Duvie Westcott Signs with Dinamo Riga

Former Blue Jackets defenseman Duvie Westcott, bought out this summer by Columbus, has signed with Dinamo Riga in the KHL.

Westcott was bought out of the final two years of his contract by the Blue Jackets this summer, meaning he'll earn $600,000 plus from the Jackets over the next four years. He tried to get a one-way contract in the NHL, but found no takers.

Don't know how much he's making in Latvia, but he's probably well compensated. He's also surrounded with friends.

Former Blue Jackets forward Mark Hartigan, who won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in June, is off to Latvia, too. Westcott and Hartigan are best buddies from their St. Cloud State days. In fact, their summer homes are right next door in Minnesota.

Other players you may recognize on the team: Marcel Hossa, Ronald Petrovicky, Filip Novak.

Westcott a class act

From Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:

"He was asking me about it, yeah," Westcott said. "I told him it was a great city, a great bunch of guys int he room, great fans and an awesome building. It's a great place to play and raise a family, right? He and his wife just had a little one. And, you know, the way Ryan plays, he'd be a perfect fit in Hitch's system. Hitch likes big, physical wingers who get the puck deep and just wear people down. I think he'd be great there, if that's how it works out. I told him that, too."

Now just think about that for a second. Westcott was, in essence, fired by the Blue Jackets. Yes, he got a nice going away present, but he's being paid not to play, which has to hurt one's pride. And here he is, selling the Blue Jackets to a prospective free agent.

Read the entire entry from Puck-rakers here.

Westcott was on his way up only a few years back, so here's hoping the defenseman gets another opportunity at a NHL job this summer. You can't help but be impressed by the class with which he accepted his buyout.