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We knew that a contract extension was imminent for Mathieu Olivier and the Blue Jackets.
But did you think that the Blue Jackets’ depth player was going to sign a six-year contract with the Ohio formation? Clearly, he is really appreciated in his current environment.
We’re talking about an $18 million contract in total, or $3 million per year.
Mathieu Olivier extension.
$3,000,000 AAV X 6 Years
Season NHL Salary
2025-2026 $4,000,000 US
2026-2027 $3,900,000 US
2027-2028 $2,900,000 US
2028-2029 $2,400,000 US
2029-2030 $2,400,000 US
2030-2031 $2,400,000 US10 Team No Trade Clause
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 5, 2025
To play comparison games, he will earn more money than Jake Evans per year and he has two more years on his contract. What is your preferred agreement between the two?
Olivier is having an excellent season, he can score and fight. He brings grit to a team.
More details to come…
More must-reads:
- Martin Necas' big extension with Avalanche another blow to 2026 NHL free agency
- Three NHL coaches in danger of a midseason firing
- The 'World Series single-game K leaders' quiz
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Canucks’ Leading Goal Scorer a Target for Oilers Over Former Star?
Some fans believe that Evander Kane could wind up back in Edmonton. The forward did agree to a trade that sent him to the Vancouver Canucks this summer, but he loves Edmonton as a city and is a pending UFA next season. The Oilers moved Kane because of his contract, so if he were to agree to come back at a lesser price, it’s not completely wild to assume the Oilers might take a look. However, one source close to the team thinks Edmonton would prefer to take a run at Kiefer Sherwood than try to find a way to bring Kane back. During a conversation with former NHL GM and executive Brian Burke, Stauffer explained: “If Vancouver is out of it, or theoretically LA is out of it, would Edmonton look at potentially bringing back Evander Kane and Corey Perry. I said there’s a player I like more in Vancouver that’s a UFA that’s really inexpensive, and that’s Kiefer Sherwood. He’s a 1.5 million dollar cap hit, had about 400 hits and 19 goals last season. He’s got six goals this year. He can kill penalties, he’s fast, he’s aggressive, oh by the way, is 1.5 million.” Stauffer told Brian Burke, “So only under the premise of if the Canucks were theoretically to fall out of it, my guess is Brian, at that price point, with what he brings, the juice that he brings and the aggressiveness he plays for…Every good team in the league would want at him.” Burke did like Sherwood as a player, but cautioned Stauffer not to get too excited about the hit count. Hits are great, but what do they really mean if the player doesn’t scare anyone? Burke suggested the Oilers (and other teams) should remember that when pitching Sherwood in free agency. Sherwood Scores a Hat Trick on Thursday vs Blues “What a week for Kiefer Sherwood,” Canucks analyst Rick Dhaliwal said. “Four goals, one called back — if you’re going to pop off, might as well do it in a contract year.” This was before Sherwood scored his third goal on Thursday, giving him nine on the season. Sherwood has exploded out of the gate this season, tied for the lead in NHL in scoring while ranking second in hits (54). He’s become a driving force for the Canucks, accounting for an incredible 28 percent of their team’s goals (32 total). His hat trick performance against the St. Louis Blues showcased his full game — three goals, five shots, four hits, and 24:12 of ice time, the most among Vancouver forwards, along with a dominant 63.9 expected goals percentage. It’s not just the production that’s turning heads — it’s the way Sherwood plays. The 29-year-old winger has always stood out for his relentlessness and edge, bringing an all-energy, something a struggling Oilers could really use right now. Edmonton feels like a team that has lost its identity. Sherwood is a player who exudes it. When asked about potential trade targets for the Oilers later this season, Stauffer didn’t dismiss familiar names like Evander Kane (if Vancouver were to move on) or Corey Perry (if the Kings fall out of contention). But he hinted that Sherwood might be the player Edmonton has its eye on most. For a team still searching for more secondary scoring and physicality in its middle six, Sherwood’s blend of speed, grit, and goal-scoring touch could be a perfect match — if the Canucks ever consider moving him.
Charles Barkley knows the real problem with LeBron James
LeBron James may be out due to sciatica, but Charles Barkley is not buying it. He thinks he knows what is really going on with the Los Angeles Lakers star. Barkley was goofing around during “Inside the NBA” on ESPN Wednesday and talked about the Lakers, who had several players out for their game at the Minnesota Timberwolves. James was listed as out due to sciatica, which is a nerve issue. Barkley thinks the sciatica injury is a cover for something else. “First of all, LeBron doesn’t have a sciatica. They just put ‘old.’ O-L-D, with an extra ‘D,’ too,” Barkley joked. An update on James’ condition came out this week, saying that the Lakers forward could return in a few weeks. The Lakers have seemed to suggest that there is no urgency to rush James into action. However, Luka Doncic also getting hurt recently may have changed things for the team. For now, the Lakers are 3-2 and have been relying on Austin Reaves to do plenty of scoring. He is averaging 34.2 points per game this season. James is 40 years old and entering his 23rd NBA season. He’s allowed to have “old” or sciatica as an injury issue. As Barkley knows and often says, Father Time is undefeated.
