Blue Jackets GM unwilling to "rip out" key $40,500,00 D-man after emotional NHL season

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell isn't going to trade defenceman Ivan Provorov before March 7. Provorov was initially seen as a rental player, but Waddell wants to keep him in Columbus.

Provorov is signed on a six-year, $40.5 million contract, with a cap hit of $6.75 million per season ending this season. The Blue Jackets have started contract talks with his agent, Mark Gandler, but they haven't agreed on the numbers yet.

The Blue Jackets have faced challenges this season due to injuries and the loss of forward Johnny Gaudreau over the summer. Nevertheless, they hold the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card spot after 61 games. Waddell believes trading Provorov at this time won't be fair to the team.

The Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons and have finished last in the Metropolitan Division thrice. Provorov has averaged over 23 minutes per game and has recorded 28 points in 61 games. So, he could boost the Jackets' playoff hopes.

Speaking on Sportsnet, Waddell said that he respects the team’s effort and doesn't want to disrupt the locker room. He told Provorov’s agent that he wants to keep him and hopes to reach a long-term deal in the offseason.

"I can't even comprehend how they've done it all year long, with all the injuries and everything we've had. So for me to rip out a key player of our locker right now, I just don't feel good doing it, you know," Waddell said.

"So I told his agent yesterday, I'm not going to trade him, and if we can continue to talk, and he's 100% on board with that, so this will go into the summer time, as I fully expected to, and but we're still very hopeful that we can get probably signed he's been a big part of our success this year, and get him signed long term coming summer," he added.

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Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell wants to wait until the season end to decide on contract extensions

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been playing well since Dec. 19, going 18-8-3. Top players like Zach Werenski, Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson have contributed to their success.

Don Waddell wants to keep the team's chemistry intact and avoid unnecessary changes.

“Instead of getting into negotiations sometimes where there’s not a good ending, I’ve told agents, let’s just wait to the end of the season,” Waddell said (via NHL.com) “and if players want to stay here and we can find a compromise between salary and term, we will keep them.”

Waddell signed forward Mathieu Olivier to a six-year, $18 million extension. Other pending free agents, like Sean Kuraly and James van Riemsdyk, will have contract talks after the season.

Columbus is holding a wild card spot with 21 games remaining. The team will benefit from the return of injured players, including Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson.