Blue Jackets rumors: Columbus talking extension with 3 key forwards

The Columbus Blue Jackets were thought of as sellers at the trade deadline during the early parts of the season. But entering the Olympic break, the Blue Jackets are one of the hottest teams in the NHL. They have won 11 of the last 12 games, and won seven straight before the break.

Now, the front office may be changing its focus for the rest of the campaign, and some players once thought of as trade pieces could be looking at getting contract extensions, according to what sources have told James Murphy of RG Media.

The sources have said that the team is set to make contract offers to three key forwards who are set to be unrestricted free agents. Charlie Boyle, Mason Marchment, and Boone Jenner could all be in line for new contracts from the team.

“Those talks should be underway by next week at the latest,” one of the sources told RG.

“With the way the team has played since [Rick] Bowness got hired and where they are in the standings now, I’m hearing a lot less chatter around Coyle, Marchment, and Jenner. Regardless of whether they’re signed to extensions before the Olympic break ends, they’re off the trade market heading into the trade deadline. Waddell is just going to ride with them and add to the roster so they can make it into the playoffs,” the source continued.

Coyle is in the last year of a six-year pact that was originally signed with the Boston Bruins, before he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche and then the Blue Jackets. He is third on the team in points; the forward has found the back of the net 15 times and added 27 assists.

Meanwhile, Marchment is in the final year of a four-year deal he signed with the Dallas Stars, and was ultimately traded to the Jackets during the season from the Seattle Kraken. He has played just 14 games with Columbus this year,  but had nine goals and four helpers.

Finally, Jenner, the team captain, is in the final season of a four-year contract he signed with the franchise in 2021, which took effect for the 2022-23 campaign.

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell had previously confirmed his desire to have conversations with his impending free agents.

“They have the right to go unrestricted. So we haven’t gotten into any real negotiations with anybody. I’ve told everybody we will touch base over the break and see where they’re at and see where we’re at, and I said it last year, if players want to be here and we want ’em here, we’ll find a way to get it done.

“We did it last year, and we’ll do it again this year. So it’s a two-way street. Obviously, money and terms are always the big things, but if a player says they want to be a Blue Jacket, usually we find a way to get a deal done.”

The Blue Jackets are 29-20-7, placing them in fourth in the Metropolitan Division, and just four points out of a playoff spot. They return to the ice on Feb. 26 against the Bruins.

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