Wennberg signs 6-year deal worth $29.4 million
Jarmo Kekalainen doesn’t like to talk about ongoing contract negotiations. Now the Blue Jackets general manager has one fewer topic to avoid.
With the start of training camp less than two weeks away, the Blue Jackets locked up a key part of their future Friday afternoon by signing restricted free agent Alexander Wennberg to a six-year, $29.4 million contract. The team’s 22-year-old No. 1 center, a first-round pick in the 2013 draft who was taken 14th overall, will report on time for the Sept. 14 start of training camp.
“He obviously was a big priority for us,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “Glad to get it done and get him here on time to start the training camp. As we’ve said all along we believe this was going to be done and we’re glad it’s done.”
Wennberg will make $3.5 million in 2017-18, $4.5 million in 2018-19 and $5.35 million in the four seasons through 202223 for an average of $4.9 million per year.
In 217 career games with the Blue Jackets, Wennberg has 25 goals and 94 assists. He has led the Blue Jackets in assists in each of the last two seasons (46 last season, 32 in 2015-16) and also in multi-point games (14) last year. His 46 assists were fourth-most in a season in club history and tied for 14th in the NHL.
“He has shown steady improvement throughout his young NHL career and is coming off a very good 2016-17 campaign,” Kekalainen said in a release. “At just 22 years old, he has tremendous opportunity to become an integral player for our organization for years to come.”
Wennberg’s agent, Pat Brisson, said in an email that “both Alexander and the Jackets were able to explore a longer-term partnership which was the goal. Alex loves playing in Columbus and sees the franchise going in the right direction with this exciting team.”
The deal extends two seasons into his unrestricted free-agent years and is the longest among current Blue Jackets players.
Wennberg was one of two restricted free agents still without a contract. The other, Josh Anderson, remains unsigned and according to a Friday report would skate with a team in Switzerland if an agreement is not reached before camp starts.
His agent, Darren Ferris, said in a text message that he had been misquoted and that Anderson is not set to practice in the Swiss National League.
“That is not the plan at this time,” Ferris said. “It is just an option.”
Earlier Friday, Kekalainen said he wasn’t worried about Anderson’s situation.
“He can skate wherever he wants,” Kekalainen said. “We just want him here when training camp starts, that’s all.”
For Wennberg, at least, that much is assured.