Obviously, he's expendable for the right deal with the emergence of rookie Steve Mason between the Jackets' pipes.
Vermette is earning $2.525 million this season and will receive $3 million next season before his deal expires.
We're not sure whether the deal will get done, but it just makes so much sense for both teams. The Sens have been looking for a No. 1 goalie all season long. The Jackets are desperate for help at forward, and that was true even before more injuries hurt the lineup. Vermette can help out both on the power play and penalty kill for the Jackets.
Veteran winger Jason Chimera, an important player for Columbus, was seeing a specialist in Philadelphia on Tuesday to determine whether he'll need groin surgery. That would be a huge loss if he's out for a long time.
In the meantime, if the Ottawa deal doesn't materialize, other forwards are on Columbus' radar, such as Tim Connolly in Buffalo and Nik Antropov in Toronto. Time will tell!
Pierre LeBrun
