While maize and blue isn’t a popular color scheme in the city of Columbus, the Michigan to Blue Jackets pipeline is undeniable.
Maybe the players just really like themselves in blue, but whatever the case may be, Josh Eernisse wanted in.
“I mean, there was kind of a running joke that it's a feeder program now, right? It's the Columbus Wolverines, which might not sit very well,” Eernisse said.
Following the Wolverines’ semifinal loss to Denver at the 2026 Frozen Four, the Michigan forward signed a one-year contract for the 2026-27 season with the organization, jetting off to Cleveland as it geared up for its own playoff run. He is just the latest player to go from Wolverine to Blue Jacket, joining a list that includes such names as Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson.
He may have swapped the maize accents for red, but Eernisse continues to remain prideful in his roots as he takes a new, exciting path.
A Hockey Journey
“The State of Hockey” earned its name for a reason. Minnesota’s hockey culture runs deep in its people, and many young kids are practically born wearing skates.
Eernisse wasn’t one of them.
In fact, he’s the first and only skater in his family. Eernisse picked up the sport thanks to his at-home day care run by family members of Tom Kurvers, a Minnesota hockey legend. Kurvers’ nephew sparked Eernisse’s interest in the sport, and it took off from there.
“By the time I came to be 4 or 5 years old, he was going through high school,” Eernisse said. “We'd go shoot pucks in the garage, we'd play NHL on, I'm not sure what console it was at the time, but play a little bit of video games, and then I started learning to skate when I was 3 or 4 years old, so really young. I just kind of stuck with it.”
This moment of inspiration led to two decades of hockey that’s moved Eernisse all over the country. First it was high school hockey, then juniors in Nebraska. When college came around, Eernisse initially found his way back home with St. Thomas, but he ultimately spent three years in Ann Arbor, cementing his NCAA legacy with the Wolverines.
And a legacy it is. In his time at Michigan, Eernisse played in two Frozen Fours, won a Big Ten Tournament championship, earned the NCAA Elite Scholar Athlete Award for men’s hockey with a 3.97 GPA, became a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, plus took home the Big Ten Medal of Honor and Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Try saying all of that in one breath. But in all seriousness, Eernisse demonstrated that he’s more than a hockey player and his talents – including his endeavors making homemade sourdough bread – stretch beyond the ice.
“If (Eernisse) plays his last game Saturday (April 11), or he plays in 20 years in the NHL, Josh Eernisse is going to be a high performing person in society, a business owner, a father, a husband,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato told The Michigan Daily at the Frozen Four on April 8.
As well-rounded as Eernisse is, hockey is what ultimately lured him to Columbus. The forward played consistent minutes on a line filled with veterans and rookies alike, helping aid the most productive offense in the NCAA for the 2025-26 season. He also played a crucial role on the penalty kill, tying for second in college hockey in shorthanded goals with three this past year. In all, he finished his career with 11 goals and 19 points in 38 games as a senior.
The best way to describe Eernisse is that he’s terrifying to go up against, and the greatest guy to have on your team. His 6-foot-3, 216-pound frame is a scary sight when speeding toward you on the ice. But his fiercely loyal character makes him the first to defend a teammate.
The Next Step
Eernisse’s desire for excellence catapulted him to the opportunities of today, where he just took the ice for his second Columbus development camp and relished the chance to keep playing the game he loves. Eernisse skated with players he’s never met before, some he’s faced off against a plethora of times and even previous teammates. And that’s what makes it so exciting.
“Now that I've graduated, I won't be with (the college players) anymore next year, so it's kind of fun,” said Eernisse, who had two goals in yesterday’s Stinger Cup game. “It's almost reminiscing and being able to relive some of those times, which are great experiences and great memories for me. So I've enjoyed it a lot, and it's always fun to just get to know people on the other side. Obviously in the game guys are so intense and you line up against other guys, but when you get to be like buddies with them too, it's pretty cool to see both sides of it.”
Following his singing with Columbus this spring, Eernisse joined the Monsters for the remainder of their season on a pro tryout contract. In that time, he suited up for Cleveland’s late-season matchup against the Grand Rapids Griffins, where his Michigan teammate Kienan Draper signed.
He’s still in the hunt for his first AHL point, but he has the 2026-27 season to attack that opportunity. Right now, his focus is getting ready for the season and assimilating himself in his new team.
“It'll just be fun to be around again and continue to learn,” Eernisse said. “They have all the player development staff here, all the coaches, like everybody's here, so get to know everybody a little bit more involved in the organization, more of the prospects, and build those relationships, and then continue to walk away with little things that I can work on and little habits, little details and things like that.”
Working with some new faces and plenty of familiar ones, Eernisse embarks on a new journey in what used to be considered enemy territory. Now, Ohio is simply home where he swapped out his old blue for a new one.
