The Columbus Blue Jackets are reportedly willing to pay a significant price to ensure several of their players aren't chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft.
The Blue Jackets have agreed to trade the 24th overall selection in the entry draft and a prospect (not Pierre-Luc Dubois or Sonny Milano) to the Golden Knights for assurances that the new franchise will take either Matt Calvert, William Karlsson or Ryan Murray in the expansion draft, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports.
That would prevent the Golden Knights from nabbing one of Josh Anderson, Joonas Korpisalo, Jack Johnson or David Savard
The deal will be announced during the expansion draft on Wednesday, according to the report.
It would leave the Blue Jackets without a pick in the first two rounds of the entry draft, because their second-round selection now belongs to the Vancouver Canucks as compensation for the hiring of head coach John Tortorella.
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