The Blue Jackets announced Friday that they signed defenseman Marcus Bjork to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2023-24 season in addition to offering defenseman Tim Berni an $874,125 qualifying offer. Both Bjork and Berni were scheduled to be restricted free agents, and the deadline to give them qualifying offers was Friday at 5 p.m. ET.
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that Bjork will make $775k at the NHL level, $375k at the AHL level, and receive a $450k guarantee.
#CBJ depth defensemen Tim Berni and Marcus Bjork are sticking around. They were both restricted free agents.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) June 30, 2023
Berni was extended a qualifying offer ($874,125)
Bjork agrees to a one-year, two-way contract.
NHL: $775k
AHL: $375k
Guarantee: $450k
Berni, 23, will still be a restricted free agent when free agency opens Saturday at noon ET and Bjork, 25, will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after his contract expires.
Both Berni and Bjork made their NHL debuts in 2022-23, with Berni recording 1-2--3 in 59 games and Bjork posting 3-8--11 in 33 games.
The Blue Jackets drafted Berni with the 159th pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and signed Bjork as an undrafted free agent last summer.
