Blue Jackets, Mathieu Olivier closing in on long-term contract
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mathieu Olivier has emerged as perhaps the NHL's most feared fighter this season, but he's also provided an unexpected offensive impact for the Columbus Blue Jackets, making him a rare talent in today's league.
With so few comparable players around the league, it was a challenge for Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell and Olivier's agent, Philippe Lacavalier, to reach terms on a new deal.
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But it sounds like they've done it.
'We're getting really close,' Waddell told The Athletic on Monday. 'We're hoping to get it wrapped up in the 24 hours or so.'
A team source said it will be a multi-year contract, likely four years or more. The Blue Jackets wanted to get Olivier signed by the NHL's trade deadline on Friday, and they certainly didn't want him to hit free agency in July.
'He's an unrestricted free agent who would be welcomed by 31 other teams,' Waddell said, 'and I have to take all of that into account in trying to sign him. So it's been time-consuming, but in a positive way.'
Waddell and Lecavalier made significant progress in negotiations last week, Waddell said. But by Thursday, he put talks on hold to focus on the Blue Jackets' home-and-home with the Detroit Red Wings, including Saturday's Stadium Series game in Ohio Stadium.
After the Blue Jackets practiced on Monday, Olivier made clear his desire to stay put in Columbus.
'I've said this multiple times: I love Columbus. My family loves Columbus. Everything about it works well with our family and our values,' Olivier said. 'The direction the organization is going is great. The guys we have in this room, what we're building… I take a lot of pride in that , and I want to see it through with these guys in here. There's nothing I'd like more.'
The Blue Jackets acquired Olivier on June 30, 2022, trading a fourth-round pick to the Nashville Predators. He spent most of the previous season playing for Nashville's farm club, AHL Milwaukee.
The reason then-GM Jarmo Kekalainen wanted Olivier was his toughness. The Blue Jackets, at that point, were getting routinely abused by opponents with no way to fight back.
But Olivier has bloomed in a way nobody could have imagined.
With 12-9-21 in 60 games, Olivier has already set career-highs in goals and points. He's also third in the NHL with 99 penalty minutes, second in hits (228), and first in fighting majors (11).
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The 12 goals are the most impressive, however, and they've allowed coach Dean Evason to play Olivier on the Blue Jackets' third line. In his first 168 NHL games, Olivier scored 13 goals. He's one short of that already this season, with 22 games to play.
Repeatedly, when asked to talk about Olivier's fighting prowess and goal-scoring, his fellow teammates have mentioned that Olivier has also emerged as one of the vocal leaders in the dressing room.
The Blue Jackets entered play on Monday in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, holding the top wild-card spot. They've won four straight games coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, and open a four-game road trip on Tuesday in Tampa Bay.
(Photo of Mathieu Olivier: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
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