Columbus Blue Jackets sign defenseman Dillon Simpson

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Dillon Simpson to a two-year, two-way National Hockey League/American Hockey League contract, club general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Simpson, 25, was selected by Edmonton in the fourth round, 92nd overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft and has spent the past four seasons in the Oilers organization. He has collected two penalty minutes in three NHL games with Edmonton, all during the 2016-17 season, and has registered 14 goals and 52 assists for 66 points with 78 penalty minutes and a +15 plus/minus rating in 242 career AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors.

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The 6-2, 204-pound native of Edmonton, Alberta tallied 4-14-18 and 18 penalty minutes in 61 games during the 2017-18 campaign, tying for the club lead in points by a defenseman. His best AHL season was 2015-16 when he set career highs in goals, assists and points with 4-16-20, 20 penalty minutes and was +8 in 57 games with Bakersfield.
Prior to turning professional, Simpson played four seasons at the University of North Dakota from 2010-14. In 156 career games, he tallied 16-59-75, 48 penalty minutes and was +22. He served as the team captain as a senior in 2013-14 and picked up 7-16-23 and 20 penalty minutes in 42 games, earning All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference First Team honors. He was also a finalist for the NCHC Player of the Year, Defenseman of the Year and Offensive Defenseman of the Year Awards.