Blue Jackets sign Zach Sawchenko to one-year, two-way contract
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Sunday they signed goaltender Zach Sawchenko to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2024-25 season.
We have signed G Zach Sawchenko to a one-year, two-way contract.
📝https://t.co/mnpsFa4SCS@RuoffMortgage | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/IotzpNYoNY
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 7, 2024
The 26-year-old has a 1-2-0 record with a .901 SV% and 3.35 GAA in seven career NHL appearances, all with the San Jose Sharks in the 2021-22 season.
The 6-foot-1 netminder has a 32-36-5 record with an .898 SV% and 3.11 GAA with two shutouts in 79 career AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks, Chicago Wolves and San Jose Barracuda. Last season, he posted a 4-1-0 record with a .924 SV% in six regular-season games with the Canucks before posting a 2-4 record in six Calder Cup Playoff games in the spring.
His best professional season came in 2022-23, going 17-18-3 with an .895 SV% and 3.10 GAA.
The Calgary native has a 13-4-3 record with a 2.42 GAA and .928 SV% in 20 career ECHL games with the Allen Americans between 2019-20 and 2020-21. Before turning professional, he played junior hockey with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors between 2013-14 and 2016-17, going 88-65-16 with a .908 SV% and 3.11 GAA. He was named a WHL Eastern Conference First Team All-Star in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.
He would play at the University of Alberta in the CIS between 2017-18 and 2018-19, helping the club with the University Cup championship in his first season.
The Blue Jackets finished the 2023-24 season with a 27-43-12 with 66 points, eighth in the Metropolitan Division. Elvis Merzlinkis went 13-17-8 with an .897 SV% and 3.45 GAA and a shutout, while Daniil Tarasov posted an 8-11-3 record with a .908 SV% and 3.18 GAA.
Johnny Gaudreau led the club with 60 points (12 goals and 48 assists).