"With 33 games left in the season and a nine-point gap between the 30th-place Blue Jackets and the rest of the NHL, the remainder of the season would appear to hold little on-ice intrigue.

Off the ice, it's a different story.

The Blue Jackets are one club that bears watching over the next four weeks, leading up to the NHL's trade deadline on Feb. 27, when a flurry of trades could dramatically change the roster. Even after the deadline, the Blue Jackets are a compelling bunch, if only to see how they plan to move forward.

Here are five storylines to follow between now and the season finale on April 7."