COLUMBUS, Ohio — Don Waddell made a bold decision last winter when he opted to let all four of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prominent unrestricted free agents play through the early March trade deadline to avoid any disruptions in the dressing room.

But those negotiations can’t be punted down the road much further.

The general manager’s ability to re-sign center Charlie Coyle and Mason Marchment, and the decisions he makes regarding Boone Jenner and Erik Gudbranson, will likely be the story of the Blue Jackets’ summer.

“We have a lot of contracts to get done, probably the most I’ve ever had in my career at one time,” Waddell said. “It’s going to be a busy summer, but I’m looking forward to it.”

It’ll be a challenge for Waddell and for Laurence Gilman, the Blue Jackets’ vice president of hockey operations, who was hired in the middle of the season after assistant GM Josh Flynn left to join former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen in Buffalo. Gilman, like Flynn before him, will play a significant role in the negotiations.

Coyle, Marchment, Jenner and Gudbranson are all free to sign elsewhere on July 1 if they don’t remain in Columbus. There are others, too, most notably veteran winger Danton Heinen, who carved out a spot in the lineup once Rick Bowness took over in mid-January.

The rest of the UFAs are defenseman Brendan Smith; minor-league forwards Brendan Gaunce, Hudson Fasching, Zach Aston-Reese and Owen Sillinger; and minor-league defenseman Dyson Mayo.

There are prominent restricted free agents, too — Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger and Jet Greaves, to name a few — but those are a conversation for another day.

Here’s an outlook on each of the four big UFAs, ranked in order of their importance to the Blue Jackets, with a look at the contract considerations and challenges, and what each player has said about the possibility of returning:

1. Charlie Coyle, C

Age: 34 | Current salary cap hit: $5.25 million

2025-26: 20 goals, 38 assists, 58 points in 82 games

In Coyle’s words: “Could I see myself here? 100 percent. There are going to be some decisions, and we’ll see how things shake out. There are a lot of unknowns with what’s going on right now. I have to see what’s going there, talk with my family, my people on my time and figure out what’s next. But I really, really enjoyed my time here. I could see myself being here, for sure.”

Breakdown: Try not to be alarmed by Coyle’s use of the past tense in some of his comments. This is an immensely important contract for the Blue Jackets, such that Coyle could be seen as having a blank check to set his terms. The biggest question will be the length of the contract for a 34-year-old with 1,032 NHL games under his belt.

Coyle is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, and he’d definitely be one of the top free agents available should he hit the market. That, plus his strong desire to win a Stanley Cup before he retires, are two big reasons it would make sense for him to test the market on July 1.

With that in mind, expect the Blue Jackets to try and sign him as quickly as possible. The further away from the season he gets, the easier it is to start looking forward. And the longer he goes into summer unsigned, the more nervous Blue Jackets fans should be.

Coyle played mostly a third-line role in Columbus, but he was so much more than that. On a club with 21-year-old center Adam Fantilli growing into a No. 1 role, and veteran No. 2 center Sean Monahan struggling to stay healthy and produce, Coyle’s presence is of utmost importance. As the Blue Jackets know all too well, talented two-way centers are not just readily available in the NHL. If Coyle leaves, it will be a profound setback to the Blue Jackets’ ability to compete in 2026-27.

The Blue Jackets’ decision to bring coach Rick Bowness back for next season could be very important in Coyle’s decision. That’s a good first step.

2. Mason Marchment, LW/RW

Age: 30 | Current salary cap hit: $4.5 million

2025-26: 19 goals, 26 assists, 45 points in 68 games (Seattle and Columbus)

In Marchment’s words: “I really enjoyed my time here. The guys were great, the staff was great. There’s been a lot of guys here for quite a long time, and they’ve got a pretty good family group here. They all care about each other. Those are all huge pieces. The other (part of this) is, we have a good team here. It’s a good team, a playoff team. It sucks we’re not in it, but I think it’s a playoff team.”

Breakdown: Marchment cooled down the stretch of the season (didn’t everybody?) but he brought a burst of offense with him after the mid-December trade from Seattle, totaling 15-17-32 in only 39 games.

Upon his arrival in Columbus, he joined Fantilli and right winger Kirill Marchenko on the Blue Jackets’ top line. That trio thrived until mid-March, when the real jockeying for playoff position began across the NHL.

With wingers Kent Johnson and Michael Garland expected to hold top-six or top-nine jobs next season, having Marchment’s size (6-foot-5, 212 pounds) and sandpaper in the lineup becomes that much more important.

Marchment turns 31 in June, meaning this should be seen as his last, best chance to land an optimized, long-term contract that will carry him through his prime.

3. Boone Jenner, C/W

Age: 32 | Current salary cap hit: $3.75 million

2025-26: 13-25-38 in 67 games

In Jenner’s words: “It’s between my agent and Don. I’ll let them sort that out. But what I can comment on is … playing in front of these fans, and how much that means to me, just playing for this organization. I’ve never taken it for granted. It’s always been an honor to put on the Blue Jackets sweater and be a Blue Jacket. We’ll see where the rest goes.”

Breakdown: Jenner has been the Blue Jackets’ captain for the past five seasons, and he’s been a big part of the fabric of this organization since 2013.

Nobody’s played more games in Columbus (808), nobody’s worn a letter longer (11 seasons), and few players get their own serenade in Nationwide Arena (Boooooooone!) when they play their way onto the scoresheet.

There’s an emotional attachment to Jenner for many, which could make this a delicate play. But it’s not an easy call.

The injuries have started to pile up for Jenner, who hasn’t played more than 70 games in any of the last seven seasons. His ice time has dropped by about two minutes per game in each of the last two seasons, settling at 16:04 this season, the lowest since his rookie season (2013-14).

Once Bowness arrived, Jenner began to see fourth-line duty, although he had played his way back into the top six by the end of the season following injuries to Dmitri Voronkov and Mathieu Olivier.

If Jenner makes it to July 1, there will be no shortage of suitors, just as there have no been no shortage of trade offers for him at the NHL trade deadline going back several years. He’s regarded as one of the NHL’s hardest and most relentless workers. GMs around the league want him in their mix.

Something else to consider: If the Blue Jackets reach a conclusion that Coyle is going to leave, perhaps their desire to hang on to Jenner is increased. The art of roster building has many moving parts.

Erik Gudbranson, D

Age: 34 | Current salary: $4 million

2025-26: One goal, two assists, three points in 37 games

In Gudbranson’s words: “This is the place I’ve called home for four years. My daughter was born here. We have family ties here. It’s a very special place now for me and my family. You put the hockey part into it … we have unfinished business that I’d like to be a part of. This (season) stings, really badly. You want to come back and fix it, sure.”

Breakdown: This is a tricky one, because the Blue Jackets want to make changes on their back end. But Gudbranson fills two needs that help their defensive pairings make sense: he’s physical and he’s right-handed.

Bowness likes having muscle in his lineup, and the Blue Jackets are very much a club — other than Gudbranson and Olivier — that would rather avoid the rough stuff than instigate it. Gudbranson is good muscle on the penalty kill, too.

The veteran coach also likes lefty-righty pairs, and Gudbranson is one of only two regulars (Damon Severson is the other) who fire it on the starboard side. He’s probably a third-pair defender or a No. 7 on a good club.

Unlike with Coyle, the Blue Jackets are probably in an advantageous position with Gudbranson, who has played only 53 games combined over the last two seasons due to injuries.

The term is likely to be limited, and Gudbranson may have to accept a pay cut — or the same salary — as his previous contact. Part of the investment here is for Gudbranson’s presence and leadership in the dressing room.