Columbus Blue Jackets buy out contract of Scott Hartnell

The Columbus Blue Jackets bought out the remaining two seasons of forward Scott Hartnell's six-year, $28.5 million contract, the team announced on Thursday.

The buyout will cost Columbus a cap hit of $1.5 million in the first year, $3 million in the second and $1.25 million in the final two years, according to CapFriendly.com.

"On behalf of our organization, I want to thank Scott for his contributions to the Blue Jackets over the past three seasons and wish him well in the future," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a press release. "Moves like this are never easy, but with our current organizational depth at the position, it is something we believe is in the best interest of our club moving forward."

Hartnell, who will become an unrestricted free agent, recorded 13 goals and 24 assists in 78 games last season. The 35-year-old Saskatchewan native saw his average ice time drop to 12:04 amid reported tension involving coach John Tortorella.

"I'm sure he gets frustrated with me sometimes, but this is the evolution of a team," Tortorella said in March, per the Columbus Dispatch. "I don't coach one guy. I have to coach them all. He's been outstanding as far as how he's handled it."

Hartnell spent three seasons with Columbus after being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in June 2014 for fellow forward R.J. Umberger and a fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft.

Hartnell collected 314 goals and 370 assists in 1,187 career games with the Nashville Predators, Flyers and Blue Jackets. He was selected by Nashville with the sixth overall pick in the 2000 draft.