Six years and $36 million for a 34-year-old forward.
It sounds like a lot.
It is a lot.
But signing Charlie Coyle to a long-term contract extension, as they did Tuesday, was a move the Columbus Blue Jackets had to make — even if the latter portion of that contract has the potential to be a bit long in the tooth.
CHARLIE'S PUMPED! pic.twitter.com/fqrrxefGrU
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) May 12, 2026
Keeping Coyle, who was going to be one of the top free agents on the market this summer, means that the Blue Jackets will not lose one of only four 20-goal scorers they had in the 2025-26 season. Add in Coyle's 38 assists (third on the team) and his total of 58 points (4th), and it's clear that the on-ice production is still very much there.
It also means they won't lose their hard-to-find, right-shot center who excels on both ends of the ice, one of the main reasons President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell traded for Coyle last June.
In fact, Coyle was considered a favorite for the Selke Trophy (which goes to the best defensive forward in the NHL) for much of the season before Columbus' late struggles dashed those hopes. Despite the losses, Coyle's play was strong throughout even the toughest of stretches that the Blue Jackets endured at season's end.
Add that to his faceoff ability (when not booted from the draw, Coyle won 50.7% of his faceoffs), his vision and awareness, and his ability to play in all situations and on both sides of special teams, and Coyle's value doesn't appear to be dropping anytime soon.
But that's on the ice.
The positives of this extension go well beyond that: it shows that there is a true belief in the direction that the Blue Jackets are heading.
“I’ve seen what we have, I’ve seen our potential, and I’m excited for it,” Coyle said Tuesday after agreeing to the deal. “It’s something I want to be here for and work towards."
"The team we have and the depth we have, it’s something that excites me and something that I want to be a part of going forward."
That's not lip service coming from Coyle, who will enter his 15th season in the NHL and is yet to hoist the Stanley Cup. He likely wasn't going to get six years anywhere else, but with the salary cap rising dramatically — from $95.5 million this past season to $104 million this coming season and a projected $113.5 million in 2027-28 — the money he received elsewhere could've been as much or even more than the Blue Jackets were able to get him for. Teams, some for the first time in a long time, have money to spend.
Instead, with the rising cap, Coyle's average annual value hit next season will be less (by percentage) than it was this past season.
| Season | AAV | Cap | Percent |
| 2025-26 | $5.25m | $95.5m | 5.5% |
| 2026-27 | $6.00m | $104.0m | 5.8% |
| 2027-28 | $6.00m | $113.5m | 5.3% |
It would've been easy for Coyle, known across the league as a true competitor with a strong desire to win, to pack it up and head elsewhere.
The fact that he didn't is a signal of stability for a franchise that has lacked it for several seasons now.
There's the leadership factor, too. With captain Boone Jenner's status very much in the air as an unrestricted free agent — and with Waddell mentioning Tuesday that there haven't been talks with any other UFA's "yet" — the door could be open for a new captain and a new voice.
While Zach Werenski may be considered the favorite for that spot should it open up, there's no question that Coyle would also be near the top of the list or, at the very least, a near-lock to take over Werenski's alternate captain role.
“When Charlie speaks, people listen,” Waddell said. “Unfortunately, it’s the first year in Charlie’s pro career that he’s missed the playoffs. I know at the end there, it was tough on him. He let the guys know that, ‘Hey, this isn’t good enough. We've got to make sure we come back prepared to take that next step.’ So I think his leadership is through his presence being in the room and what he’s done in his career on and off the ice.”
That's the kind of thing management says about a player they'd be comfortable with leading a room, and management reinforced that sentiment by handing Coyle the “A” multiple times this past season amid injuries.
That comfort is a two-way street.
“(Waddell) could have traded me at the deadline. He was having talks with my agents around then, and he wanted to know if we had fully ruled out Columbus at the end of the year," Coyle said. "I couldn’t give him a concrete answer."
Coyle, who mentioned that his wife gave birth to a baby girl in March, appreciated the communication Waddell had with him throughout the process.
“He was loyal to me, so I have a sense of loyalty to him," Coyle added. "Everything he's done and how he's handled everything, I respect that a ton, and that loyalty played a big part with my decision here too.”
Charlie Coyle was quite candid on Don Waddells importance throughout this process:
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) May 12, 2026
He was loyal to me, so I have a sense of loyalty to him. And a guy who stuck his neck out for me. I want to be there for that; for him. And again, keep building on what we worked on. But Don
Coyle also has the chance to be part of a culture change within the organization.
When head coach Rick Bowness called out the team's culture in their loss to the Washington Capitals in the final game of the season, he made it clear that it would change if he were to return.
"I don't know if I'm back, but if I'm back, I'm changing this culture," Bowness said.
Bowness inked a new contract less than two days later, making him the head coach through at least the 2026-27 season.
"There are ways (to change culture)," Bowness said in his initial rant. "I've been around long enough to know I'll find ways. I've had enough experience. We can deal with this. I've dealt with it before. If I'm back, we'll straighten it out."
pic.twitter.com/U3jVjTQIIm #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 25, 2025
With this move, it's obvious that he sees Coyle as part of the cultural solution.
Coyle also sees Bowness as part of the solution.
The day after the season ended, Coyle said he "would love to keep working with (Bowness)."
"It would definitely be a big positive if he was here," Coyle added.
When asked about Bowness on Tuesday, Coyle gave similar feedback.
"I love what he brought,” Coyle said. “(I) loved his energy, and I love what he’s done in just the half year he was here with limited opportunity to fully do what he does. So I’m pretty pumped to see what a full year of Bones will do for us, and I want to keep playing for a guy like that.”
All of this makes the six-year portion of the contract a little easier to swallow. Both Coyle and the team know it's a long contract and acknowledged they won't be able to control everything, but Coyle hasn't missed a game in four years and prioritizes taking care of himself and his body. It doesn't appear that the slowdown is coming anytime soon, despite his age.
"I do what I can to be available, and I take great pride in that," Coyle said. "I don't like missing games, I don't like sitting out."
"I love playing the game of hockey, and that's what I'll continue to do for the next six years."
