Nikita Nikitin has inked a two-year, $4.3 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets according to the Columbus Dispatch.

He’ll earn $1.8 million next season and $2.5 million in 2013-14. Nikitin was acquired from St. Louis on November 11th and he was a pleasant surprise on his new team. He registered seven goals and 25 assists in 54 games with Columbus, while averaging 23:35 of ice time per contest. Nikitin is projected to be paired with Fedor Tyutin again next season in the Jackets’ top-four defense group.

Restricted free agent Tuukka Rask has signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Boston Bruins according to  TSN.ca.

It was projected that the deal would be longer, so it’s curious that he received a one-year pact. The Bruins may be hesitant to give Rask a long-term contract because of new CBA talks or they might want him to prove himself first without having Tim Thomas in the fold. He appeared in 23 games with the Bruins last season, while posting a 11-8-3 record, including three shutouts, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. With Thomas deciding to take the year off, Rask is the team’s number one goalie going into next season.

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