Andrew Peeke needed a change of scenery, to put it lightly.
The 25-year-old defenseman was a regular contributor on the Blue Jackets over the last few seasons, playing in 162 out of a possible 164 games in Columbus from 2021-23 — averaging 21:22 of ice time per game over that extended stretch.
But this year was a different story for the Parkland, Florida, native.
Even with Columbus looking at an extensive rebuild, Peeke only played in 23 games with the Jackets in 2023-24, averaging just 15:37 of ice time per contest. With the rangy blueliner signed through the 2025-26 season with an annual cap hit of $2.