Another Contract Extension, This One's For Trey Fix-Wolansky! 7/23/22

It's been an eventful now two days, today being the second, as the Columbus Blue Jacket release news on yet another signing.  Yesterday, #29 himself (Patrik Laine) got his deal we'd all been waiting on.  For his 4 years at 8.7 Million AAV to work however, a player had to be traded.  That player was #28, Oliver Bjorkstrand.  A bitter-sweet day for sure.  

Today, we have another singing to address, one of Trey Fix-Wolansky.  When the 23-year-old Right Wing played with the Blue Jackets in the 2021-22 NHL Season, he appeared in just 6 games.  His impact in those games were felt though, with a goal and an assist.  Not bad for his first year playing an NHL game.  His deal gives him the ability to go between the AHL Cleveland Monsters and the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets, just like his last one did.  This deal is only for the upcoming 2022-23 NHL season.  The payday is very different too.  If Fix-Wolansky ends up playing for the Cleveland Monsters he'll make $80,000, but if he plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets that salary multiplies by over 9 times, to $750,000.  Talk about a motivator to make the NHL roster!  

Congratulations to #64 on being signed back!  

Beyond this there is an interesting topic we need to address though 5th Line.  Jared Smalley on NBC4 did a full review of the Laine deal and Bjorkstrand trade.  In his words from the 6PM News Cast on July 22, 2022:  "That deal (Laine) puts Columbus more than $6 Million above the NHL Salary Cap."  He goes on to point out that even with Bjorkstrand departing, we're still over the Salary Cap.  How much?  Bjorkstrand made $5.4 Million and if we were over out cap by $6 Million, that means we're still over it by roughly $600,000.  

What does this mean?  Well, we just signed Fix-Wolansky to a contract.  If he goes to AHL it's a $40,000 hit for us...but if he stays in the NHL that's a whopping $750,000 extra to this Cap that must be addressed.  Beyond this, we haven't signed one other RFA yet, a 23-year-old Center we definitely need, Emil Bemstrom.  He's played 117 total games for us in the last 3 NHL Seasons, with 19 goals and 17 assists, for a total of 36 points.  His contract won't be small, not millions and millions, but I'd expect it to be in the 7 digit range for sure.  To me, the end result is simple, Oliver Bjorkstrand isn't enough.  We will lose someone else at least, because these numbers only include 2 signings from our Development Camp 2022 (our first round defenseman).  Those contracts are normally less and if they are a two-way, with the AHL Monsters, we only pay half.  With that being said, those contracts may be small, but can add up quickly.  How Jarmo handles this will be interesting and I'll keep you posted about updates 5th Line.  

Again, congratulations to Fix-Wolansky!

Sources:

Jeff Svoboda Tweet on July 23,2022

"NEWS:  The Blue Jackets have signed restricted free agent RW Trey Fix-Wolansky to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season."  (Quote Only)

Aaron Portzline Tweet on July 23, 2022

"#CBJ sign RFA F Trey Fix-Wolansky to a one-year, two-way contract.  He'll make $750,000 at the #NHL level or $80,000 in #AHL.  

Only unsigned RFA now is Emil Bemstrom."