The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed former University of Michigan forward Josh Eernisse to a one-year, Entry Level contract for the 2026-27 season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today. Eernisse (pronounced EARN-ih-see) signed a professional tryout contract with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League affiliate, on Sunday.
Eernisse, 24, has played the past three seasons at Michigan, where he registered 20-24-44, 116 penalty minutes and a cumulative +12 plus/minus rating in 115 games. In 2025-26, he tallied a career-high 11-8-19, 37 penalty minutes and was +17 in 38 outings, helping Michigan win the Big Ten Tournament title and earn a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four. He also received the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Division I Ice Hockey Championships, which is presented annually to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average among athletes participating at each of the NCAA’s championships. A sport management major with a 3.97 GPA, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and the league’s Sportsmanship Award in 2025-26.
“As we looked at a number of college free agents we identified those that could fill an organizational need and Josh does just that,” said Waddell. “He is a big, strong right winger who skates well and has great character, and we are excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets.”
The 6-2, 217-pound native of Eagan, Minnesota participated in the Blue Jackets’ development camp in July 2025. He began his college career at the University of St. Thomas, collecting 14-7-21 and 54 penalty minutes in 36 games in 2022-23. Prior to that, he spent two years with the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League, registering 10-14-24 and 73 penalty minutes in 85 games from 2020-22.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET with live coverage on ESPN. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
