Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets Not Pleased With Contract Talks
By Josh Hill
Sergei Bobrovsky had a breakthrough season in 2013 but the Vezina Trophy winner is not at all pleased with the progress of contract talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Columbus Dispatch reports that while there have been talks about a new contract, it’s not what the Blue Jackets want to hear and it’s just more of what they’ve already heard in the past.
According to the Dispatch, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was not happy with talks that have taken place with Bobrovsky ‘s agent and a contract might not be agreed upon in time for the July 5 deadline.
“I wouldn’t say that, no,” Kekalainen said when asked if any progress has been made in contract talks. “It was pretty much the same stuff we went through last time (we talked).”
The clock is ticking on the situation as Bobrovsky is one of the top young netminders in the NHL and will command top dollar on the open market. He’s a restricted free agent, which means the Blue Jackets will have the chance to match whatever offer if made to him by a team, but that can be avoided if the two sides agree on a deal prior to the July 5 deadline.
A team like the Toronto Maple Leafs or another team in desperate need for net minding help could swoop in and steal Bobrovsky away from the Blue Jackets, but there’s also the possibility that Bobrovsky could be snatched up by a KHL team. According to the Dispatch, a KHL team would not have to wait until the July 5th deadline to sign him to a contract and that might happen if Bobrovsky doesn’t hear numbers he wants to hear.
It’s a hot situation, but the Blue Jackets need a young talent like Bobrovsky on their roster and losing him would be devastating to the team’s future.