Jet Greaves Agrees to Avoid Arbitration with Columbus Blue Jackets
A last-minute agreement between the Columbus Blue Jackets and goalie Jet Greaves averted an arbitration hearing that was set to begin on July 23.
The 25-year-old netminder showed up in Toronto, ready to face off against the Blue Jackets' representatives, including president/general manager Don Waddell, hockey operations vice president Laurence Gilman, and hockey operations senior manager Zach Abdou. Greaves' agent, Pat Brisson, and others from Brisson's firm were also present.
Despite the initial preparations for a hearing, the two sides were able to bridge the gap and come to an agreement on a three-year deal worth $15 million. The new contract creates cost certainty in net for the Blue Jackets for the next three years.
Greaves earned $825,000 last season, and the Blue Jackets were asking for $2.8 million, while he was seeking $7.5 million. An arbiter could have set his salary at any number that equaled or surpassed 85% of his last season's earnings. However, face-to-face meetings and a looming deadline helped to bring the parties together.
Greaves expressed his gratitude for the organization's respect and support during the negotiations. "I was super happy to be able to get it done and do a longer deal I was excited about as well," he said. "At the end of the day, negotiations go how they go … but for me, something that never changed throughout the process with myself, with [Brisson], with the agents in our group, is we have a ton of respect for Don and for Lawrence. They did a great job, and they were … everything was respectful. Everything was amicable throughout the negotiations."
The Blue Jackets have been working on re-signing top center Adam Fantilli, and Greaves will continue his offseason training in Waterloo, Ontario. Once the team has sorted out their roster, their collective goal will be to get over the final hump that's kept them out of the playoffs the past two years.
Greaves is now focused on building with the Blue Jackets and being part of the team's efforts to achieve their goals. "That's where my focus is now," he said. "I'm just super excited to be with this group, talking with the guys. I think we're all on the same page with what we're hoping to accomplish this year, and we're excited about that opportunity."
Source: Yahoo Sports