Blue Jackets' Davidson confirms Umberger trade request
/Columbus Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson confirmed to WBNS-10 TV that, as reported by Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday, R.J. Umberger has requested a trade.
"I think the best thing to say is we don’t get into speculation regarding trades,” Davidson began, “But I do know this much: when we run a professional sports organization, and you have to look at improving your club, you’re going to look to do anything you possibly can to improve your club. If it means moving somebody out, somebody on you do that.
"If a player talks to you as an organization that he needs a change of scenery, you try to help and you try to do the right thing. We’ve appreciated what R.J. has done for us, but it has to be something that makes sense for our club.
"And again, we’re going to look at becoming a better club so we can get ourselves into a playoff picture again; win some playoff games, win a round, move on to the ultimate goal. We have to keep evolving as an organization and getting better, and sometimes that means moving players. That’s a tough part of the business."
Portzline has another article today, which includes details on Umberger's no-trade clause.