Report: Johnny Gaudreau to sign contract with Blue Jackets

Left wing Johnny Gaudreau will sign a contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, per Elliotte Freidman of Sportsnet. Friedman is reporting the contract is for seven years at $9.8 million per season. The New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders were also reportedly in on Gaudreau throughout the day. This is Gaudreau’s third contract of his career as he is coming off a six-year, $40.5 million deal with the Calgary Flames.

Gaudreau was drafted by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He made his debut in the 2013-2014 season and played in one game where he scored a goal. Gaudreau then spent the next eight seasons playing for Calgary. He is coming off his best season and it looks like it paid off for him.

In 2021 he played in 82 games and scored 40 goals adding 75 assists for a whopping 115 total points. He led the team in points and had the second most points overall in the entire league. Columbus finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division and made this move to turn around the franchise.