The Blue Jackets have a deal in place with the Golden Knights to ensure that a very specific list of Columbus players are exempt from the expansion draft, but this agreement may also be contingent on the Vegas club acquiring Clarkson (back) and his $5.25 million annual cap hit, The Columbus Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen reportedly is willing to trade Vegas the 24th overall pick in this year's draft and a prospect not named Pierre-Luc Dubois or Sonny Milano in order to retain one of Josh Anderson, Jack Johnson, David Savard or goalie Joonas Korpisalo. The Columbus Dispatch reported this past February that Clarkson's career may be over due to his having three degenerative discs in his spine, so trimming the fat on his contract would be ideal for the breakout club of 2016-17.