The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a one-year, $1.75 million contract for the 2026-27 season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
“Erik has been the consummate professional during his Blue Jackets career, providing a physical, steady presence on our blueline and great leadership on and off the ice and we are thrilled that he will continue be an important part of our group,” said Waddell.
Gudbranson, 34, has registered 35 goals and 105 assists for 140 points with 864 penalty minutes, 1,757 hits and 1,157 blocked shots on 18:33 average ice time in 842 career games over 15 NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers since 2011-12. He has posted 100 or more hits in nine of the 11 seasons with at least 40 games played. He has added 1-1-2 and 12 PIM in 31 career Stanely Cup Playoffs appearances.
The 6-5, 222-pound defenseman has collected 8-38-46 with 156 PIM, 282 hits and 390 blocked shots on 19:44 TOI in 201 career games with the Blue Jackets since signing with the club as a free agent on July 13, 2022. He posted 1-2-3 with 45 hits and 64 blocked shots in 37 games in 2025-26. He posted double-digit points in his first two seasons with the club, setting career-highs with 6-20-26 and a team-high 170 blocks in 78 contests in 2023-24.
Gudbranson was originally drafted by Florida in the first-round, third overall, at the 2010 NHL Draft and collected 11-32-43 in 309 games during his first five seasons in the league. He skated with the Canucks for two seasons before splitting the 2018-19 campaign between Vancouver and Pittsburgh. He would also split the 2019-20 (Pittsburgh and Anaheim) and 2020-21 (Ottawa and Nashvillle) seasons between multiple clubs. He registered 6-11-17 in 78 appearances with Calgary in 2021-22.
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Gudbranson represented Canada on the international level at the 2011 (silver medal) and 2014 IIHF World Championships. He also skated with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons from 2008-11, collecting 17-62-79 in 148 games played.
