The Columbus Blue Jackets have finalized a contract extension with 30-year-old Oxford, Michigan native Nathan Gerbe. The contract is a two-year, two-way deal. Drafted 142nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2005 NHL Draft, Gerbe is a veteran forward capable of playing centre or wing. He has only played in two games this season.
Nathan Gerbe Signs Extension with Columbus
In February, Gerbe joined the Blue Jackets to take on the Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers. He played an average of 8:36 minutes between the two contests and as a result only walked away with a -1 and one shot on net. With such limited ice time in only a couple of games, it would be unfair to judge Gerbe on his NHL contributions this season. Gerbe has spent most of the 2017-18 campaign between Geneve Servette of the Swiss-A league, and most recently the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL.
Gerbe The Goon
Based on Nathan Gerbe’s Swiss-A stats he’s a different type of player when he’s across the pond. Gerbe earned 85 penalty minutes in 19 games played this season in the Swiss-A league, which is an average of 4:28 penalty minutes per game. In those 19 games, Gerbe also walked away with seven points and a -11. During his 18 games in the AHL this season Gerbe has earned 13 points and a -9, on top of only 10 penalty minutes.
Perhaps the Blue Jackets appreciated his change of pace, as well as the fact that at 30 years old he’s no stranger to the NHL. Gerbe has played 396 NHL games total, between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes before the Blue Jackets.
The Price Tag
Gerbe’s new contract will earn him $650,000 in the NHL or $250,000 in the AHL with a guarantee of $400,000 altogether during the 2018-19 season. Followed by the same AHL pay and guarantee the next year, but with an added $50,000 to his NHL price tag. This would bring Gerbe up to a cost of $700,000 if he’s to join the Blue Jackets in the 2019-20 season.
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