On Friday, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch received confirmation that the Columbus Blue Jackets are interested in acquiring Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier and have engaged in discussions with Kings general manager Dean Lombardi to see what it will take to acquire him.
Bernier recently made it public that he requested a trade in the wake of the 10-year contract extension given to the Kings No. 1 goaltender Jonathan Quick, who won the Conn Smythe trophy for most valuable player in the 2012 playoffs en route to the first Stanley Cup in the history of the Los Angeles franchise.
The 23-year old net minder was selected by the Kings in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and only played 16 games during the 2011-12 season, which has him looking for an opportunity to prove he can be a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL.
Portzline speculates over what it will take to get the highly regarded goaltender:
Well, they could simply return the Kings' first-round pick acquired last February in the Jeff Carter for Jack Johnson deal. The Blue Jackets passed on using it this season, so they have the Kings' 2013 first-rounder. Perhaps Steve Mason, in the final year of a contract but three years into a slump in Columbus, would be part of the deal, too.
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