As NHL free agency began Tuesday, the Blue Jackets secured another long-term deal with one of their defensemen, signing Ivan Provorov to a seven-year contract extension worth $59.5 million. “Ivan Provorov is the consummate pro and has been an important player during his two seasons in Columbus,

On paper, it feels almost impossible to spin this immediate albatross in any positive light. The problem is the cost, at $8.5 million AAV.

Ivan Provorov is a good defenseman, there’s no questioning that. However, it’s easy to question whether he’s worth the $8.5 million cap hit for the next seven years that the Columbus Blue Jackets agreed to on Monday (June 30).