Patrik Laine, Blue Jackets Agree to 4-Year, $34.8M Contract in NHL Free Agency

During the 2020-21 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded for forward Patrik Laine and made sure they kept him for more than just the rest of the season.

The team announced Friday that they had agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension. The pact is worth millions of dollars every year.

Jarmo Kekalainen is the general manager of the BlueJackets.

The priority this summer was to extend the contract of Patrik Laine. He is a special player, one of the truly elite goal scorers in the National Hockey League, and he has fit in very well with our group. He is an important part of the team we are building in Columbus, and we couldn't be happier that he will be with us for a long time.

After the season ended, the right wing was a restricted free agent.

Columbus made a huge trade in January of 2021. In exchange for the two forwards, the Jets received a third-round pick in the 2022.

The return of Laine makes it more likely that the trade is a success for the Blue Jackets.

The Columbus Bluejackets had a reputation for being unable to re-sign their top players. The team lost to the Boston Bruins in the second round of the playoffs after sweeping the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning.

There was tension between the coach and player before the trade.

The Blue Jackets parted ways with their coach, John Tortorella, after the 2020-21 season. They made the playoffs four years in a row, but were last in the Central Division in his last year.

In his first season with Columbus, Laine had just 21 points in 45 games and a career-worst minus-28.

He had 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points in 56 games in the second half of the 21st century.

With this new deal, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 draft hopes to remain an impact player. He scored 64 points in 73 games as a first year player. He scored 70 points in his second season, 50 points in his third and 63 points in his fourth.

Someone who can score on the power play, draw attention to set up others, and anchor the offense for stretches is who Laine is.

With his new contract, the Finn is expected to be a key offensive contributor for Columbus.