Report: Jackets to deal 1st-rounder for expansion-draft assurances

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, sources told Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch.

That would prevent the Golden Knights from nabbing one of Josh Anderson, Joonas Korpisalo, Jack Johnson, or David Savard, all of whom will likely be exposed.

The deal will be announced during the expansion draft 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.

All NHL teams except the Golden Knights have until 3 p.m. ET on Saturday to make deals before a mandatory roster freeze goes into effect. The deadline for clubs to submit their expansion-draft protection lists is Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.