Jackets sign three to two-year contract extensions

COLUMBUS, OHIO -The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed center Lukas Sedlak, defenseman Scott Harrington and left wing Markus Hannikainen to two-year contract extensions through the 2018-19 National Hockey League season, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Sedlak, 23, has notched seven goals and six assists for 13 points with 23 penalty minutes and a +10 plus/minus rating in 56 games with the Blue Jackets this season. He leads club rookies in penalty minutes and ranks second in goals, assists, points and plus/minus. He made his NHL debut on October 21 vs. Chicago, picked up his first NHL point (assist) on October 27 at San Jose and notched his first NHL goal and multi-point game (1-1-2) on December 9 at Detroit.
The Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic native tallied 14-4-18 in 54 regular season games with the American Hockey League's Lake Erie Monsters in 2015-16 before adding 9-7-16 in 17 postseason games to help the club capture the Calder Cup. Columbus' sixth round pick, 158th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft, he has recorded 28-20-48 with 83 penalty minutes in 159 career AHL games with the Monsters and Springfield Falcons.

Harrington, 24, has recorded a goal and two assists for three points with six penalty minutes and a +3 plus/minus rating in 16 games with the Blue Jackets this season. He made his Jackets debut on November 15 vs. Washington and tallied his first NHL goal and multi-point game (1-1-2) on January 22 at Ottawa. He also skated in two games with the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters.

The Kingston, Ontario native has posted 1-3-4 with 14 penalty minutes in 41 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has added 8-31-39, 89 penalty minutes and is +33 in 143 career AHL games with the Monsters, Toronto Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins since making his professional debut in 2013. Originally the Penguins' second round pick, 54th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft, Harrington was acquired by the Blue Jackets in a trade from the Maple Leafs on June 25, 2016.
Hannikainen, 23, has posted a goal and an assist for two points with six penalty minutes and an "even" plus/minus rating in 10 games with the Blue Jackets this season, including notching his first NHL goal on January 21 vs. Carolina and his first NHL assist on February 25 vs. the NY Islanders. He has also recorded 13-11-24 with 18 penalty minutes and is +2 in 43 games with the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters. He ranks third on the club in goals and fourth in points per game (.56).

The Helsinki, Finland native has registered 1-1-2 with six penalty minutes in 14 career NHL games since making his debut in 2015-16. Originally signed to a two-year, entry level contract with Columbus on April 20, 2015, Hannikainen has also tallied 20-24-44 with 38 penalty minutes and a +8 plus/minus rating in 93 career AHL games with the Monsters and notched 3-7-10 in 16 playoff games to help the club capture the 2016 Calder Cup.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Wednesday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on the Eldorado Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, 97.1 The Fan FM, and online at BlueJackets.com.