The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed restricted free agent Ryan MacInnis to a one-year, two-way contract for 2020-21. MacInnis had actually been eligible for salary arbitration but decided not to file. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the deal is worth $700K at the NHL level and $105K at the AHL level, suggesting that MacInnis expects to spend most of the year in the minor leagues. The young forward’s qualifying offer would have had a higher NHL salary but would have paid him just $70K in the AHL.
Spending most of the season at the AHL level is likely for a player that has just ten NHL games under his belt. MacInnis, a second-round pick from 2014 has spent almost his entire career in the minors to this point. In 2019-20 he recorded 30 points in 45 games for the Cleveland Monsters, his best offensive season so far.
With additions like Mikko Koivu, Max Domi, and Mikhail Grigorenko lengthening out the NHL roster, players like MacInnis will find it extremely difficult to secure any playing time in Columbus this season. With this deal, he has guaranteed he’ll get a nice little payday for the Monsters, while also setting himself up to be a Group VI unrestricted free agent next offseason.