Fantasy Spin: Johansen-Jones trade fills voids

The Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets had glaring needs. They addressed them Wednesday in a trade with each other, shaking up the fantasy hockey landscape for the second half of the season.

The Predators, who lacked a true No. 1 center, acquired Ryan Johansen in a trade that sent defenseman Seth Jones to the Blue Jackets. Johansen, tied for 20th in points since 2013-14 (160 in 202 games), was 29th among forwards in NHL.com's latest fantasy rankings, down a few spots in recent weeks because of his decline under Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who was hired Oct. 21 to replace Todd Richards.

The 23-year-old center bounced around the lineup under Tortorella and was a healthy scratch Dec. 17, allowing Alexander Wennberg (two percent owned) to latch onto a line with Brandon Saad and Scott Hartnell. With the Blue Jackets in last place in the NHL standings and Wennberg posting 13 points in his past 14 games, Johansen was deemed expendable.

Johansen, C/RW-eligible, 94 percent owned and ranked 103rd based on standard-league performance in Yahoo, had a career-best 71 points and had 202 shots on goal for the Blue Jackets last season. This trade should boost Nashville's entire offensive outlook as well as Johansen's fantasy stock. The Predators, who have struggled on the road this season (7-8-4), have scored 39 goals in 19 road games (2.05 per game), tied for second-fewest behind only the Anaheim Ducks (26 in 19 road games). Johansen should help to change that.

As for Jones, he finally gets the opportunity to be featured in a top-pair role, which wasn't feasible in Nashville for as long as Shea Weber and Roman Josi were in the fold. Jones (34 percent owned and counting) should be added immediately if you need a high-upside defenseman in fantasy with the market so slim at the position.

The trade allows Nashville to place Mike Ribeiro and Mike Fisher in more appropriate second and third-line roles, respectively. The Predators can experiment with Johansen alongside James Neal and/or Filip Forsberg, each of whom was a top-50 forward prior to the trade. Neal, a 40-goal, 81-point scorer in 2011-12 alongside Evgeni Malkin with the Pittsburgh Penguins, has 15 goals, nine assists and 122 SOG in 40 games this season. Forsberg, one of three rookies with 60-plus points last season (63), was on pace for 52 points prior to the Predators trading for Johansen.

The Forsberg-Johansen-Neal line could turn out to be one of the best lines in the League, but Nashville may opt to balance its scoring, which could help Craig Smith (C/RW, 35 percent owned) shake off his inconsistent ways. Smith, who had 52 points and 215 SOG in 2013-14, took more shots last season (252) but saw his point total dip to 44. This season, Smith has 14 points in 40 games. Adding him in fantasy could pay dividends in the second half if he ends up alongside Johansen. If Colin Wilson (C/LW, six percent owned) gets a trial, the same applies to his potential value.

Even if Johansen is not with Neal and Forsberg at even strength, he should be with them on the Predators' top power-play unit with high-scoring defensemen Weber and Josi. Eleven of Johansen's 26 points this season have come with the man-advantage, so that could only help an already-strong power-play group (19.7 percent, T-11th in NHL entering Wednesday).

Jones, meanwhile, averaged 26 points in his first two seasons with Nashville and had 11 (four on the power play) with 74 SOG in 40 games this season. He brings untapped offensive potential to Columbus, whose defense has combined to score 10 goals this season between Jack Johnson (five), Ryan Murray (three), Cody Goloubef (one) and Kevin Connauton (one). David Savard, who had 11 goals in 2014-15, has none on 60 SOG in 35 games this season.

Even more important than the potential offensive jolt from Jones is the help he can provide on the defensive end. The 21-year-old shutdown defenseman joins the Blue Jackets, who are allowing 3.17 goals per game this season, the most in the NHL.

This trade, involving first-round picks from 2010 (Johansen) and 2013 (Jones), could be a win-win for both sides, in fantasy and reality.

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