The Columbus Blue Jackets enter the 2026-27 season with a noticeably different roster and a clear objective: turn a promising young team into a Stanley Cup Playoff contender.

Columbus finished the 2025-26 season 40-30-12 but missed the postseason for the second consecutive year. President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell responded by adding experience, size, toughness and championship pedigree while also retaining several important pieces of the team’s developing core.

The biggest changes include the acquisition of Valeri Nichushkin, the signing of Ryan Lomberg and Pheonix Copley, and new contracts for Cole Sillinger, Jet Greaves, Erik Gudbranson, Danton Heinen and Luke Tuch.

Here is a closer look at each player, why Columbus made the move and how it could benefit the Blue Jackets.

Valeri Nichushkin — Right Wing

Acquired from: Colorado Avalanche Age: 312025-26: 17 goals, 32 assists, 49 points in 72 games

Nichushkin is easily Columbus’ most important outside addition of the offseason.

The Blue Jackets acquired him from Colorado on June 25 in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round selection and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

Why Columbus acquired him

Columbus needed another proven top-six forward capable of producing offense while playing a strong two-way game.

Nichushkin gives the Blue Jackets something they have lacked: a big winger with legitimate scoring ability who is comfortable playing against top competition and going to the difficult areas of the ice.

He is also a three-time 20-goal scorer and was part of Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup championship team.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

Nichushkin should immediately strengthen the top six and could play alongside young stars such as Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko or Kent Johnson.

His size, puck-retrieval ability and net-front presence could also improve Columbus’ power play.

Perhaps most importantly, he brings postseason experience to a roster trying to learn how to become a consistent playoff team.

Ryan Lomberg — Forward

Contract: Two years, $2.6 million Average annual value: $1.3 million Previous team: Calgary Flames

Lomberg isn’t being brought to Columbus to become a 30-goal scorer. He was signed because of everything else he provides.

The veteran forward recorded 129 hits in 57 games with Calgary last season and won the Stanley Cup with Florida in 2024.

Why Columbus signed him

The Blue Jackets wanted more energy, toughness and experience in their bottom six.

Lomberg plays aggressively, finishes checks and is willing to battle for loose pucks. His style can create energy for teammates and make Columbus more difficult to play against over an 82-game schedule.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

Lomberg gives head coach Rick Bowness a dependable physical option for the fourth line.

He also brings championship experience and understands the intensity required when games become more important late in the season.

For a young Columbus roster, having players who have already experienced a Stanley Cup run can be extremely valuable.

Pheonix Copley — Goaltender

Contract: One year Age: 34

The signing of Copley initially appeared to be primarily an organizational-depth move, but his importance could increase depending on the Blue Jackets’ goaltending situation.

Copley has appeared in 78 NHL games and was viewed as a potential No. 3 goalie entering the season.

Why Columbus signed him

Goaltending depth is essential during an NHL season.

Columbus needed an experienced veteran capable of stepping into the lineup if injuries or performance issues affect the players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

Copley provides insurance.

Instead of being forced to rush a young goaltender into NHL action, Columbus has a veteran with previous NHL starting experience available.

That becomes particularly valuable over a long season when injuries can quickly change a team’s plans in goal.

Jet Greaves — Goaltender

Contract: Three years, $15 millionAverage annual value: $5 million 2025-26 record: 26-19-9GAA: 2.60 Save percentage: .908

Keeping Greaves may prove just as important as adding any free agent.

The 25-year-old established himself last season, becoming only the fifth goaltender in Blue Jackets history to win at least 25 games in a season.

Why Columbus re-signed him

Greaves has developed into an important part of Columbus’ future.

Rather than searching the market for a new long-term answer in goal, the Blue Jackets rewarded a goaltender who has already demonstrated that he can handle a significant NHL workload.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

The contract creates stability at the most important position on the ice.

Greaves’ age also fits the timeline of Columbus’ young core. If he continues developing alongside players such as Fantilli, Marchenko, Johnson and Sillinger, the Blue Jackets could have their goaltending situation settled for several years.

Cole Sillinger — Center/Forward

Contract: Three years, $13.875 million Average annual value: $4.625 million Age: 23

Sillinger has already played 367 NHL games despite being only 23 years old.

He recorded eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points in 81 games last season and has accumulated 140 points during his Blue Jackets career.

Why Columbus re-signed him

Sillinger remains one of the key pieces of the organization’s young core.

He can play a responsible two-way game, provide physicality and contribute offensively without needing to be the centerpiece of a scoring line.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

The three-year agreement gives Columbus cost certainty while allowing Sillinger to continue developing.

He can potentially become an extremely valuable middle-six player capable of playing center or wing, killing penalties and handling difficult defensive assignments.

