It seems that we haven't heard from the Columbus Blue Jackets or RFA Ryan Johansen in quite a bit of time, which, with preseason slipping away and the regular season fast approaching, is rarely a good sign.
But it now appears the two sides have decided to return to the table and continue negotiations.
Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that contract talks have resumed between the Columbus front office and Johansen's agent Kurt Overhardt, the first time they've spoken to one another in over a week.
Per Portzline, the discussions have centered around a 2 year bridge contract but that every possibility is still on the table.
It wasn't all that long ago that the two sides were going tit for tat via the media, so the fact that they've returned to negotiations - and returned quietly - speaks volumes about their desire to get a deal done.
Columbus is now especially interested in a deal, at least partly because of the broken hand suffered by Boone Jenner and the "degenerative" back condition forcing Nathan Horton to miss time.
That's 2/3 of their projected top line suffering from injury, and the other 1/3, Johansen, sitting on his couch at home.
Jenner, who took a puck off his hand during practice on Sunday, is expected to miss anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks.
"That's why we have a second line, a third line and a fourth line," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. "It's an opportunity for some of other guys now."
Or, it's the gentle push the Blue Jackets needed to give in to some of Johansen's contract demands.
While things seem to be falling in Johansen's favor, news that the St. Louis Blues have signed winger Jaden Schwartz to a 2 year, $4.7 million bridge contract potentially improves the case for Columbus.
Schwartz was taken in the same draft class as Johansen and put up similar numbers last season.
Overhardt, though, claims the deal will have no impact on negotiations.
