Breaking: Egor Zamula Signs With New Team Immediately After Contract Termination

Egor Zamula has become the third NHL player this season to give up money on a terminated contract in order to find a better situation for himself. Moments after clearing waivers on Tuesday, we've learned that Zamula has agreed to sign a $1 million deal, prorated, for the rest of the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Recently terminated Zamula is going to be signing with #CBJ for $1M

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— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) January 6, 2026

There were reportedly six teams interested in signing the depth defenseman, but he's chosen the Blue Jackets as his best fit, per his agent. He'll be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Zamula from the Philadelphia Flyers last week. But he didn't report to the team's AHL club and was subsequently suspended by the Penguins. The team then put him on waivers and his existing contract was mutually terminated.

His agent, Dan Milstein, released a statement saying that both the Penguins and Flyers were "professional, transparent, and highly constructive" in working with them over the past seven days.

"This was a balanced, mature decision by a professional athlete who chose long-term opportunity and the chance to remain in the NHL over short-term financial considerations," said Milstein.

Zamula gave up a contract that was paying him $1.7 million for the season, to go with the $1M deal with the Jackets, and a chance to play.

Benched just two games into the 2025-26 season, the 25-year-old d-man saw action in just 13 games with the Flyers this year, and spent a few contests with their AHL team in Lehigh Valley. He had been a staple in the Flyers' lineup the previous two seasons, though he had struggled through the 2024-25 campaign, and into training camp this year.