*This story is breaking and will be updated.*
Ivan Provorov is sticking in Columbus for the long haul.
The Blue Jackets have reportedly signed the would-have-been unrestricted free agent to a seven-year contract worth a total of $59.5 million Monday, with just hours to go before the start of free agency on Tuesday.
TSN's Elliotte Friedeman was first with the extension, and The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun with the dollar amount.
The contract has an average annual value of $8.5 million and keeps the defenseman in Columbus through the 2031-32 season, when Provorov will be 35 years old. It's a roughly 25% raise from his previous contract, a six-year deal that had an average annual value of $6.75 million.
Provorov's seventh goal of the season gives the #CBJ a 4-1 lead, but the Stars have answered twice to cut it to a 4-3 game. pic.twitter.com/nUAq0A330S
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 26, 2025
The 28-year-old had seven goals and 26 assists this season for a total of 33 points. He produced similar numbers last season, his first with Columbus, registering five goals and adding 27 assists (32 points). For his career, Provorov has 77 goals and 205 assists (282 points) in 696 games.
The Yaroslavl, Russia native averaged more than 23 minutes per game with the Blue Jackets this season — just shy of his 23:46 per game career average — mostly on the second pairing with Denton Mateychuk. He played on both the penalty kill and power play, which added to his usage.
Provorov, who has a well-deserved reputation of always being available, has not missed a game in either of his two seasons while with the Blue Jackets and has missed just three games in his career — all as a result of COVID-19 protocols.
Columbus' desire to keep Provorov has been no secret, nor has Provorov's willingness to stay with the Blue Jackets. The two sides spoke throughout the season and in recent weeks on an extension but were not able to come to terms. As the market dried up before the beginning of free agency and trades for a top defenseman fell through, though, Provorov's camp garnered valuable leverage that led to the finalization of the deal.
Over the weekend, the club inked another pending free agent defenseman — Dante Fabbro — to a four-year, $16.5 million dollar deal.
Earlier Monday, it was reported by Aaron Portzline of The Athletic that the team would not extend a qualifying offer to another blueliner, Jordan Harris. His tenure with the Blue Jackets comes to an end after just 33 games in one season.
The question now becomes whether or not the Blue Jackets, who expressed a desire to improve their defense in the offseason, will be active players in Tuesday's first day of free agency.
