Blue Jackets acquire Alex Nylander and draft pick from Penguins for Emil Bemstrom

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired forward Alex Nylander and a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Emil Bemstrom.

Blue Jackets’ President of Hockey Ops John Davidson said Nylander is expected to join the Blue Jackets ahead of their game on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres.

Nylander, 25, has spent most of the 2023-24 regular season with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 43 games. Through eight professional seasons, Nylander has 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points in 98 career NHL games with the Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and the Sabres.

Bemstrom, 24, has split his season with the Blue Jackets and their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. Through 32 games with Columbus, Bemstrom has five goals and six assists for 11 points. In eight games with the Monsters, he’s scored 10 goals and four assists for 14 points.

Through 204 NHL games, all with Columbus, Bemstrom has 31 goals and 38 assists for 69 points.

The Blue Jackets are 18-27-10 with 46 points through 55 games, last in the Eastern Conference. Their next game is against the Sabres on Friday, then they host the New York Rangers on Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.

Meanwhile, the Penguins are 24-21-8 with 56 points through 53 games, seventh in the Metropolitan Division, one spot ahead of Columbus. They’re 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and have lost two straight. Their next game is Sunday afternoon at home as they host the Philadelphia Flyers.