Blue Jackets Extend Steve Mason's Contract For Two Years At $5.8 Million

Steve Mason may be coming off a poor sophomore season, but the 22-year old is still being counted on to sport the crease for the Columbus Blue Jackets. On Monday, Mason and the Blue Jackets agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $5.8 million. Mason will earn $2.6 million in 2011-12 and be compensated the remaining $3.2 million in 2012-13. His annual cap hit to Columbus' payroll will be $2.9 million.

"Steve Mason is a young goaltender with great size and athleticism and we are very pleased that we were able to agree on this contract extension," General Manager Scott Howson said in a statement on the Blue Jackets' website. "He is an important member of our team and we're excited that he will continue to be a significant contributor to our hockey club in the future."


Mason is entering the final year of his entry-level contract in which he will be paid $765,000 in base compensation with the possibility of another $50,000 coming his way in performance bonuses. His cap hit to the team next season will be $905,000.

This was a bit of a gamle for Howson, who witnessed Mason put forth a horrendous showing last year. Mason only won 20 of 58 games played while sporting a 3.06 goals against average and .901 save percentage. That was a far cry from a tremendous rookie campaign a year earlier that earned Mason the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year. In 2008-09, Mason went 33-20-7 in 61 games played with a 2.29 goals against average, .916 save percentage and a league-leading 10 shutouts.

If Mason fails to play like he did as a rookie and the sophomore slump we saw last season was simply a sign of things to come, then this extension will be difficult digest down the line. However, there is a lot of hope that Mason will bounce back to that form and perhaps that's something Howson fully expects to see. His confidence could get him in trouble. But by inking Mason to an extension now, he avoids possibily having to pay Mason more money next summer as a restricted free agent.