By Joe Coopersmith
Now signed through the 2030-31 season, Olivier has set career highs with 12-9-21, 113 PIM and 232 hits in 61 contests in 2024-25
3 5 2025
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Mathieu Olivier to a six-year, $18 million contract extension ($3 million AAV) through the 2030-31 National Hockey League season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
Olivier, 28, has recorded 25 goals and 30 assists for 55 points with 352 penalty minutes, 675 hits, 184 blocked shots and 246 shots on goal, while averaging 11:59 of ice time in 229 career games with the Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators since making his NHL debut in 2019-20. He has posted 22-26-48 with 264 PIM, 573 hits and 210 shots on goal in 181 career appearances with Columbus since being acquired in a trade from Nashville on June 30, 2022.
“Mathieu Olivier has emerged as a key contributor on and off the ice thanks to his work ethic, dedication, leadership and other intangibles that are critical to a team’s success,” said Waddell. “Ensuring that Mathieu remains a Blue Jacket was a priority for us and we are ecstatic that he and his family will be part of our Blue Jackets family for many years.”
The 6-1, 226-pound forward has notched 12-9-21 with 113 PIM, 232 hits, 66 blocked shots and 80 shots on goal, while averaging 14:26 of ice time and skating in all 61 games with the Blue Jackets this season. He ranks second in the NHL in penalty minutes as well as hits and is one of two players (Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk) with 10-plus goals and 70 or more penalty minutes. He has also set single-season career highs in goals, points, penalty minutes, hits, blocked shots and shots on goal in 2024-25.
Originally signed by Nashville to a two-year entry-level contract on May 1, 2019, he skated in eight games with the club in 2019-20. He finished fifth in the league in penalty minutes in 2020-21 after posting 3-2-5 and 70 PIM in 30 appearances with the Predators. He set a career high in assists and games played in his first campaign with Columbus in 2022-23, finishing with 5-10-15 and 81 PIM in 66 outings.
Olivier was born in Biloxi, Mississippi and grew up in Levis, Quebec. He has added 19-23-42 and 262 PIM in 156 career American Hockey League contests with the Milwaukee Admirals from 2018-22. He totaled 59-71-130, 390 PIM and a cumulative +27 plus/minus rating in 300 career games with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Shawinigan Cataractes and Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2013-18.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Thursday at the Florida Panthers. Game time from Amerant Bank Arena is 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network and the FanDuel Sports Network app. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with the “Blue Jackets Live” pre-game show. The contest will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
COURTESY BLUE JACKETS COMMUNICATIONS
