Blue Jackets sign Charlie Elick to entry-level contract

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Wednesday that the club has signed defenseman Charlie Elick to a three-year, entry-level contract that will begin in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Through 66 games this season split between the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings and Tri-City Americans, Elick has totaled two goals and 13 assists for 15 points coupled with 55 penalty minutes and a minus-six rating. With the Wheat Kings a year ago, Elick reached a career-high 27 points counting four goals and 23 assists coming in 65 outings. In all, through four seasons in the junior circuit, Elick has totaled 10 goals and 45 assists for 55 points through 196 career contests.

A 19-year-old Calgary native, Elick has also seen success in international competition highlighted by a gold medal win at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 World Championship where through seven appearances he put up three points with two penalty minutes and a plus-six rating. Elick also saw a first-place finish with Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in which he put up two points in five games en route to the championship. Elick also joined Canada White at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge that saw him notch two assists in six games.

Elick was originally chosen 36th overall by the Blue Jackets in 2024 NHL Draft, three years after being selected third overall by Brandon in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.

For the Blue Jackets, on the season the club is 32-29-9 and two points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference. Following a shootout win over the New York Islanders on Monday, the Blue Jackets will aim for their second straight victory when the squad retakes the ice Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. The Blue Jackets have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2020.