Blue Jackets Sign 2x NCAA Champion Defenseman

Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Denver Pioneers defenseman Boston Buckberger skates with the puck during 2026 game.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed former University of Denver defenseman Boston Buckberger to a two-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2026-27 season, GM Don Waddell announced.

Buckberger isn't a name that ever dominated draft boards (he went undrafted), but he spent three seasons quietly building a case that someone was going to sign him, and Columbus had been watching closely. He attended the Blue Jackets' development camp in July 2025, was re-invited to training camp that fall, and now he's got a deal. 

Over 128 career games at Denver, Buckberger posted 24 goals and 86 points with a cumulative +94 plus/minus rating, helping the Pioneers win the NCAA championship in both 2024 and 2026. 

He also walked away from this year's Frozen Four with an all-tournament nod after setting up the game-winning goal in the title game against Wisconsin.

Built for the NHL's North-South Game

Buckberger, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was never the flashiest piece of Denver's blueline, Zeev Buium held that role in his first two seasons, and Eric Pohlkamp this year, but he delivered every single season anyway. 

This past year, he scored 10 goals and finished with 29 points and a plus-32 rating in 43 games, ranking second among all NCAA players in plus-minus and inside the top 10 among blueliners in goals. 

Eliteprospects describes him as a blueliner who creates by outthinking opponents, staying in space, making himself a passing option, and faking before doing the opposite. 

At 6-foot and 190 pounds, he's not going to overpower anyone, but he's shown he can play in all situations in a tough conference. 

The Blankenburg Blueprint

Columbus has a template here. 

They signed then-University of Michigan captain Nick Blankenburg in 2022, and he quickly became an NHL regular for the Blue Jackets before going on to contribute with Nashville and then Colorado. 

Buckberger isn't a carbon copy, as he's slightly bigger and has a different stylistic profile, but the path is similar. 

Waddell called him "smart, skilled" and able to "play in all situations." 

Where Buckberger fits into that picture long-term depends on how quickly he adjusts to the pro game, but Columbus has shown they know how to make this type of bet pay off.

Photo Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

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