The NHL season is now more than a month in, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a very good start. They currently sit in fifth in their Division with a 7-5-0 record. This looks like the season that they are going to push their way into the playoffs and bring playoff hockey back to Columbus for the first time since 2019-20.
It isn't all that easy though. They need to make decisions that can drastically change the outcome of the season. First, there will be trades close to and at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline in March. After that, there will be the difficult decision to re-sign some of their unrestricted free agents.
They currently have five of them, one of them being their captain Boone Jenner. So, there should be some priority to get a few of them done relatively soon so they can add players, both rentals and signed to additional years, and know how they can fit them in or even who to part with.
Without further ado, let's get into who the Blue Jackets’ UFAs are.
Boone Jenner
First up, as mentioned above, the captain Boone Jenner. His contract extension is going to be vitally important for the Blue Jackets to get done. He is the captain of the team, the best locker room guy, and a fan favourite. As of right now, there is no word on if a deal is being worked on or if it will be done during the season.
However, the expectation would be that he will re-sign long-term and potentially finish his career in Columbus, where he was drafted. It simply makes sense. It would be hard to imagine that the organization would let him walk in free agency, and they certainly aren’t trading him at the Trade Deadline. So, it only makes sense for the Blue Jackets to sign him to an extension at some point this season.
Charlie Coyle
Next up, Charlie Coyle, who was acquired this past offseason on the day of the 2025 NHL Draft in a deal with the Colorado Avalanche. Although he isn't the biggest name on the team, his presence has been felt quite a lot. His line with Cole Sillinger and Mathieu Olivier has been one of the most reliable for the club early this season.
Obviously, the Blue Jackets do have a handful of prospects that are ready to make the jump, which means he may not earn a contract extension. Ultimately, it could depend on how well the team does and how he plays over an 82-game season and potentially into the playoffs.
Erik Gudbranson
Erik Gudbranson is in an interesting situation. He has struggled with injury issues the last few seasons, and with him getting older, the Blue Jackets may not offer an extension in season. That's not to say that they won't at all because he brings a ton to the locker room. But with some of their prospects ready to make the jump and external options available in free agency, it makes it tough to decide to extend him during the season, if at all.
He has been a very valuable player during his time with the Blue Jackets. There could be a world where he does get an extension on a very team-friendly contract. But as of right now, that doesn’t seem to be on the top of the priority list for GM Don Waddell.
Zach Aston-Reese
Zach Aston-Reese is likely going to be a player that the Blue Jackets wait until the offseason to work out a deal with, if they do at all. As I have mentioned numerous times, there are players in the American Hockey League (AHL) who could replace him and make the NHL roster. That could even happen before the end of the season, especially with players like Luca Del Bel Belluz waiting for his call to be an everyday NHL player.
Ivan Fedotov
Lastly, Ivan Fedotov isn’t close to the top of the priority list. Right now, he sits in the AHL as a member of the Cleveland Monsters. It is clear that Jet Greaves is the face of the crease for the Blue Jackets. There is also Elvis Merzlikins, who is still under contract for one more season after this one. Fedotov was acquired as an insurance policy, and that is what he will be for the season. But there is no real future for him as a member of the Blue Jackets after the 2025-26 season ends.
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