Blue Jackets re-sign Jake Christiansen to one-year, two-way contract

A young blueliner has settled on a new deal with his current team.

On Wednesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed defenseman Jake Christiansen to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry a $775,000 NHL cap hit through the 2024-25 season, with a minor-league salary of $350,000. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, $400,000 of the contract is guaranteed.

The team was able to avoid arbitration with Christiansen, as the 6-foot defender initially filed at the conclusion of his previous contract, a one-year, two-way contract with another $775,000 AAV.

The West Vancouver native went undrafted, but made his way into the professional ranks during the 2019-20 season with the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League. Christiansen went on to sign a three-year contract with the Blue Jackets in March 2020, spending the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign with the Cleveland Monsters, the team’s primary affiliate.

The former Everett Silvertip made his NHL debut on Jan. 6, 2022 against the New Jersey Devils. He played eight games over the 2021-22 season, scoring his first NHL goal on March 1 against the Devils. Christiansen appeared in a career-high 24 games in 2022-23, posting four assists, before playing in 12 games with the Blue Jackets, registering two assists, this past year. In 44 career games, he has notched a goal and six assists with a plus/minus of -11.

During the 2023-24 campaign with the Monsters, Christiansen had a career year. In 62 games, he scored 13 goals and 33 assists for 46 points, with a +8 rating. He also played in four games during the Calder Cup Playoffs, as Cleveland made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. He was named to the North Division’s All-Star Team for the first time, and was named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team for a second time.

In 211 AHL appearances, Christiansen has scored 40 goals and 100 assists with a +4 rating.