As word of players like Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky leaving Columbus is at an all-time high, the head coach, John Tortorella has signed a two-year extension to stay with the team.

The Blue Jackets are in the middle of one of the more trying offseasons with their two biggest-name players likely looking to leave. So, with the news that their head coach has agreed to stay for two more seasons, there is at least some good news in Columbus where the team wants to remain a competitor for the NHL playoffs. The Blue Jackets recently locked up their front office to multi-year contracts, including their GM Jarmo Kekalainen and now have done the same with their head coach.

Tortorella is known as being firey but effective and he was directly responsible for a strong run in the Eastern Conference when he joined the organization. Keeping him was imperative to some sort of stability with the club and makes for one less issue the team needs to worry about as they try to convince Panarin and others to stay beyond this next season.

Kekalainen said of the extension, "Our team has been one of the winningest in the NHL over the past two seasons and John Tortorella has played a critical role in that success." He added that Tortorella has raised the level of the team's play since his arrival and his passion and commitment to being better has been infectious throughout the team. Kekalainen believes the team is in the best shape by keeping Tortorella in the mix.

Tortorella is a veteran NHL coach with a reputation for wearing out his welcome in every NHL city he's ever been employed. Clearly, he's got some more time before there is any fear of him doing so in Columbus. Perhaps he's learned to find a mix between player friendly and passionate.

NEXT: POTENTIAL REASONS WHY STEVE YZERMAN RESIGNED AS GM OF THE LIGHTNING