The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Christian Jaros to a one-year, two-way National Hockey League/American Hockey League contract for the 2025-26 season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
Jaros, 29, registered a goal and 13 assists for 14 points with 37 penalty minutes, 158 hits, 112 blocked shots and 82 shots on goal, while averaging 13:04 of ice time in 94 career NHL games with the New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators from 2017-22. He was selected by Ottawa in the fifth-round, 139th overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft and skated in his first two NHL contests in 2017-18. He set single-season NHL career highs in 2018-19 with 1-9-10, 110 hits, 82 blocked shots and 27 PIM in 61 appearances with the Senators. He skated in 11 outings with the Devils in his most recent NHL campaign in 2021-22.
A native of Kosice, Slovakia, Jaros (pronounced YA-ruhsh) spent the last three campaigns in Russia’s KHL and totaled 8-34-42, 48 PIM and a cumulative +16 plus/minus rating in 132 appearances with CSKA Moskva, Severstal Cherepovets and Avangard Omsk. He registered 2-10-12 and 18 PIM in 51 outings with CSKA Moskva in 2024-25.
The 6-3, 222-pound blueliner has added 5-29-34 and 59 PIM in 90 career AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda and Belleville Senators from 2017-21. Prior to playing in North America, he collected 5-14-19 and 73 PIM in 86 contests with Lulea HF over three seasons in the Swedish Hockey League from 2014-16.
Jaros has represented Slovakia at numerous international tournaments. He skated for the country at the 2022 Olympic Games as well as three IIHF World Championships (2016, 2018, 2019). He also played for Slovakia at the 2015 (bronze medal) and 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships and 2014 IIHF U18 World Championships.
