The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Pheonix Copley to a contract for the 2026-27 National Hockey League season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
“Pheonix is a proven NHL goaltender who brings a strong work ethic, valuable experience and dependable depth to our organization,” said Waddell. “He is a great fit for our club, and we’re pleased to welcome him to the Blue Jackets.”
Copley, 34, has posted a 44-17-8 record with a 2.85 goals-against average (GAA), .898 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts in 78 career games with the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues over eight NHL campaigns from 2015-26. He made one appearance with Los Angeles in 2025-26, posting a 3.07 GAA and .893 SV%.
A native of North Pole, Alaska, Copley made his NHL debut with the Blues during the 2015-16 campaign. He finished with a 16-7-3 record, 2.90 GAA and career-best .905 save percentage in 27 appearances with the Capitals in 2018-19. He registered single-season career highs in wins, goals-against average and games played with Los Angeles in 2022-23 with a 24-6-3 record, 2.64 GAA and .903 SV% in 37 contests.
The 6-4, 205-pound netminder has added a 169-104-40 record with a 2.52 GAA, .909 SV% and 18 shutouts in 312 career outings over 10 seasons with the Ontario Reign, Hershey Bears, Chicago Wolves and Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League from 2014-26. He went 21-11-1 with a 2.59 GAA, .901 SV% and one shutout in 33 games with the Ontario Reign in 2025-26. He won the Harry Holmes Memorial Award as part of the AHL’s Best Goaltending Duo in 2020-21 and has registered a .900 save percentage or better in each of his past four AHL campaigns, including a .913 SV% in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.
Undrafted, Copley played two seasons of college hockey at Michigan Tech and finished with an 18-28-7 record, 2.82 GAA, .906 SV% and four shoutouts in 54 appearances from 2012-14. He played one campaign in the USHL in 2011-12, recording a 16-24-1 record and .907 SV% in 45 games split between the Tri-City Storm and Des Moines Buccaneers.