Yankees Unlikely to Sign Red Sox Star
After finding who they hope is their starting third baseman for the next few seasons in Ryan McMahon, who is under contract through 2027, the New York Yankees aren't expected to pursue one of the top infielders available in free agency this offseason. McMahon Could Prevent Bregman Pursuit With the outfield, starting rotation and bullpen all profiling as more pressing needs for the Yankees at the moment, MLB.com's Bryan Hoch stated that the club is unlikely to make an attempt to sign Alex Bregman over the next few months with McMahon already on their roster. "It seems a safe bet that they'll go into the season with Ryan McMahon at third base," Hoch wrote. "McMahon’s defense was a vast improvement over what they had at the hot corner previously, and even though his bat didn’t play up to expectations (.641 OPS in 54 games), he delivered a few clutch moments. McMahon is earning $32 million through 2027, which likely precludes a serious run at a free agent like Alex Bregman." Bregman's History as a Yankees Rival There's been just about no point throughout his big-league career where Bregman wasn't essentially viewed as a villain in some capacity by Yankees fans. The three-time All-Star was a member of the Houston Astros from 2016 to 2024, and he faced New York in the postseason on three occasions during that stretch. All of those meetings came in the American League Championship Series (2017, 2019, 2022), and Houston emerged victorious each time. The Astros' sign-stealing scandal, which came to light after the 2019 campaign, furthered the vitriol New York's fan base had already held towards Bregman and Houston as well. The Yankees were rumored to have interest in Bregman as a free agent last offseason, however, but they never made an all-out attempt to sign him. He instead joined the Boston Red Sox, New York's bitter AL East rival, on a three-year, $120 million deal that he is opting out of in order to reach the open market once again this winter. Bregman ended up posting an .821 OPS with 18 home runs in 114 games for Boston during the regular season before getting eliminated in the Wild Card Series by the Yankees during the playoffs. Why Bregman Isn't a Fit for New York Unless the Yankees plan on trading McMahon or even Jazz Chisholm Jr., which could open up second base for Bregman if he were open to a position change, the latter wouldn't make sense as a target for the club. Sure, he's still a fantastic player who is one of the league's more consistent hitters (career .848 OPS) and a Gold Glove-level defender at third base, but New York 's financial resources should be used to upgrade other areas of its roster this offseason. It doesn't help that Bregman is entering his age-32 season either, which makes handing him a long-term deal all the more risky. Though he'd improve an already-potent Yankees lineup, adding Bregman simply isn't in the cards for the Yankees. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Dodgers Can Learn From Yankees Dynasty Can Yankees Still Rely On Their Superstar Slugger? Will Yankees Lose Cody Bellinger to NL Contender? Yankees Chasing All-Star Reliever? Yankees Named Top Trade Partner for Four Players
Three teams that should pursue a trade for Titans WR Calvin Ridley
As the Tennessee Titans are free falling towards another season as one of the NFL's worst teams, they will likely sell off some of their higher priced players before the NFL's Nov. 4 trade deadline. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley tops the list of available players on the trade block even as he deals with a hamstring injury. Ridley's big play ability makes him an attractive option for teams looking to add another wide receiver. Even though he's been experiencing an up and down season so far - Ridley has only 16 receptions for 290 yards, he surpassed 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons following sitting out 2022 due to being suspended for betting. So assuming Ridley is healthy enough to remain a trade target, here are the teams that should take a chance on the controversial wide out. Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers may have stabilized the Steelers' quarterback position, but that doesn't mean the offense is as consistent as it needs to be for Pittsburgh to truly contend in the AFC. Pittsburgh has only exceeded 30 points twice through seven games. Desperate to increase their offensive output, especially with the defense struggling, the Steelers could use more receiver depth behind DK Metcalf. Acquiring Ridley would provide Rodgers another weapon and make the decision to place double coverage on Metcalf more of a risk for opponents. If Ridley can get back to form, he would unlock an extra dimension for a Steelers team that still holds a comfortable lead in the AFC North. New England Patriots One of the surprising results of the season so far, the Patriots are 6-2 and in first place in the AFC East. But if New England truly hopes to make a playoff push, second-year quarterback Drake Maye may need more at his disposal. To this point, Maye has been forced to work without a true deep threat. And while he's been able to methodically move the ball, Ridley would make his life much easier and stretch the field even more. Seattle Seahawks Another first place team who could use another playmaker, the Seattle Seahawks' offense has started to show signs of weakness in recent weeks. Much like the Steelers, the Seahawks have a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October. He's been brilliant with three-straight 100 plus-yard games. However, Seattle has only scored 30 points once in its last four games. Pairing Smith-Njigba with Ridley would make the Seahawks more potent as they approach a stretch of the schedule with pivotal divisional matchups coming up.
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