NHL, NHLPA grant Columbus Blue Jackets exemption to start season beneath salary 'floor'

The NHL and NHL Players Association are granting the Blue Jackets an allowance to start the season beneath the league’s payroll “floor” of $65 million.

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According to PuckPedia, the Blue Jackets are under the salary-cap minimum at $64.43 million on a 22-man roster that includes injured forward Justin Danforth’s $1.1 million . The Jackets' salary total also includes a $2 million signing bonus paid in July to Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed Aug. 29 in New Jersey along with his brother, Matthew, while biking together.

The Blue Jackets could become compliant with the cap “floor” by signing a free agent, calling up a player for a full 23-man roster or acquiring a player via trade. They can also remain under $65 million for an unspecified period.

“We have consulted with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the National Hockey League Players’ Association regarding the recent tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau and, specifically in that connection, the team’s plans from a competitive and roster-building standpoint,” the NHL said in a statement. “After considering the totality of the circumstances, including in particular the timing of this tragedy, we have agreed with the NHLPA as follows: (1) the signing bonus payment of $2 million ‘USD’ made to Mr. Gaudreau this past July on account of the 2024/25 NHL season will be included in the Blue Jackets’ Averaged Club Salary for the 2024/25 League Year; and (2) if needed, and only to the extent necessary, Columbus will also be provided with a reasonable amount of additional time following the opening of the regular season (as determined by the NHL and NHLPA) to come into full compliance with its CBA obligation to establish a roster and payroll exceeding the lower limit of the team payroll range for the 2024/25 league year.”

Don Waddell, the Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations/general manager , was informed of the ruling Monday in New York, where he attended the NHL's board of governors meeting. He and the Jackets' front office are still evaluating potential trades, players available on waivers plus other free agents on a daily basis. The goal is finding a "good fit" who can also make the Blue Jackets compliant.

Getting a 'floor' exemption from the NHL and NHLPA mainly just eases pressure on the Jackets to make a roster addition rooted solely in a salary to get back into the green.

“These are unique circumstances," Waddell said. "We’d traded (Patrik) Laine the week before (the Gaudreau tragedy). If we’d traded him afterward, the league would have a different position on it. But we’ve tried to do everything we were supposed to do, so we just thought this was fair. We’re still talking to a lot of teams about potentially adding a forward, but now we have the flexibility of starting the year off, and if we’re not right there (at $65 million), then we’ll have some time to get there. But I’ve got a feeling we’ll get there by the time rosters come out on (Oct. 7).”

bhedger@dispatch.com

@BrianHedger

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: NHL, NHLPA grant Columbus Blue Jackets exemption to start season beneath salary 'floor'