The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Charlie Coyle to a six-year, $36 million contract extension, keeping one of the better options at center off the upcoming free agent market.
Coyle, 34, is signed through the 2031-32 season with an average annual value of $6 million against the salary cap. He had 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points in 82 games last season for Columbus. He played in all situations, including the power play and the penalty kill. He has been a durable player in his career, playing 82 games in each of the past five seasons and 83 games last season, having played an extra game after being traded.
Coyle was acquired by the Blue Jackets last June after the Colorado Avalanche acquired him at the trade deadline from the Boston Bruins. He finished his 14th NHL season. He has 543 points in 1,032 career games with the Minnesota Wild, Bruins, Avalanche and Jackets.
"If you go back to last year when we made the trade for Charlie, we said we were looking for a right-hand shot center. Certainly, we were happy to make the trade, but then having Charlie all this year, getting to know him not only as a player but as a person, we knew that he cares about the team, he cares about winning and cares about the community," general manager Don Waddell said.
Coyle's contract matches that of Columbus forward Conor Garland in years and money. They're two of three players Columbus has signed through the 2031-32 season, along with defenseman Ivan Provorov ($8.5 million AAV).
Coyle would have been one of the best veteran options at center in what is considered a thin unrestricted free agent class. Waddell said that he received "10 to 12 calls" from teams seeking to trade for Coyle's negotiating rights.
"As a potential free agent, the market was going to be out there looking for him," Waddell said.
Instead, he chose to remain with Columbus.
"The player expresses that he would like to stay here and we certainly wanted the player to stay here. So when you get in that situation, yeah, maybe there's a little bit more money out there, but maybe it's a place that Charlie didn't want to go to," Waddell said.
Other potential free agent options include Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin, Erik Haula of the Nashville Predators, Jason Dickinson of the Edmonton Oilers and Scott Laughton of the Los Angeles Kings.