Finally, after months of contentious squabbling, the contract negotiations between the Columbus Blue Jackets and RFA Ryan Johansen have proven fruitful.
Johansen and the team, with the season opener just three days away, have come to terms on a three-year agreement announced Monday.
The deal will pay the 22-year old center $3 million this season and next and $6 million in the 2016-17 season for a total of $12 million.
The total hit on the cap is $4 million.
The key element to the contract is the final year's salary of $6 million. Johansen will remain a restricted free agent at the end of the deal and the team will be forced to "qualify" him to maintain control of rights. Qualifying offers are determined by the previous year's salary, so assuming Johansen maintains his production and Columbus gives him a qualifying offer, he will make at least $6 million a season after 2014-2015.
This could not possibly be better news for Columbus, as they were just forced to put Boone Jenner (broken hand) and Nathan Horton (back) on the injured reserve list. Each was expected to vie for time on the top line with Johansen absent.
Last season, Johansen led the Blue Jackets with 33 goals and 63 points.
The team has not yet announced whether Johansen, who has missed all of training camp and the preseason, will be in the lineup when they open their season against Buffalo.
Complicating matters is that Johansen is currently in Vancouver and will require "one day, maybe two" to clear immigration, according to Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.
With this move, the Jackets immediately become stronger down the center of their lineup and a better team overall. Johansen is their most skilled player offensively, and with the injuries and his absence they were almost assuredly staring a difficult beginning to the season in the face.
