Blue Jackets sign Charlie Coyle to a 6-year, $36 million extension

Charlie Coyle knew Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell could have traded him near the March deadline after the center did not fully commit to re-signing with the club.

Waddell’s decision to stand pat and the team’s second-half improvement under coach Rick Bowness are two factors why Coyle is remaining in Columbus after signing a six-year extension worth $36 million.

“He kept me around to help me with sticking here and working with my teammates to try and make a playoff run. He was loyal to me, so I have a sense of loyalty to him,” Coyle said on Tuesday after the signing was announced. “He was a guy who stuck his neck out for me. I want be there for that for him and keep building on what we’ve worked on.”

The 34-year Coyle was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche last June. He was fourth on the team in goals (20) and points (58) and played all 82 games in his first season with the Blue Jackets. Along with tying a career high with 38 assists, it was the third time in his 14-year career he scored at least 20 goals.

Coyle also tied for the team lead in power-play goals (seven). He has skated in 411 straight games, the fourth-longest active streak in the league.

Coyle would have been one of the top centers on the market if he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, which also made getting a deal finalized at the top of Waddell’s offseason priority list.

Waddell added that he received at least 10 calls the past couple of weeks from other teams wondering what the Blue Jackets’ plans were for Coyle.

“The market was going to be out there looking for him, and we just felt that he’s such an important part of our franchise moving forward that that’s how we locked up the deal,” Waddell said.

Bowness took over after Dean Evason was fired on Jan. 12 and led the Blue Jackets from last place in the Eastern Conference to six points out of a playoff spot.

Bowness led Columbus to a 21-11-5 record but the team struggled down the stretch, going 3-9-1 to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the sixth straight season.