By Joe Coopersmith
1 13 2025
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year, $775,000 contract extension through the 2025-26 National Hockey League season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
Aston-Reese, 30, has registered 46 goals and 45 assists for 91 points with 145 penalty minutes, 497 shots on goal, 915 hits and a cumulative +27 plus/minus rating, while averaging 12:57 of ice time in 352 career games with the Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins since making his NHL debut in 2017-18. Claimed off waivers by Columbus from the Vegas Golden Knights on October 7, he has posted 4-7-11 with 19 PIM, 94 hits, 56 shots on goal and averaged 13:09 of ice time in 42 contests in 2024-25, ranking third on the club in hits.
“Zach has been a great addition to the Blue Jackets on the ice and in the dressing room,” said Waddell. “He brings speed, grit and versatility to our forward group and we are excited that he will continue to be a part of our club.”
Originally signed by Pittsburgh to a two-year entry-level contract on Mar. 14, 2017, the Staten Island, New York native registered 4-2-6 in 16 appearances with the Penguins in his first NHL campaign in 2017-18. He set a single- season career high in points in 2018-19, finishing with 8-9-17 in 43 outings. The forward then set career highs in goals and games played with 10-4-14 and 25 penalty minutes in 77 appearances with Toronto in 2022-23.
The 6-1, 200-pound forward has added 32-44-76 and 127 PIM in 123 career AHL outings with the Grand Rapids Griffins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over five seasons from 2016-24. He set AHL career highs in goals, points, games played and PIM with 14-16-30 and 53 PIM in 61 outings with Grand Rapids in 2023-24.
Aston-Reese played four years at Northeastern University from 2013-17, finishing with 66-82-148 and 182 penalty minutes in 145 games. He was named a NCAA First-Team All-American, Hockey East Player of the Year and to the league’s First All-Star Team in his final collegiate season in 2016-17 after leading the NCAA in goals and points with 31-32-63 in 38 games.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network and the FanDuel Sports Network app. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with the “Blue Jackets Live” pre-game show. The contest will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
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