The Columbus Blue Jackets have finalized a three-year contract worth $13.875 million with forward Cole Schillinger, thereby sidestepping arbitration proceedings, a source familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday. The individuals involved requested anonymity because the deal had not been officially announced; the contract was first reported by Sportsnet.ca.
Schillinger, who is 23 years old, had initially opted for arbitration earlier this month but reached an agreement with the team before his scheduled hearing on Monday. A Columbus native and the team’s first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Schillinger has five years of NHL experience. Last season, he shifted from playing center to left wing, anchoring the third line and setting a personal best with 33 points (8 goals, 25 assists). Over his career, he has accumulated 51 goals and 140 points across 367 games.
In addition, on Friday, the Florida Panthers agreed to a two-year, $4 million deal with newly acquired goaltender Akira Schmidt, also avoiding arbitration. Florida acquired Schmidt from Vegas on June 29 by trading a third-round pick in 2028, as part of an offseason overhaul of their goaltending. The team added another goalie, Jacob Markstrom, via trade with New Jersey the following day. These moves are in response to the likely departure of veteran starter Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed with Toronto during free agency. Schmidt, a Swiss-born player, appeared in 29 games last season, achieving a career-high 16 wins in his fifth NHL season.
Fan Take: These contract signings show how teams are carefully building their rosters for the upcoming season, making the league more competitive and exciting for fans. Such moves also hint at strategic shifts that could impact playoff races and team dynamics — stay tuned!
