(The Phanatic Magazine) - The Columbus Blue Jackets inked recently- acquired forward R.J. Umberger to a four-year contract Monday.
"Acquiring R.J. last month was an important first step in our efforts to improve the hockey club this summer and we are pleased that he will be a part of our organization," said Columbus general manager Scott Howson. "He is a competitive, hard-working player who will add versatility to our top six forwards."
The Blue Jackets acquired Umberger on June 20 from the Flyers in exchange for a pair of picks in the 2008 draft.
Umberger only hit the net 13 times and accrued 50 points in 74 regular-season contests for the Flyers in 2007-08, but had a stellar postseason, racking up 10 goals and 15 points in 17 games as the club reached the Eastern Conference finals. He led the team with eight scores in the conference semifinals, a surprise five-game victory over the top-seeded Montreal Canadiens.
The Pittsburgh-area native has collected 49 goals and 116 points in 228 career games over the last three seasons in Philadelphia. Umberger was also an integral part of the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms' 2005 Calder Cup victory prior to his NHL debut the following October.
An Ohio State product, the 26-year-old was Vancouver's 16th overall choice in the 2001 draft. He joins a Columbus squad which won 34 games a year ago, but finished in fourth place in the Central Division and has still has not made the postseason since its 2000 inception.
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