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PRAISE THE HOCKEY GODS!!

By Bethany | April 29, 2008

THE BLUE JACKETS HAVE FINALLY RE-SIGNED JAN HEJDA!!!

Was I the only one who was a nervous wreck waiting for this?! Good grief!!

The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed defenseman Jan Hejda to a three-year contract, club General Manager Scott Howson announced April 29. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.Hejda, 29, registered 13 assists with 61 penalty minutes and a +20 plus/minus rating in 81 games with the Blue Jackets in 2007-08. He set career highs in assists, points, plus/minus rating, penalty minutes, shots (71) and games played in his first season with the club. His +20 plus/minus rating shattered the club record of +13 set by Ron Hainsey in 2005-06, was tied for 10th among NHL defensemen and ranked 24th among all NHL players.

“Jan had a good year playing against the top players in the League,” Howson said. “We expect him to make a significant contribution to the Blue Jackets over the next three years.”

A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Hejda made his North American debut in 2006-07 with the Edmonton Oilers. He tallied 1-8-9 and 20 penalty minutes in 39 games with Edmonton that year before signing with the Blue Jackets as a free agent on July 5, 2007.

Buffalo’s fourth pick, 106th overall, in the 2003 Entry Draft, Hejda spent three years playing in the Russian Elite League with CSKA Moscow and Mytischy from 2003-06 and registered 6-28-34 and 141 penalty minutes in 170 games. He played the previous six seasons in the Czech Elite League, where he had 21-36-57 and 285 penalty minutes in 243 games.

The deal is a three year deal worth $6 million!!

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