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Impasse over: Columbus, Johansen agree to three-year, $12M deal

Ryan Johansen

Ryan Johansen

AP

The stalemate is finally over -- per the Blue Jackets, Ryan Johansen has agreed to a three-year extension with the club:

#CBJ have agreed to terms with C Ryan Johansen on a 3-year contract. Official announcement to come.

— NHL Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 6, 2014


Per TSN, the deal carries an average annual cap hit of $4 million, which represents something of a middle ground between what Johansen -- represented by player agent Kurt Overhardt -- and Columbus were tabling for a shorter-term deal.Johansen, 22, enjoyed a breakout campaign for the Blue Jackets last year, finishing 11th in the NHL with 33 goals while centering the club’s top line, helping Columbus to its first-ever postseason victory.

Johansen terms: $3M in 2014-15, $3M in 2015-16 and $6M in 2016-17.

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) October 6, 2014

“@Aportzline: Johansen terms: $3M in 2014-15, $3M in 2015-16 and $6M in 2016-17.” Last year is the kicker. Has to be qualified at $6M.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 6, 2014

The $6 million salary in ’16-17 is clearly the biggest development of this deal. Once the two sides opted to focus on a shorter-term contract, you knew it would be a table-setter for Johansen’s next deal -- looking ahead, the Jackets only have five skaters signed beyond 2017 (Nathan Horton, Scott Hartnell, Brandon Dubinsky, Fedor Tyutin and Jack Johnson) and with a $6 million salary, Johansen would become the team’s highest-paid player.