- Danton Heinen re-signs with Columbus on a one-year, two-way contract for 2026-27
- He came to the Blue Jackets in the December trade that sent Yegor Chinakhov to Pittsburgh
- Read below for Heinen’s numbers and how he fits Columbus next season
Danton Heinen is sticking around Columbus.
The Blue Jackets brought the veteran forward back on a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season, per Pro Hockey Rumors. It keeps a depth piece who found his footing after a midseason move.
Heinen landed in Columbus back in December, arriving from Pittsburgh in the deal that sent Yegor Chinakhov to the Penguins.
He suited up for 33 games with the Blue Jackets down the stretch and put up 10 points, split evenly between goals and assists. Nothing loud, but a clear step up from where his year started.
The first half in Pittsburgh went nowhere. Heinen managed just two points in 13 games before the Penguins shipped him out.
The 31-year-old has done plenty of bouncing lately. He signed a two-year, $4.5 million deal with Vancouver in 2024 free agency, then got dealt to Pittsburgh after 51 games and 18 points with the Canucks.
His best hockey came in Boston. Heinen set career highs with 17 goals and 36 points in 2023-24, his lone season back with the Bruins.
A two-way deal lets Columbus shuffle him between the NHL roster and AHL Cleveland without much cap risk. For a club still sorting out its rebuild, that is a cheap way to hang onto a known bottom-six option.
Heinen gives the Blue Jackets a familiar face in the bottom six as they piece together their forward group for next season.
