Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Left Wing Jason Chimera to Four-Year Contract Extension through 2011-12 Season
Feb 6, 2008, 11:47 AM EST
COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed left wing Jason Chimera to a four-year contract extension through the 2011-12 season, club General Manager Scott Howson announced February 6. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Chimera, 28, is the Blue Jackets' fifth-leading scorer with 23 points on nine goals and 14 assists to go along with 49 penalty minutes in 55 games. He also currently owns the longest games played streak in franchise history as last night’s game vs. the Washington Capitals was his 217th consecutive game dating back to Oct. 9, 2005.
Chimera has registered 60-65-125 and 328 penalty minutes in 347 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Edmonton Oilers. In two full seasons with Columbus, he has averaged 16 goals and 33 points. He scored a career-high 17 goals in 2005-06 and tallied career highs in assists with 21 and points with 36 in 2006-07.
A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Chimera was the Oilers' fifth pick, 121st overall, in the 1997 Entry Draft. He spent five seasons in the Oilers organization from 1999-04. He was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in June 2004, but never played in a game with the club as he was acquired by the Blue Jackets along with center Mike Rupp and defenseman Cale Hulse on Oct. 8, 2005 in a trade that sent left wing Geoff Sanderson and right wing Tim Jackman to Phoenix.