Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets Make Depth Signing on Back End

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:28 a.m. ET

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Fansided, Matt Duscharme/FanSided via Puck Prose

Columbus Blue Jackets Make Depth Signing to Help Their Backend.

For 29 teams, their off-seasons have already started and for the Columbus Blue Jackets who are facing the expansion where they may possibly lose Sergei Bobrovsky, they have made a depth signing today.

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Apr 20, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center William Karlsson (25) celebrates with the bench after scoring a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period in game five of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena. The Pens won the game 5-2 and the series 4 games to 1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Just in case the Blue Jackets lose Bobrovsky in the expansion they went out and signed a piece that can be played at a later date if they wish to acquire another starter, or run with Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg next season.

The team announced Thursday that they signed USHL player and goaltender of the year Matiss Edmunds Kivlenieks, a tricky name but also a very tricky goaltender to beat. This past season for the Sioux City Musketeers, Matiss posted a 1.85 goals-against-average and a .932 save percentage in 49 games this year.

He's expected to play in the USHL or NCAA until 2019-20 but is also registered to play with Cleveland of the AHL next season, so the choice is ultimately his in where he decides to play. Regardless he's still a very promising prospect with a bright future ahead of him.

He also has great size standing at 6"2 and weighing almost 200 pounds, plus he's still young at just 20 years old.

This is good news for the Jackets just in case Bobrovsky, Korpisalo, or Forsberg is picked during the expansion draft this leaves them with another player who can take over that slot.

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