Grigorenko's one-year contract with Blue Jackets approved by NHL

Mikhail Grigorenko's contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets was approved by the NHL on Tuesday.

The forward agreed to terms on a one-year contract for the 2020-21 NHL season that initially was submitted April 20 after he played three seasons with CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League. However, because he was previously drafted and played in the NHL, the League ruled April 21 that he was ineligible to sign an NHL contract until the free agent period began Monday.

Grigorenko said that despite the delay, his plans to sign with Columbus wouldn't change.

"I've made my decision," Grigorenko told The Athletic on April 21. "… I don't think anything changes. There's no way I'm going to talk to any other teams."

Grigorenko, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the No. 12 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, scored 64 points (22 goals, 42 assists) in 217 games with the Sabres and Colorado Avalanche from 2013-17.

After scoring an NHL career-high 10 goals for the Avalanche in 2016-17, he signed three-year contract to play in his native Russia. He scored 116 points (46 goals, 70 assists) in 147 games for CSKA and helped it win the 2019 Gagarin Cup after leading the KHL in playoff goals (13) and points (21) in 20 games.

Grigorenko also helped the Olympic Athletes of Russia win the gold medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics with four points (one goal, three assists) in six games.

"I like the fact that [Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen] watched me play for the past two years and watched me play live in Russia," Grigorenko told the Blue Jackets website April 21. "He made some trips to watch me play. He really knows what kind of player I am, and I think it's important for me to get in a situation where people know what type of player. I think that's good.

"They offered me a contract and they offered me an opportunity. If I come to training camp and perform well, I'll get a chance to play and have an opportunity, so that's everything I can ask for in this situation. I thought Columbus would be a good fit."