Erik Gudbranson — Defenseman

Contract: One year, $1.75 million Age: 34

Gudbranson returns for his fifth season with Columbus after signing a one-year contract.

The veteran defenseman has played 842 NHL games and has accumulated more than 1,700 hits and 1,100 blocked shots during his career.

Why Columbus re-signed him

The Blue Jackets have several skilled defensemen, but Gudbranson provides something different.

He brings size, physicality, leadership and experience.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

Gudbranson can help protect younger defensemen while providing a steady presence on the third defensive pairing.

His leadership may become even more important following the departure of longtime captain Boone Jenner.

Danton Heinen — Forward

Contract: One-year, two-way contract Age: 31

Heinen joined Columbus during the 2025-26 season and produced five goals and five assists in 33 games with the Blue Jackets.

He has played more than 600 NHL games and has experience throughout the lineup.

Why Columbus re-signed him

Versatility.

Heinen can play multiple forward positions and can move between the NHL and AHL if necessary.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

Every playoff contender needs reliable organizational depth.

If injuries strike, Columbus can call upon a player who already understands the system and has extensive NHL experience rather than relying exclusively on inexperienced prospects.

Luke Tuch — Left Wing

Contract: Two-year, two-way contract Age: 24 Acquired from: Montreal Canadiens

Columbus acquired Tuch from Montreal in exchange for Hunter McKown before signing him to a two-year contract.

The 6-foot-2, 219-pound winger recorded 15 goals and 28 points in his first 114 AHL games with Laval.

Why Columbus added him

The Blue Jackets wanted additional size, toughness and competition among their depth forwards.

Tuch has the physical tools to develop into an NHL bottom-six player and gives Cleveland another experienced young forward if he doesn’t make Columbus immediately.

Benefit to the Blue Jackets

Tuch improves organizational depth while still carrying developmental upside.

Because he is only 24, Columbus isn’t simply signing a veteran insurance policy. The Blue Jackets are adding a player who could potentially grow into a regular NHL role.

Major Departures Change the Leadership Structure

The additions tell only part of Columbus’ offseason story.

The Blue Jackets also lost two significant forwards.

Boone Jenner — Signed with Washington

The longtime Blue Jackets captain signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Washington Capitals.

Jenner leaves Columbus as the franchise’s all-time leader with 808 games played and after serving as captain for five seasons. He produced 13 goals and 38 points last season.

Replacing Jenner’s leadership may be more difficult than replacing his statistics.

His departure creates an opportunity for players such as Zach Werenski and other members of Columbus’ core to assume even larger leadership responsibilities.

Mason Marchment — Signed with San Jose

Marchment signed a five-year, $33.75 million contract with the San Jose Sharks after recording 15 goals and 32 points in only 39 games with Columbus last season.

Losing that production hurts, but the acquisition of Nichushkin gives Columbus another established power forward capable of replacing a significant portion of Marchment’s offense.

What the Moves Say About Columbus’ Direction

There is a noticeable theme behind Don Waddell’s offseason.

Columbus did not completely overhaul its roster.

Instead, the Blue Jackets attempted to surround a promising young core with players possessing three qualities:

Experience. Physicality. Winning pedigree.

Nichushkin and Lomberg are both Stanley Cup champions.

Gudbranson and Heinen provide veteran depth.

Tuch adds size and developmental potential.

Sillinger remains part of the young foundation.

And Greaves gives the organization stability in goal.

The result is a roster that should be deeper and more difficult to play against.

Conclusion: The Blue Jackets Are Trying to Take the Next Step

The 2026-27 season represents an important stage in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ rebuild.

Simply showing improvement is no longer enough.

After narrowly missing the postseason in consecutive seasons, expectations are beginning to shift toward making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The acquisition of Valeri Nichushkin gives Columbus another legitimate top-six offensive weapon. Ryan Lomberg adds championship experience and physicality. Pheonix Copley strengthens goaltending depth, while retaining Jet Greaves, Cole Sillinger, Erik Gudbranson and Danton Heinen provides continuity throughout the lineup. Luke Tuch gives the organization another intriguing depth option with room to develop.

The departures of Boone Jenner and Mason Marchment are significant, particularly because Jenner had been the face and captain of the franchise for years. But those departures also represent the beginning of a new chapter.

Columbus now belongs increasingly to the generation built around Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, Dmitri Voronkov, Cole Sillinger and Jet Greaves.

The Blue Jackets have spent several seasons building that foundation.

Now the organization is adding experienced players around it.

The question heading into 2026-27 is no longer whether Columbus has promising young talent.

The question is whether this new combination of youth, experience, toughness and championship pedigree is finally enough to bring playoff hockey back to Columbus.