COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ryan Johansen has missed most of camp, yet he’s still a Columbus Blue Jacket.
The 22-year-old center and the team’s leading scorer finally reached agreement with the Blue Jackets on a three-year contract that will pay him $3 million each of the first two years and $6 million in the third year. The salary cap hit will be $4 million per season, according to figures supplied by the office of Johansen’s agent, Kurt Overhardt.
Johansen had totaled just 14 goals and 19 assists in his first 107 NHL games before exploding for 33 goals and 30 assists in 82 games last season while leading Columbus to its best regular-season record ever and a playoff berth. But Johansen was a restricted free agent, and the negotiations between him and the Blue Jackets soon got ugly.
The team offered Johansen a two-year bridge contract worth $3 million per year, but Overhardt countered with a request for $13 million over the same period, the Blue Jackets said.
John Davidson, the team’s director of hockey operations, clearly was agitated when he spoke at Blue Jackets media day three weeks ago. He repeatedly said he had negotiated in good faith — also offering Johansen $32 million for six years and $46 million over eight — but had referred to Johansen’s demands as “extortion.”
Pending travel and visa arrangements, Johansen, who is back home in Canada, was expected to be available for the Blue Jackets’ season opener Thursday night in Buffalo. Columbus opens at home Saturday night against the New York Rangers.
The Blue Jackets are in dire need of their top scorer after losing forwards Boone Jenner (broken hand, out five weeks) and Nathan Horton (bad back, out indefinitely) in recent weeks.
The new contract, as expected, has some huge advantages to both sides. The Blue Jackets preferred a longer term and got Johansen for a reasonable $6 million over the next two years. Johansen’s jump to $6 million in the third year would lay the groundwork for a much bigger pay upgrade thereafter if he continues his progress.
After the deal is done, Johansen will have one year left as a restricted free agent.
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