The Columbus Blue Jackets continued the contract extension trend on Saturday by signing their only remaining player from their franchise-opening night player, Rostislav Klesla, to a new 4-year contract extension, reportedly worth $11.9 million in total. Klesla's deal was announced prior to the team's opening night victory over the Minnesota Wild, where he scored the game-winning goal for the Jackets.Klesla is starting his ninth season with the Blue Jackets, where he has now scored 37 goals and 79 assists in 445 career games with the Jackets, including last night.
Another extension means that this is another contract that won't take effect until the 2011 season, but this deal also keeps Klesla away from unrestricted free agency and keeps him with the only team he's ever known in the NHL. The Jackets have been building their core group of players and they now have 16 players signed on for the 2011 season at a salary cap hit of $47.2 million. Those are some very solid numbers for a franchise that should be playoffs bound now on a regular basis.
Klesla hasn't been a very big fantasy player as the years have gone by, especially in my pools where it's generally just scoring and goaltending play. He does provide some good defense for Steve Mason, when he's healthy and in the line-up. Klesla only has one 82-game season under his belt, which would suggest he is a little injury prone. Keep this all in mind, especially if he has a breakout year this season with the Jackets
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