Photo: CBC

A day after acquiring center Matt Duchene from the Ottawa Senators, the Columbus Blue Jackets once again made a deal with the Senators, acquiring center Ryan Dzingel and a 2019 seventh-round pick (originally owned by the Calgary Flames) for two second-round picks in 2020 and 2021 in addition to forward Anthony Duclair. Dzingel, 26, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Deal is for a second in 2020, 2nd 2021, Anthony Duclair for Dzingel and Calgary seventh. #Sens

— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) February 24, 2019

In 57 games with the Senators this season, the 26-year old center has posted 22 goals, 44 points, and a -13 rating. In 247 career games, he has posted 62 goals, 126 points, and a -19 rating.

The Blue Jackets are now more deep at center, something that they have lacked since sending Ryan Johansen to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones on January 6, 2016.

After a 4-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, who have the second-most points (80) in the Western Conference, the Blue Jackets sit two points behind the Washington Capitals for the second spot in the division with a game in hand and four behind the New York Islanders. The Islanders and the Blue Jackets will enter Sunday with the same number of games as each other.

The Blue Jackets now have four of the top pending unrestricted free agents July 1: forward Artemi Panarin, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, Duchene, and Dzingel. Neither Panarin and Bobrovsky have committed to staying in Columbus long-term and could each be moved by Monday at 3 PM ET, the NHL Trade Deadline. Though, that seems highly unlikely now as the Blue Jackets have shown they are all-in on winning the Stanley Cup this season.

The Blue Jackets made the postseason in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history in each of the past two seasons but have never won more than two games in the playoffs. They fell to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions in Round 1 in each of the past two seasons despite winning the first two games of the series on the road against Capitals last season.

By Harrison Brown