“Blue Jackets claim Aston-Reese off waivers from Vegas.”

The Columbus Blue Jackets have claimed forward Zach Aston-Reese from the Vegas Golden Knights on waivers, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.

The 30-year-old Aston-Reese has 42 goals and 38 assists for 80 points with 126 penalty minutes, 441 shots on goal and a cumulative plus/minus rating of +33 while averaging 12:55 of ice time in 310 career games with the Detroit has had Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins since making his NHL debut in 2017-18. He originally received a two-year entry-level contract from Pittsburgh on March 14, 2017. On July 1, 2024, he signed a two-year contract with Vegas of the National Hockey League/American Hockey League.

“Zach Aston-Reese is an intelligent and versatile player who can play any forward position,” said Waddell. “He brings over 300 games of NHL experience to our lineup and will add additional depth to our group up front.”

The Staten Island native went 4-2-6 in 16 games for the Penguins in his first NHL season in 2017-18. In the 2018-19 season, he posted the highest points total in a single season in his NHL career, finishing 8-9-17 in 43 appearances for Pittsburgh. The forward then set career highs in goals and games played with 10-4-14 and 25 penalty minutes in 77 appearances for Toronto during the 2022-23 season. He played in three games for Detroit in the 2023/24 season.

The 6-1, 200-pound forward has gone 32-44-76 and 127 PIM in 123 career AHL games over five seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from 2016-2024. He set AHL career highs in goals, points, games played and PIM with 14-16-30 and 53 PIM in 61 appearances with Grand Rapids during the 2023-24 season.

Aston-Reese played four years of college hockey at Northeastern University from 2013 to 2017, finishing 66-82-148 with 182 penalty minutes in 145 contests. He was named an NCAA First-Team All-American and was named the Hockey East Player of the Year. In his final collegiate season, 2016–17, he was named to the league's First All-Star Team after leading the NCAA with 31 goals and points -32-63 in 38 games with Northeastern. From 2010 to 2013, he went 16-34-50 in 140 career USHL games for the Lincoln Stars and Des Moines Buccaneers.

Columbus begins the 2024-25 season on Thursday, Oct. 10 at Minnesota. Game time at the Xcel Energy Center is 8:00 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on Bally Sports Ohio and can be heard on Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan.