Blue Jackets Playing Hardball With Toronto Over Star Defenseman's $9.58M Cap Hit

Columbus isn't rolling over in negotiations with the Maple Leafs, signaling they're willing to retain salary on their $9.58 million defenseman rather than simply hand him over at face value. This is the kind of leverage game that separates shrewd GMs from desperate ones, and the Blue Jackets are clearly betting Toronto wants this deal badly enough to sweeten the pot.