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The Blue Jackets open training camp today, and arguably their best player won't be there.

GM Jarmo Kekalainen and co. have said all along if a contract isn't reached by the beginning of camp, they don't want Ryan Johansen to show up. No contract, no Johansen.

With no extension in place, and a deal seemingly not close, Johansen has reportedly packed his bags and flew home to Vancouver to wait for an agreement to be reached.

Blue Jackets management have been noticeably frustrated with the lack of progress towards an agreement, and took to the media to voice their concerns once again.

John Davidson via BlueJacketsExtra: “We offered him $3 million a year for two years and they want to double that,” Davidson said, referring to the team’s preferred, short-term “bridge contract” that would keep Johansen a restricted free agent upon its expiration.

“We then went to longer-term contracts. We offered him $32 million over a six-year term. They don’t want it, and they came back with numbers much, much higher than that.

“We offered him an eight-year deal at $46 million, and they don’t like that, either. When you start talking about contracts that… are close to $50 million, I think our group has been very fair, in fact more than fair. But it’s nowhere near what they want. When it gets to that point, you start going ‘enough is enough here.’”

A few thoughts on this whole situation:

- First and foremost, whether you agree with Columbus or Johansen's camp, this was a PR move. Releasing the terms, especially if they seem reasonable, gets everyone to side with the Blue Jackets, and that seems to be the case here. Davidson and co. are obviously frustrated with the whole situation, and sharing their feelings isn't a problem, but they know what they're doing when they release terms. They're hoping this puts pressure on Johansen's camp.

- Columbus' offer of $5.33M for six-years would likely - hopefully - be somewhat of an underpayment for Johansen, but that's really not that bad of an offer. That's $32M over six-years, and when the contract expires he'd be 27 and eligible for unrestricted free agency. If he turns into the player everyone thinks he'll become, he'd be offered a boatload of cash; especially when you consider the salary cap is expected to increase significantly by then.

- I'd go above the $3-3.5M per the Jackets are offering over two years, but I can understand why they're so displeased with Johansen's ask. $6.5M is a lot of money to ask for, especially as a restricted free agent coming out of his first contract. He's a damn good player, but he's had one good season and wants more money than Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, John Tavares and Taylor Hall, among others, are currently making. Yeah...no.

- If Johansen's ask is $6.5M now and the Jackets cave, imagine the amount of money he'll ask for when he's an unrestricted free agent, or at least has arbitration rights and some sort of leverage. Something to consider.

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