Columbus locks up final member of their core, as Laine agrees to multi-year, huge money pact
The Columbus Blue Jackets have locked up a key member of their core as the team announced on Friday that they have signed forward Patrik Laine to a four-year deal worth $8.7 million per season.
Laine is coming off a season hampered by injuries this year, only playing in 56 games, but he did manage to collect 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points. It was the first point-per-game season of Laine's 6-year NHL career.
The Tampere, Finland native has played the last two seasons with the Blue Jackets after being traded with Jack Roslovic for center Pierre-Luc Dubois (how's that working out, Jets fans?). Now that Laine is locked up, the Jackets have their entire core completed with Patrik Laine, Zach Werenski and Johnny Gaudreau leading the charge.
At the time of signing his deal, Laine was a restricted free agent with 406 career games played with 176 goals and 151 assists for 327 points. Not a bad chunk of change for a guy who, just two seasons ago, managed just 24 points in 46 games. Heck of a turn-around for Laine and it happened at just the right time for him to be able to cash in.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 22 | 200 ANSWERS Columbus locks up final member of their core, as Laine agrees to multi-year, huge money pact What do you think of Laine's new deal? | ||
| Love it! What a bargain! | 34 | 17 % |
| Not long enough for that kind of money | 24 | 12 % |
| Columbus will regret this one | 96 | 48 % |
| Don't care | 46 | 23 % |
| List of polls | ||
