Team captain Rick Nash agreed to an eight-year contract extension that, according to TSN, will be worth $62.4 million. Nash, 25, recorded 40 goals and 79 points in 78 regular-season games this past season as Columbus posted a 41-31-10 record and finished seventh in the Western Conference.
"Rick is a Blue Jacket. He is our captain, the foundation of our team and one of the elite players in the National Hockey League and we are very happy that he will continue to call Columbus home for many years to come," Columbus General Manager Scott Howson said in a statement. "This is an important and exciting day for our franchise and our fans."
Nash was the No. 1 pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and immediately began his career with the Blue Jackets that fall. In his sophomore season, he exploded for a career-high 41 goals, sharing the Rocket Richard Trophy with Jarome Iginla of Calgary and Ilya Kovalchuk of Atlanta.
Nash has career totals of 194 goals and 355 points in 441 games over six seasons with Columbus. He was set to become a free agent following the 2009-10 season.
