As the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ryan Johansen continue to struggle to reach an agreement on a new contract, KHL teams are taking notice. Numerous KHL squads, reportedly as many as seven, have made Johansen an offer with the hope of luring him away from the NHL.
The CSKA offer is Johansen's 7th from a #KHL team. Can't see him considering any of them
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) September 21, 2014
One of the more noteworthy offers is reportedly from CSKA Moscow.
CSKA Moscow of the #KHL will be making a 1 year 5 million dollar offer directly to Ryan Johansen tonight. #BlueJackets #NHL
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) September 21, 2014
The Johansen situation is fascinating. The Blue Jackets have made their offers public, effectively winning the PR battle. They’ve apparently offered a two-year, $6 million deal, a six-year, $32 million deal and an eight-year, $48 million deal. All of these seem reasonable and fair, but the two sides remain divided.
Meanwhile, Johansen continues to aim for a price that many would argue he hasn’t earned. Though his 33 goals in 2014-15 were telling of his talent and high ceiling, it’s important to not overpay for only the most recent results. Johansen’s sample size is extremely small and offering a long contract with big money could be disastrous.
It’s hard to envision Johansen moving to the KHL at this point, but you can never really rule out the option. It seemed doubtful that this stalemate would drag on as long as it has, but alas, here we are.
What happens from here? Realistically, Johansen is going to be with the Blue Jackets as the two sides will eventually reach a deal. Even if other teams extend offer sheets Johansen’s way, the Blue Jackets could simply match them. It’s not clear what exactly Johansen is looking for in a new deal, but it’s doubtful he’ll move to the KHL when all is said and done.
