The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Mikael Pyyhtia to a one-year, two-way National Hockey League/American Hockey League contract for the 2025-26 National Hockey League season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
"Mikael Pyyhtia is a highly competitive player that brings high-end speed, reliable two-way play and a strong work ethic to a lineup," said Waddell. "We look forward to see his continued growth with the Blue Jackets organization.”
Pyyhtia, 23, has registered four goals and six assists for 10 points with eight penalty minutes and 56 shots on goal, while averaging 12:25 of ice time in 66 career games with Columbus since making his NHL debut in 2022-23. He set single-season career highs in 2024-25 after posting 4-3-7 with six penalty minutes, 32 shots on goal and 39 blocked shots in 47 contests. He was originally selected by the Blue Jackets in the fourth-round, 114th overall, at the 2020 NHL Draft.
A native of Turku, Finland, Pyyhtia has recorded 13-34-47, eight penalty minutes and 148 shots on goal in 95 AHL appearances with the Cleveland Monsters since 2022-23. He notched 3-13-16 with two PIM and 46 shots on goal in 28 games with Cleveland last season. He recorded AHL single-season career highs in 2023-24 with 7-21-28 in 60 games.
The 6-0, 176-pound forward spent four seasons with TPS in Finland’s Liiga from 2019-23, collecting 31-32-63 and 26 PIM in 140 career games played. He totaled 21-14-35 and a +8 rating in 56 contests and finished fifth-T in the league in goals in 2021-22. He skated in three games for Finland at the 2025 IIHF World Championships and helped the country to win a bronze medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships.
