Columbus Blue Jackets sign NHL penalty minutes leader Derek Dorsett to a 3-year contract

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed right wing Derek Dorsett to a three-year contract after his finest NHL season.

Dorsett had 12 goals and eight assists and 235 penalty minutes—leading the league in that category—in 77 games with the Blue Jackets in 2011-12. He set career highs in goals, points, penalty minutes, games played, shots (137) and time on ice average (14:41), while leading the club in hits (199) and ranking fourth in takeaways (36).

The 25-year-old native of Kindersley, Sask., was Columbus' ninth pick, 189th overall, in the 2006 draft. He has 24 goals and 32 assists along with 674 penalty minutes in 256 career NHL games.