Brendan Smith signs with Columbus Blue Jackets for 2025-26 NHL season
Brendan Smith has joined the Columbus Blue Jackets on a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 NHL season. The veteran defenceman, originally drafted by Detroit in 2007, will report to the team on Tuesday after a strong 2023-24 campaign with New Jersey. Smith, a Mimico, Ontario native, made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2011-12. Over his career, he has played 726 NHL games across five teams, collecting 144 points and 787 penalty minutes. In the AHL, he has added 89 points and 279 penalty minutes in 174 appearances. Smith’s signing adds depth to Columbus’s defensive lineup for the upcoming NHL season. His two-way contract allows flexibility between the NHL and AHL as needed. The team will now focus on integrating him ahead of the 2025-26 NHL campaign.
