For the second time since debuting with the Ottawa Senators in the 2017-18 season, defenseman Christián Jaroš has been placed on unconditional waivers for contract termination. The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that the two sides have agreed to a mutual termination should he clear unconditional waivers.
Surprisingly, today’s news comes three months to the day when the Blue Jackets first shared that they had signed Jaroš. He was projected to play for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters to start the year. There are no additional reports about his potential landing spot, but news may arrive tomorrow if he clears.
The Kosice, Slovakia native has spent the last three years in the KHL, split between the Avangard Omsk, Severstal Cherepovets, and CSKA Moskva. Throughout that stretch, the 29-year-old has scored eight goals and 42 points in 134 contests with a +16 rating.
He was largely unnoticeable throughout his playing days in the NHL, though he earned an extended look with the Senators during the 2018-19 campaign. From 2017 to 2022, Jaroš scored one goal and 14 points in 94 games with the Senators, San Jose Sharks, and New Jersey Devils, averaging 13:04 of ice time per game. He had been far more respectable with those teams’ respective AHL affiliates, registering five goals and 34 points in 90 games with a +16 rating.