Six Blue Jackets That Are Under Contract for 2022-23 and Can Sign an Extension This Summer

By Coby Maeir on June 15, 2022 at 1:45 pm
Vladislav Gavrikov
Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
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Last summer, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen signed four players already under contract for the 2021-22 season to extensions.

Zach Werenski, Boone Jenner, Elvis Merzlikins, and Eric Robinson are all entering the first year of contract extensions they signed in the 2021 off-season. 

Beginning on July 13, six Jackets will be able to sign extensions that would kick in for the 2023-24 season. Who are they?

Gustav Nyquist

After missing the entire 2020-21 campaign while recovering from surgery on a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Nyquist played in all 82 games for the Jackets in 2021-22, scoring 18 goals and 53 points. In this year's post-season media availability, he spoke positively about his experience living in Columbus and being a part of the Jackets organization.

Two weeks ago, our own Dan Dukart wrote about Nyquist's future with the team. You can read that article by clicking here.

Nyquist will be 34 years old when the 2023-24 season begins and his contract has a cap hit of $5.5MM. He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the 2022-23 season.

Vladislav Gavrikov

Gavrikov played 80 games in his third NHL season, averaging 22:17 of time on ice, blocking 138 shots, and recording 124 hits, while also scoring five goals and 33 points. Like Nyquist, Gavrikov also spoke highly about living in Columbus. 

Last month, I wrote about the possibility of Gavrikov being a long-term member of the Blue Jackets. If you'd like to read that, click here. 

Gavrikov will be 27 when the 2023-24 season begins and his contract has a cap hit of $2.8MM. He is scheduled to be a UFA after the 2022-23 season.

Andrew Peeke

Like Nyquist, Peeke also played all 82 regular-season games in 2021-22. In his season as a full-time NHL player, he played 21:29 per game, recorded 191 hits, blocked 169 shots, and was Werenski's partner on the top defensive pair. Offensively, he scored two goals and 15 points. At the end of the season, I wrote about how Peeke earned a bigger role in the upcoming seasons. You can click here to read it.

 

Peeke will be 25 when the 2023-24 season starts and his contract has a cap hit of $787.5k. He will be a restricted free agent (RFA) with arbitration rights after the 2022-23 season. 

Yegor Chinakov

In his first season in the NHL, Chinakov, the 21st overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, played in 62 games and scored seven goals and 14 points. On Sunday, our own Dan Greene wrote about Chinakov's rookie year and how he can build on that heading into his sophomore season. You can find that by clicking here.

Chinakov will be 22 when the 2023-24 season begins and his contract carries a cap hit of $925k. He is scheduled to be an RFA without arbitration rights after the 2022-23 season. 

Alexandre Texier

Texier scored 11 goals and 20 points in 36 games this season. He hasn't played an NHL game since Jan 26, 2022, because of a broken finger and a leave of absence. 

 Our own Will Chase reminded everyone not to forget about Texier and highlighted his performance in this year's IIHF World Championship. You can read that by clicking here.

Texier will be 24 when the 2023-24 season begins and his contract has a cap hit of $1.525MM. Following the 2022-23 campaign, he is scheduled to be an RFA with arbitration rights.

Gavin Bayreuther

Bayreuther played in 43 games this season, averaged 13:03 a night, blocked 45 shots, recording 50 hits, and scored eight points, all of them being assists. 

Bayreuther will be 29 when the 2023-24 season begins and his contract has a cap hit of $750k. He is scheduled to be a UFA following the 2022-23 season. 

How many of these players will sign extensions this summer?

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