Columbus signs forward prospect to one-year extension

On Saturday, the Columbus Blue Jackets retained forward prospect James Malatesta, signing him to a one-year, two-way contract extension for the 2026-27 season. The agreement carries an NHL salary of $850,000 and an AHL salary of $95,000, based on PuckPedia.

Malatesta spent the whole 2025-26 campaign with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, recording 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 57 games. He also led the club with 87 penalty minutes, demonstrating the competitive intensity he has dropped at his game on the skilled level. The season was his first since turning pro without appearing in an NHL game.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound winger has appeared in 13 profession NHL contests with Columbus over the previous two seasons. During that span, he collected two goals and 4 points, together with five penalty minutes and 47 hits.

Though Malatesta earned recognition as a promising offensive prospect, he has yet to consistently produce on the skilled level. He amassed eight goals and 14 points in 41 games with Cleveland in 2024-25 before ending with 18 points this past season.

His physical style has turn into a defining a part of his game. Over the past three seasons with the Monsters, Malatesta has collected 215 penalty minutes in 154 games, the very best total on the team during that stretch and greater than 50 minutes ahead of the next-closest player, Roman Ahcan.

Before turning skilled, Malatesta enjoyed considerable offensive success within the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts. From 2020 to 2023, he tallief 142 points in 155 games, the third-most by a Remparts players since 2020 behind Theo Rochette and Zachary Bolduc.

The brand new contract gives Malatesta one other opportunity to proceed his development with Cleveland while working toward earning additional NHL opportunities with the Blue Jackets.