Blue Jackets, Hainsey won’t talk contract until season’s end

Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets and pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Ron Hainsey have agreed to put contract talks on hold until the end of the season.

The news, however, doesn’t signal the two sides are parting ways. At least not as far as Hainsey is concerned.

“I definitely like it here,” he said. “I like playing for the coaching staff.”

“This team is getting closer as we grow together, and that’s especially happened in the last seven to 10 days. It was getting that way before, but we have a lot of young guys who have come together in the last week, and there’s a lot of positive stuff that I’d like to be a part of.”

Expectations are that Hainsey will receive a healthy raise from the $900,000 he earned this season whether he hits the open market or re-signs in Columbus.

The Blue Jackets, who will have plenty of salary cap space to throw around, may decide to go in a different direction.

Possible targets could include Brian Campbell of the San Jose Sharks and Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators should they become are available.

The Blue Jackets will no doubt have to make a few hard decisions, including what to do with the club’s other soon-to-be UFA blueliners in Jan Hejda and Dick Tarnstrom.

Do they go big and give their defense group a whole new look? Do they bring back their UFA trio? Time will tell.