Columbus Blue Jackets Ink RW Oliver Bjorkstrand To Five-Year Extension

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The NHL season is fast approaching, and on Wednesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets spent some coin on one of their own, inking right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand to a five-year contract extension worth a reported $27 million.

The 25-year-old put up 133 points (65 goals, 68 assists) for the Jackets last season as they went 33-22-15 (81 points), good for fourth in the Metropolitan Division.

Bjorkstrand has notched 20-plus goals in back-to-back seasons and three straight campaigns of 36 points or more. He has added 6-6-12 in 31 career playoff outings.

“Oliver is a gifted player that has shown steady improvement throughout career to this point and we couldn’t be happier that he will be a Blue Jacket for a very long time,” Jackets General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement.

“He is a dangerous offensive player, and we believe he will be an even more impactful player for us as he continues to develop and mature in this league.”

Bjorkstrand was a third round pick of the Jackets (89th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft.

He set career highs in goals with 23-13-36 in 77 games during the 2018-19 season. He played in all 82 games for Columbus during the 2017-18 season.

The Jackets have made the postseason in all four seasons Bjorkstrand has been with the franchise. “I like my spot on the team. I like the city. There’s not much to complain about there,” he said.

Columbus Blue JacketsOliver Bjorkstrand

Written by Matt Loede

Matt has been a part of the Cleveland Sports landscape working in the media since 1994 when he graduated from broadcasting school. His coverage beats include the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers. He's written three books, and won the "2020 AP Sports Stringer Lifetime Service Award."

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