Blue Jackets add veteran toughness in acquiring forward Mason Marchment in trade with Kraken

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The Columbus Blue Jackets added veteran size and toughness to their roster by acquiring forward Mason Marchment from the Seattle Kraken in a move completed on Friday night just before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze.

The Kraken received a 2027 second-round draft pick and a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft, which the Blue Jackets previously acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers.

The 30-year-old Marchment provides a physical presence in being listed at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds. He's also a two-time 20-goal-scorer over his seven-year career, and had four goals and 13 points in 29 games with Seattle this season.

“Mason is a player I know very well, and I think he will add a great deal to our team,” Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said. “He is a physical, hard-nosed competitor with proven offensive ability and we are very excited to have him join the Blue Jackets.”

The trade involved two struggling teams seeking to shake things up after getting off to slow starts. Columbus is tied for last in points in the Eastern Conference standings, while Seattle is tied for last in the West.

Aside from adding draft picks, the Kraken freed up salary cap space on a player who is in the final season of a four-year, $18 million contract.

“This trade gives us more draft capital and flexibility as we look to improve our team moving forward,” Kraken general manager Jason Botterill said.

Undrafted, Marchment broke into the NHL as a 24-year-old by appearing in four games with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2019-20 season before being traded to Florida. He spent two seasons with the Panthers before signing with the Dallas Stars.

The Stars then acquired two draft picks in trading Marchment to Seattle in June.

Overall, he has 80 goals and 202 points and 284 penalty minutes in 331 career games.

The Blue Jackets also announced forward Brendan Gaunce has been designated non-roster in being away from the team due to personal reasons. Gaunce has a goal and four points in 12 games with the Blue Jackets this season.

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