The Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Jake Bean to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $2.3 million.
The Blue Jackets acquired Bean from the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday in exchange for a 2021 second-round pick.
The 23-year-old recorded one goal and 11 assists in 42 games during his rookie campaign in 2020-21 and averaged 14:32 of ice time per contest. He tore up the AHL the year prior, racking up 48 points in 59 games.
Bean will be asked to help fill the void left by Seth Jones and David Savard on Columbus' back end. Here's the team's projected depth chart:
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Zach Werenski | Adam Boqvist |
| Vladislav Gavrikov | Dean Kukan (L) |
| Jake Bean | Scott Harrington (L) |
| Gabriel Carlsson | Andrew Peeke |
There's plenty of youth on the Blue Jackets blue line, but it lacks right-handed shots with Jones and Savard departing.
The Hurricanes selected Bean 13th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.
