American forward Johnny Gaudreau, the biggest name available on the free agent market, has signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The club confirmed in the evening that the striker signed a seven-year contract worth an annual value of $9.75 million.
The table was set for the attacker to touch such a jackpot. Last season, with the Calgary Flames, the man nicknamed “Johnny Hockey” scored 115 points, a personal high.
He had thus finished second in the top scorers of the National Hockey League (NHL), tied with Quebecer Jonathan Huberdeau, of the Florida Panthers. Only Connor McDavid, of the Edmonton Oilers, had done better than them with his 123 points.
Gaudreau, author of 40 goals, had also dominated the NHL with an impressive differential of +64.