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          Craig Custance Blog

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          Trade Grades: Brandon Saad to the Blue Jackets

          Bill Smith/NHLI/Getty Images
          • Craig Custance, ESPN Senior WriterJul 1, 2015, 12:06 AM
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            • Senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine
            • Wrote for Atlanta Journal-Constitution
            • Wrote for The Sporting News
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          The deal

          Columbus Blue Jackets get: Brandon Saad, Alex Broadhurst, Michael Paliotta

          Chicago Blackhawks get: Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp and a 2016 fourth-round pick

          Columbus Blue Jackets: A+

          GM Jarmo Kekalainen was brought in to beef up the organizational talent with the Blue Jackets and has done so in short order. Columbus is stocked with young forwards and that depth allowed him to make the most impressive trade of the offseason in landing Saad.