Evan’s NHL Daily: Center Not For Sale, Veteran Recalled

There are certain players that Avalanche fans obsess over in hopes of seeing them wear the Burgundy and Blue someday. One of those players is Columbus forward Boone Jenner, who Avalanche fans pined for last NHL Trade Deadline and have mentioned again this year. Turns out, he’s a very popular guy around the league, but he’s not for sale.

Meanwhile, with Jarmo Kekalainen out in Columbus, speculation has begun as to who will replace him. One of the names mentioned? Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland.

On Friday afternoon, the Avalanche recalled someone fans should be familiar with, someone who should provide a boost of energy to the bottom six.

All that and more in this Saturday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

Marc-Andre Fleury? Jake Allen? The Avalanche need a goaltender, and they seem to be connected to a few. Colorado rarely does what’s people expect them to do, though…

Breaking down the game-winning goal from Thursday night, and how the Avalanche let Nikita Kucherov get so wide open. (+)

The Columbus Blue Jackets need a GM. Could they try to lure Chris MacFarland away from Colorado?

Chris Wagner Recalled

Remember Chris Wagner? He had a brief stint for the Avalanche back in 2015-16 after being picked up on waivers from Anaheim, scoring four goals in 26 games. He went on to Boston, where he had success in a depth role, but has spent the most recent years in the AHL. Last year, he played just one game at the NHL level. The Avalanche signed him over the summer, but he suffered an achilles injury while training. If not for the injury, you can bet he’d have seen the NHL by now this season.

Wagner recently returned to the Eagles lineup, and has had success, scoring seven points in 11 games. He was recalled on Friday, and I’d expect him to play on Sunday. Is he just replacing Logan O’Connor in the lineup, or will it be someone else? Maybe we’ll find out on Saturday when the Avalanche hold their first practice at home in two weeks.

Jenner Not Available

Avalanche fans have been pining for Boone Jenner for a while now. I wouldn’t consider him your prototypical second line center, but he’s a 20+ goal scorer and he’s locked in for two more years at just $3,750,000. That’s where the real value lies, and why Columbus likely gets a lot of calls about him.

However, it doesn’t look like the Blue Jackets have any plans to deal him prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. And it turns out he doesn’t want to go anywhere.

"We get a lot of calls on Boone [Jenner], but Boone's not going anywhere, and Boone doesn't want to go anywhere."#CBJ President John Davidson pushes back on the idea that players don't want to play in Columbus with @JeffMarek

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📺 https://t.co/SqK7M993Jz & @Sportsnet 360 pic.twitter.com/fnEC4fM39e

— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) February 16, 2024

Never say never in the NHL, but I wouldn’t bet on Jenner going anywhere. Time to look elsewhere.

National Hockey Now

Jaromir Jagr is back in Pittsburgh, and proving that you can go home again.

Milan Lucic will not be coming back to the Bruins after his domestic abuse charges were dismissed.