Of all the Blue Jackets players set to become unrestricted free agents this summer, winger Vinny Prospal — a sage veteran, with boundless enthusiasm and a surprisingly nimble touch — appeared to have the most value at the NHL trade deadline later this month.

It wouldn’t have been surprising if the Blue Jackets, ready to forge a new path after an immensely disappointing season, were to trade Prospal to a club with Stanley Cup aspirations, turning an expiring asset into a future prospect. So it goes in pro sports.

Except that neither the Blue Jackets nor Prospal wanted his time in Columbus to end like this.

Prospal, who turns 37 on Feb. 17, signed a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million yesterday, a deal that includes a no-trade clause and a gentleman’s agreement that Prospal will remain with the Blue Jackets in an undetermined capacity after his playing days.

“I didn’t make this decision in five minutes or anything like this,” Prospal said, explaining why he eschewed a trade. “But especially the part (about) after my playing days are over, that’s what really took me away. When you get that kind of respect and you get a feeling of what the organization thinks of you, it really made my decision a lot easier.”

The Blue Jackets still haven’t determined how to handle the upcoming trade deadline and offseason.

The club is trying to trade center Jeff Carter, multiple sources have told The Dispatch, but it’s unclear if that will be one of a few moves or part of a massive roster overhaul, the start of a rebuilding process. Either way, general manager Scott Howson said, management wanted Prospal to be part of it.

“It was a pretty thorough and heavy discussion (within the hockey operations department),” Howson said. “It was, ‘What can we get for him? Would it be better to take the assets?’ But I think it’s more important to have him around the team and have him help with the transition.”

Prospal is one of five Blue Jackets players to play in all 53 games this season. He has nine goals, a team-high 24 assists and 33 points, leaving him second on the club behind captain Rick Nash (35 points).

But that’s only part of the package. Prospal is regarded as a pro’s pro, and he possesses an infectious personality that both inspires and motivates his teammates. Earlier this season, with the club off to a horrendous start, he called out his teammates for poor practice habits.

“We sit back in the coaches office and we can hear him (talking to his teammates), either before the game or before the start of periods,” interim coach Todd Richards said. “He does the right things. When you find those types of players and people, those are the guys you want to keep in the organization.”

The message from Prospal to the Blue Jackets’ young players is really two-pronged: 1. work hard; 2. enjoy the game and count each day as a blessing.

In 1,031 career NHL games, Prospal has scored 236 goals — and he celebrates each one like his first. He goes bonkers when he scores in practice, too.

“Everything he does is at a high level,” rookie Ryan Johansen said. “He loves the game so much. On ice, off ice, he shows it. Sometimes the guys give him a hard time for celebrating too hard in practice, but he loves it. That’s the way he is. We love him for that.”

Prospal said he’s not sure how much longer he will continue to play. He and Howson will discuss one-year extensions each season until he’s ready to begin a career as a coach, a scout or maybe in player development.

aportzline@dispatch.com