This weekend, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they have re-signed restricted free agents forwards Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson.
Both forwards inked new three-year deals. Johnson’s deal will have an average annual value of $1.8 million, while Marchenko’s will have an AAV of $3.8 million.
Marchenko was the 49th overall selection by the Blue Jackets in 2018 and officially joined the team in 2022-23 after playing with St.Petersburg SKA of the KHL for four years. This season, the forward recorded career highs with 23 goals and 42 points throughout 78 games. Additionally, he averaged 16:24 of ice time per game, including over two minutes per game on the power play.
Johnson, who was Columbus’ 2021 fifth overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft, joined the team for the 2021-22 season, recording three points in nine games, after spending his season with the University of Michigan. This season, he appeared in 42 games for the Blue Jackets, scoring six goals and 16 points, and he scored an additional five goals and 15 points in 10 games with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League.
Johnson is showing promising signs of developing into a top-six winger, providing an offensive spark for Columbus. Meanwhile, Marchenko’s signing, after finishing third for points on the Blue Jackets roster, will significantly boost the team’s offence.
The signing of both Marchenko and Johnson is a big deal for the Blue Jackets’ core group. Inking both players to multi-year extensions will continue to be a great advantage for the club.
General manager Don Waddell commented on the re-signing of both players, emphasizing the importance of reaching an agreement with Marchenko and expressing the organization’s excitement about keeping Johnson, a forward who is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential as an NHL player. His development is a source of hope for the team’s future.
Cole Sillinger is one Blue Jackets player still left without a contract before the 2024-25 season starts. However, with $10.8 million left in cap space, it shouldn’t be long before Waddell announces a new deal for the rising forward.
AHL Marlies sign Alex Nylander
There’s a new Nylander in Toronto.
On Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, announced the signing of Alex Nylander to a one-year deal.
Ever since the Buffalo Sabres selected Nylander eighth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, he has bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL. His most prominent year came in 2019-20 with the Chicago Blackhawks, when the forward scored 10 goals and 26 points throughout 65 games.
After two years with the Blackhawks, in 2022, Nylander was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the forward still struggled to find his game and appeared in only 14 contests over two seasons.
Following five games with the Penguins and 43 games with their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in 2023-24, Nylander was once again on the move when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in February. In Columbus, Nylander played 23 games, recording 11 goals and four assists.
Throughout 121 NHL games, Nylander has recorded 25 goals and 49 points. Additionally, he appeared in all eight of the Blackhawk playoff games during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. As for the AHL, Nylander has made 330 appearances, registering 94 goals and 210 points, with an additional six points in nine Calder Cup Playoff matches.
