The Blue Jackets added some grit to their forward group Wednesday, agreeing to a two-year contract with veteran winger Ryan Lomberg worth $2.6 million.
The deal carries an average annual value of $1.3 million, and Bartlett Hockey, which represents Lomberg, announced the news early Wednesday afternoon on X.
Lomberg, 31, arrives in Columbus after the last two seasons with the Calgary Flames. This season, he posted four goals and five assists for nine points in 57 games, numbers that only tell part of the story for a player whose value has long come from the hard edges of his game.
That part of Lomberg’s profile has been consistent throughout his career. The undrafted forward has 35 goals and 37 assists for 72 points in 394 NHL games, but his calling card has always been his forechecking, toughness and comfort in the gritty areas of the ice.
He also brings a track record of postseason experience. The native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, spent the first two seasons of his career with the Flames before moving on to four seasons with the Florida Panthers. He was part of Florida’s run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final and later helped the Panthers win the Stanley Cup in 2024, carving out a role as a trusted depth piece along the way.
Lomberg has also piled up 68 career fighting majors, including five this season and seven last season.
For Columbus, the signing fits the team’s offseason push to add experience and competitiveness. Lomberg projects into a bottom-six role and has built a reputation as the kind of teammate coaches value: dependable, physical and willing to handle the jobs that don’t always show up on the scoresheet, from finishing checks to killing penalties to changing the tone during momentum swings.
Earlier in the day, Mason Marchment left the Blue Jackets to sign a five-year deal with the San Jose Sharks.
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