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A dark horse made the biggest splash on day one of NHL free agency.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Columbus Blue Jackets have won the Johnny Gaudreau sweepstakes.
Friedman reports that the former Calgary Flames all-star agreed to a seven-year deal with the Blue Jackets, paying the 28-year-old $9.8 million a season.
On the eve of free agency, Gaudreau reportedly turned down an eight-year contract with a $10.5 million AAV from the Flames.
After free agency opened at noon on Wednesday, the front-runners for Gaudreau’s services changed throughout the afternoon.
The Philadelphia Flyers were a popular pick to land Gaudreau; however, they lacked the necessary cap space. Later in the day, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said the team wasn’t in on Gaudreau.
After the Flyers bowed out of the bidding, it seemed the race to land Gaudreau would come down to the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.
Ultimately, the Blue Jackets shocked the hockey world, sneaking back into the mix to land arguably the most coveted free agent on the market.
Gaudreau posted career highs in goals (40), assists (75) and points (115), playing in all 82 regular-season games last season. In 12 playoff games, Gaudreau finished with 14 points (3 goals, 14 assists).
A six-time All-Star, Gaudreau officially walks away from the Flames as the franchise’s fifth-leading all-time scorer. His 609 career points rank him fifth, behind only Theoren Fleury (830) and Hall of Famers Joe Nieuwendyk (616), Al MacInnis (822) and Jerome Iginla (1,095).
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