The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Danton Heinen to a one-year, two-way National Hockey League/American Hockey League contract for the 2026-27 season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
“Danton is a competitive and versatile two-way forward who earned increased responsibility after joining our club in a trade last season,” said Waddell. “He provides valuable NHL experience and depth to the organization, and we are pleased he will remain a Blue Jacket for the upcoming season.”
Heinen, 31, has registered 102 goals and 151 assists for 253 points with 147 penalty minutes, 919 shots on goal and a cumulative +35 plus/minus rating in 612 career games with the Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks over 10 NHL campaigns since making his league debut in 2016-17. He has registered five seasons with double-digit goals and four campaigns with 30-plus points. The forward has added 6-7-13 in 48 career Stanely Cup Playoff games. He was originally selected by Boston in the fourth-round, 116th overall, at the 2014 NHL Draft.
The 6-2, 187-pound forward combined for 6-6-12, 16 PIM and a cumulative +7 plus/minus rating in 46 games split between Columbus and Pittsburgh in 2025-26. He posted 5-5-10, eight PIM, 30 shots and was +6 in 33 appearances with the Blue Jackets after being acquired in a trade from the Penguins on Dec. 29, 2025.
A native of Langley, British Columbia, Heinen set single-season career highs in assists and points in his first full NHL campaign, finishing with 16-31-47 in 77 appearances with the Bruins in 2017-18. He had a career high in goals with Pittsburgh in 2021-22 with 18-15-33 in 76 outings.
Heinen has added 21-51-72 with 24 PIM and a cumulative +17 plus/minus rating in 83 career AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Providence Bruins over four campaigns from 2015-18 and 2025-26. He recorded 6-12-18 in 13 contests split between Cleveland and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2025-26.
The winger played two seasons at the University of Denver, totaling 36-57-93 in 81 games between 2014-16. He was named NCHC Rookie of the Year in 2014-15 and was the league’s Forward of the Year in 2015-16 after notching 20-28-48 in 41 outings.
