Ryan Lomberg is bringing a very specific kind of edge to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets signed Lomberg on the opening day of free agency, and while it wasn’t the kind of move that grabs headlines, it does fill a need. Columbus was missing some of that bite late in the season when Mathieu Olivier went down with a broken hand, and Lomberg’s game is built around exactly that sort of presence.
He’s not a big-name addition, but he is the kind of player opponents notice fast. Lomberg plays with a heavy edge despite his smaller frame, and his style is all about finishing checks, digging along the boards and stirring things up. He also brings the kind of willingness to fight that can change the tone of a game.
In fact, he once fought Olivier back on , which makes the fit a little more interesting now that they’re on the same side.
A look at Lomberg’s background shows a player who had to earn everything. He was undrafted out of Richmond Hill, Ontario, and made his NHL debut on January 25, 2018, with Calgary.
Since then, he has put together 394 NHL games, along with 35 goals, 37 assists and 72 points. He’s also piled up 475 penalty minutes, a good reflection of the way he plays.
Lomberg has plenty of postseason experience too. He has appeared in 32 NHL playoff games, scored three goals and won one Stanley Cup. His AHL playoff résumé includes one game with Stockton Heat.
His NHL transactions tell the rest of the story. He signed as a free agent with Calgary on March 19, 2017, with Florida on October 9, 2020, and with Calgary again on July 1, 2024.
For Columbus, the appeal is pretty clear. Lomberg should add tenacity and grit to the fourth line, where the Blue Jackets have been looking for more of that disruptive energy. Olivier has mostly played on the third line, while Miles Wood handled the fourth, and the idea of Wood and Lomberg together gives that unit a distinctly abrasive look.
That line isn’t expected to be a scoring engine. Its job is to make life miserable for the other team, create chaos and open the door for Columbus’ top line to work with a little more room. Free agency is still rolling on for the Blue Jackets, but this one already gives them something they’ve been missing.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Future In Net Just Took A Big Step Forward
The Blue Jackets have taken another step in shaping their long-range picture in goal, signing prospect Sergei Ivanov to a two-year entry-level contract that runs through the 2028 season. Drafted 138th overall in 2022, Ivanov has spent his development time in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg, where the organization has seen enough growth to keep him firmly in its future plans.
Ivanov is still expected to remain in the KHL for the 2026-27 season before making the move to North America, which gives Columbus a little more patience in a position that rarely comes together quickly. If his trajectory keeps holding, the Blue Jackets could have a clearer idea of what their next goalie tandem looks like by the time he arrives, with executive Don Waddell already pointing to both his performance and upside. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Are Betting Big On A Stronger Prospect Pipeline
The Blue Jackets spent part of this week investing in what comes next, hosting their 2026 prospects development camp at Nationwide Arena with a group of NHL hopefuls getting a first look at the organizations expectations. The idea was bigger than just skating drills, too, with development coaches Tommy Cross, Anthony Donskov, Matthew Donskov and Brad Thiessen working the players through on-ice instruction and off-ice support designed to help them improve and settle into the Columbus system.
For a franchise trying to build a deeper pipeline, these camps matter because they give young players structure, resources and a clearer sense of what life in the organization looks like beyond the rink. Columbus also mixed in visits to local sports facilities and other recreational activities, part of an approach meant to develop the person as much as the prospect while the club keeps laying groundwork for the future. [Read more 🡒]