Bobrovsky’s new contract, Huberdeau hot, Grabovski injured and more…

*

The Mid-Season Guide comes out in just a couple of days (January 12^th.) Make sure you pick up your copy to help secure that championship bid. I am very proud of the work that I and the other DobberHockey writers have put into this year's edition.

*

Fat new contract for Sergei Bobrovsky who was extended by the Blue Jackets yesterday for four more years at $7.425 million per year. That makes him higher paid than any goalie but Tuukka Rask or Henrik Lundqvist. It's probably a bit of an overpay but Bobrovsky is capable of playing like the third best goalie in the league. His deal is also shorter than most goalie contracts, which works in the team's favour considering the fungibility of goaltending in the game today. Do you think that the Coyotes wish they'd only extended Mike Smith for four years instead of six? But they probably would have had to pay a bit more money annually, which is why Bobrovsky's deal is so pricey.

The big thing is that the Blue Jackets absolutely had to get this deal done and get it done now. They couldn't go into the summer with uncertainty in goal and they could not allow Bobrovsky to test the free agent market. Someone would have given him more money and more years. I don't think it's hyperbole to say that this is the single most important signing in franchise history. More important than Rick Nash, more important than Ryan Johansen and certainly more important than the fat deal they recently gave Nick Foligno.

I've already said my piece on why I didn't like the Foligno extension so I won't get into that again. I love the Bobrovsky extension for Columbus though. They'd be stuck in a similar situation as Minnesota without him.

Tough night against a motivated Leafs team though getting shredded for four first period goals. That'll happen though. We know how banged up the Blue Jackets still are.

Special mention for David Savard who tossed 10 hits last night. Well done.

*

After experimenting with Phil Kessel away from Tyler Bozak for a game Peter Horachek reunited the two and got a two-point night out of Bozak. Kessel also went off for two points but his damage was done on the top power play unit with Bozak and James van Riemsdyk, a combination that was not split up in Horachek's debut. Daniel Winnik continued to benefit from skating on the Kessel line with two points of his own. Look for Winnik as a short-term pickup.