The Columbus Blue Jackets sent a 2023 third-round pick – 80th overall that was originally the Calgary Flames – to the New Jersey Devils in a sign-and-trade for defenseman Damon Severson.
Severson gets an eight-year deal at a $6.25 million salary cap hit.
Puck Pedia: salary breakdown.
2023-24: $6 million salary and a $2 million signing bonus
2024-25: $6 million salary and a $2 million signing bonus
2025-26: $5.5 million salary and a $2 million signing bonus
2026-27: $4.1 million salary and a $2 million signing bonus
2027-28: $3.3 million salary and a $1.8 million signing bonus
2028-29: $4.1 million salary and a $1 million signing bonus
2029-30: $5.1 million salary
2030-31: $5.1 million salary
He’ll have a no-trade clause for the first four years, a 20-team no-trade in year five, and a 12-team no-trade for the final three years of the contract.
Jeff Svoboda: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen: ““Damon is a versatile defenseman who has great vision, moves the puck extremely well, has good size and can play heavy minutes at both ends of the ice. We are excited to have him join the Blue Jackets as he will be a very important part of our blueline for many years to come.”
Thoughts from the media
Aaron Portzline: “CBJ would appear to have three bona fide top-four defensemen now: Zach Werenski (healthy) and Ivan Provorov on the left, Damon Severson on the right, with the Adam Boqvist and rookie David Jiricek in a battle for the other spot beside either Werenski or Provorov.”
Frank Seravalli: “Peer into the future for #CBJ Top 4 Werenski-Severson Provorov-Jiricek Among the class defense corps of the #NHL now with Gudbranson, Peeke and Boqvist rounding out the group.”
Jim Biringer: “Columbus is going to be tough next season. Building the blueline with Severson and Provorov and Babcock as coach. That time might make the playoffs. ”
Jason Gregor: “CBJ revamping their blueline. Severson, Provorov, Werenski, Jiricek, Gudbranson, Bean, Boqvist, Peeke and Blankenberg. Good depth and different skill sets.”
Jeff Svoboda: “Since the end of the season, #CBJ has added Alexandre Texier and Dmitri Voronkov up front, Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson to the blue line. Young talent at forward, dependable veterans at the back. Great start to a busy offseason.”
Mark Scheig: “#CBJ acquired Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson while keeping all of their own picks in the first four rounds of this upcoming draft. They still have an extra fourth as well.”
Mark Scheig: “So part of the return in the Oliver Bjorkstrand trade helped land Damon Severson.”
Vince Z. Mercogliano: “Nothing at all against Severson, who is a fine player, but I’m seeing multiple people refer to him as the top free agent available in this summer’s class…?
He was a bottom-pair guy in NJ and now he’s one of the 40 highest-paid D-men in the league. Am I missing something?”
Anthony Mingioni: “So with Damon Severson getting big money and term, Ivan Provorov’s going to need to adjust any expectations of power play time he might get in Columbus.”
Charlie O’Connor: “Here’s the thing with Columbus. While I am not at all convinced that they are ready to turn the corner into contention, they signed a 29-year old Johnny Gaudreau to a 7 year deal last summer & are going to hire Mike friggin Babcock. It’s not like this win-now philosophy is new.”
Columbus makes a big splash with Damon Severson, paying him like a top pair defenseman with eight years of term. He’s an underrated player now, but he’s now far from an underpaid one. pic.twitter.com/ePEy3606Qn
— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) June 9, 2023
Damon Severson signs with #CBJ
His offense has been up-and-down over the years. Expect more of the same in Columbus with other capable offensive defensemen and some high-end prospects in the mix.https://t.co/zeHSLpgTJG pic.twitter.com/RZ9u0yRv1l
— Frozen Tools (@FrozenTools) June 9, 2023
Big signing for Columbus
Severson is a top quality right handed defenseman that makes his team better at both ends of the ice https://t.co/rhrc7dKtoM pic.twitter.com/QVdErC0vnr
— NL Stats (@NextLevelStat) June 9, 2023
