Blue Jackets Sign Charlie Coyle Signals Aggressive “Win Now” Push in 2026-27 – Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets took care of an important piece of business this week. They were able to re-sign center Charlie Coyle to a six-year deal worth $36 million.

It was a move the Blue Jackets had to make. Coyle was one of their most important players given all the different ways he impacted the game. Not having him in 2026-27 would be a bitter pill to swallow.

Now that Coyle is back in the fold, the Blue Jackets can now plan for the remainder of their first season. While they still have a few things to work out contract-wise, there is one thing we can say with certainty about how the team is looking at the 2026-27 NHL season. Signing Coyle made the intention even clearer.

The Blue Jackets are in “win now” mode. Their offseason should reflect this system.

Rushing to Make the Playoffs

The Blue Jackets fell in the last two seasons even though they had the opportunity to qualify for the play-offs. It shows that they were ready to navigate this race. But they were not ready to finish the deal.

The 2025-26 season marked the first time in Coyle’s career that he missed the playoffs. Choosing to stay with the Blue Jackets means you believe in where the team is trying to go. At 34, Coyle wants to win. He could have chosen to explore free agency since he would have had similar offers. He would have Stanley Cup contenders lined up for his services.

This point is not discussed enough. The Blue Jackets have started to do a better job of keeping their players when their contracts are up. Although the city’s offer is well known, the club has not been able to win as the latest reason for players to sign or extend.

Although the Blue Jackets still have to do it first, they are able to make the players believe in the program presented to them. That’s one thing GM Don Waddell has been able to do now entering his third season with the team. He gave the whole team a chance to try and get to the finals.

But now that the Blue Jackets have failed for two years, there is a big need to make the playoffs. While that’s true every season without a rebuild, the clock is ticking to some extent. It appears to be part of Zach Werenski’s remaining contract.

Werenski will enter the 2026-27 season with two seasons left on his contract. He has not tasted the playoffs in the years under this contract. He won everything he could including a doubles gold medal for Team USA this past season.

If the Blue Jackets fail to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, serious questions will be raised. The big one will be Werenski and if he wants to extend. It goes without saying that he loves Columbus. But he wants to win. If he doesn’t think he can win with the Blue Jackets, he can easily look at other options knowing that a new contract is required starting in 2028-29.

That’s why Waddell and the Blue Jackets should be in “win now” mode now. The way the team may look in a few seasons will be determined by how this season and the next will go. Don’t expect the Blue Jackets to sit back if they can’t help you.

Areas Green Jackets Can Face

We know the Blue Jackets want to win now. The question is how they plan to do that. Without relying on their young stars to show significant improvement in 2026-27, there are options available to them to address several glaring needs.

First, the Blue Jackets need another scorer. When things got tough last season, the upset dried up. They need another reliable player to fill the net. If the Buffalo Sabers and Alex Tuch can’t reach a new deal, that’s the type of player the Blue Jackets should look to add in free agency.

Assuming Tuch is re-signed, the Blue Jackets will need to look at potential trade options to fill that void. After signing Coyle, Waddell said he expects more hockey trades to be made throughout the league. Teams looking to improve may be more open to trades than ever given how few other options there are. Whether that includes the 14th overall pick in the NHL Draft or a roster player, they must use all their options to get enough improvement to make the playoffs.

But secondly, the Blue Jackets still want to address their defense if possible. If they were there for Noah Dobson last season, the desire is still there to add if the right player is available. Especially if Erik Gudbranson doesn’t return, they could have a hole on the right side to fill.

Ultimately, Coyle’s return was a big step for the Green Jackets. It allowed them to ensure their center was deep going into 2026-27. Now they can focus on bringing in a handful of players they hope will make it through the top flight and into the play-offs.

The Green Jackets have a plan. Coyle saw enough to sign for six years. He believes he and his teammates can win in Columbus.

With Bowness signed for one season at this point, the message is clear to the Blue Jackets. They are in full “win now” mode and nothing less. Knowing what was coming soon, they had no choice.