Jackets get Devils’ Severson via sign-and-trade
The Columbus Blue Jackets are continuing to aggressively remodel their defense, acquiring Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils in a sign-and-trade that gives the defenseman a new eight-year, $50 million contract, the teams announced Friday.
Severson, 28, signed the contract worth $6.25 million annually with the Devils, who then traded him to the Blue Jackets for a third-round pick (No. 80) in this month’s draft. New Jersey was the only team that could offer Severson, who was a pending free agent, an eight-year contract.
He was expected to be one of the more sought-after free agent defensemen this summer. But much like when the Los Angeles Kings inked Vladislav Gavrikov to a two-year deal earlier in the week, another big name is now off the market.
Severson was drafted 60th overall in 2012 and was the longest-serving Devils player, having played all nine years of his NHL career with New Jersey. He has 263 points in 647 games. Last season, he played 81 games and tallied 33 points in 19:57 per game — the first time his average ice time dipped under 20 minutes in the past five seasons.
“Damon is a versatile defenseman who has great vision, moves the puck extremely well, has good size and can play heavy minutes at both ends of the ice,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. “We are excited to have him join the Blue Jackets as he will be a very important part of our blueline for many years to come.”
Now under contract through the 2030-31 season, Severson joins a revamped Blue Jackets defensive corps. Columbus acquired Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov on Tuesday in a three-team trade, and he and Severson join star blueliner Zach Werenski, who was limited by injury to 13 games last season, and promising rookie David Jiricek, who was drafted sixth overall in 2022.
The team is expected to name Mike Babcock as its next head coach by next month after firing Brad Larsen in April following a 62-85-16 record over two seasons.
The pick the Devils acquired is well-traveled: It was originally owned by Calgary, which traded it to Seattle in March 2022; the Kraken then traded it to the Blue Jackets in a deal that sent forward Oliver Bjorkstrand to Seattle in July.
-
Jake Trotter
A UAB football player stabbed two of his teammates Saturday morning at the football facility ahead of the Blazers’ home game against USF, a university spokesperson told ESPN.
The suspect has been arrested, and both injured players are in stable condition after being taken to UAB hospital. The school has not released the names of any of the players involved.
UAB’s game against USF began as scheduled at 3 p.m. ET.
A UAB official said an investigation is ongoing.
“UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all of our students,” the school said in a statement.
Ohio State wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith are not expected to play against Rutgers on Saturday due to lower-body injuries, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Tate will miss his third straight game. Smith played in last week’s win over UCLA but missed the second half after being seen limping before halftime. Both are considered day-to-day, sources said, ahead of a potential return next week against rival Michigan.
On Tuesday, coach Ryan Day would not rule out either wide receiver but also did not want to go into specifics on their availability.
“Our policy is we don’t discuss specifics on injuries, and once you start going down a little bit here, a little bit there, you can create a problem,” Day said. “So for a number of reasons, we don’t discuss those things.”
Smith leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the nation with 10 touchdown catches while ranking third in the conference in receiving yards per game (90.2) and second in catches per game (6.9). Tate is fifth in the Big Ten with 88.9 receiving yards per game.
Brandon Inniss started in place of Tate against UCLA and led No. 1 Ohio State with six catches for 30 yards during a 48-10 win.
The 5-5 Scarlet Knights are looking to beat Ohio State for the first time in their 11th try since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024