COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of the shortest contracts in history is heading to Columbus next week, giving a way for the city to honor one of its athletes before he retires from the ice.
What You Need To Know
The Columbus Blue Jackets plan to honor forward Cam Atkinson with a one-day contract, allowing him to rejoin the team before he officially retires from the National Hockey League
Atkinson, 36, spent his first 10 years in the NHL with the Blue Jackets from 2011-2021
Atkinson represented the Blue Jackets at two NHL All-Star Games in 2017 and 2019 and was named to the club’s Quarter-Century Team
The Columbus Blue Jackets plan to honor forward Cam Atkinson with a one-day contract, allowing him to rejoin the team before he officially retires from the National Hockey League. He will retire as an official member of the Blue Jackets ahead of the club’s game against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, Oct. 16.
Atkinson, 36, spent his first 10 years in the NHL with the Blue Jackets from 2011-2021. He registered 213 goals and 189 assists for 402 points with 146 penalty minutes and a cumulative +17 plus/minus rating in 627 games. he is a franchise all-time leader in several stastical categories.
His rankings include:
Second in points (Rick Nash-547)
Second in goals (Nash-289)
Second in game-winning goals (42; Nash-44)
Second in shots on goal (1,883; Nash-2,278)
Third in power play goals (42)
Fourth in power play points (95)
Fifth in assists
Atkinson represented the Blue Jackets at two NHL All-Star Games in 2017 and 2019 and was named to the club’s Quarter-Century Team.
He collected the most hat tricks in franchise history with six: Apr. 5, 2012 at Colorado; Mar. 27, 2015 at Chicago; Jan. 25, 2016 vs. Montreal; Mar. 15, 2018 at Philadelphia; Nov. 17, 2018 at Carolina and Dec. 4, 2018 vs. Calgary. Atkinson is also the club’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, tallying 10-16-26 in 35 career postseason games as a Blue Jacket.
The Blue Jackets selected the Riverside, Connecticut native in the sixth round, 157th overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft. Atkinson played three seasons at Boston College, becoming a First Team All-Amercan in 2011, a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist in 2011 and won national championship in 2010.
Atkinson made his NHL debut on Oct. 7, 2011 vs. Nashville. He registered 253-236-489 and 194 penalty minutes in 809 career games with the Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Blue Jackets open the 2025-26 regular season on Thursday, October 9 at the Nashville Predators at 8 p.m.