Now that Jan. 1 has passed, the Columbus Blue Jackets have three players who can sign an extension.
Players who signed a one-year contract this offseason are now eligible to sign a contract extension.
After Zach Aston-Reese signed his contract extension today, that leaves James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Labanc, and Jack Johnson, who can now sign with the Blue Jackets.
Related: Blue Jackets Sign Aston-Reese To One-Year Extension
Van Riemsdyk, 35, will likely be a trade candidate if the Blue Jackets fall out of the Wild Card race. There will be a handful of contending teams interested in acquiring him if he is made available. However, if they don’t fall out of the race and decide to keep him, he still likely won’t sign an extension until the offseason.
Labanc, 29, signed at the start of the season after being on a PTO with the New Jersey Devils. He could be the next player to sign an extension with the Blue Jackets. The fit with the roster has been good, especially as a bottom-six forward.
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Johnson, 38, is nearing the end of his career. He is another trade candidate and will likely be moved regardless of their playoff positioning. Johnson and the Blue Jackets will probably try to find him a contending team, like the Colorado Avalanche, to give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.
What’s Next – The Philadelphia Flyers visit Nationwide on Tuesday night.
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