NHL Rumors: Columbus Blue Jackets closing in on contract extension with $2,200,000 winger

The Columbus Blue Jackets appear to be closing in on a contract extension with a pending unrestricted free agent of their own ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Physical winger Mathieu Olivier is expected to sign a contract extension to stay in Columbus for the foreseeable future. He is in the final season of his two-year, $2,200,000 contract, which he signed in 2023.

On Saturday, NHL insider for the Fourth Period David Pagnotta tweeted that Olivier is closing in on a deal to remain in Columbus. His tweet came following a chat with General manager Don Waddell.

"Some items need to be finalized, but #CBJ GM Don Waddell just said on our show a few minutes ago that he expects a contract extension with Mathieu Olivier to be done 'soon,'" Pagnotta tweeted.

Olivier has had a great season on the Blue Jackets' fourth line, producing 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 60 games. He's also provided his usual toughness and physicality with 228 hits and 99 penalty minutes on the campaign. It makes sense for Columbus to want to lock Olivier up as a key part of its bottom-six.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have exceeded all expectations this season

The success story of the Columbus Blue Jackets has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2024-25 NHL season. With almost no expectation heading into the year, Columbus has turned heads around the league. The culture has changed under first-year bench boss Dean Evason, as the Blue Jackets are no longer an easy out.

They are 30-22-8, with 68 points to hold the first wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. They're also nipping at the heels of the New Jersey Devils (72 points) and Carolina Hurricanes (72 points) for the second and third seeds.

The Blue Jackets have seen all their top players break out to produce at career-best rates. Zach Werenski (64 points), Kirill Marchenko (60 points), Kent Johnson (42 points), Dmitri Voronkov (40 points) and Adam Fantilli (37 points) have already surpassed their career-highs in points. It's been the perfect storm down in Columbus.

The Jackets will continue their push to make the playoffs on Tuesday night when they face the red-hot Lightning in Tampa Bay. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST at Amalie Arena.