COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Simon Hjalmarsson to a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today.  The 6-0, 182-pound left winger has spent the past five seasons in the Swedish Hockey League, scoring 77 goals and registering 108 assists for 185 points in 271 games played with Rogle, Lulea and Linkoping. 



Last season, Hjalmarsson tallied 27-30-57 in 55 games with Linkoping, finishing tied for third in the league in both goals and points.  He added 5-4-9 in 14 playoff games.  In 2012-13, he collected 12-31-43, 10 PIM and was +21 in 55 games during the regular season and 5-6-11 with eight PIM in 10 playoff games. 



Hjalmarsson, 25, was originally a second round pick, 39th overall, of the St. Louis Blues in the 2007 NHL Draft.  The Varnamo, Sweden, native has represented his country at several international tournaments, including the past two IIHF World Championships (2014- Bronze, 2013- Gold). 



He won a silver medal with Team Sweden at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and captured bronze at the 2007 IIHW World U-18 Championships in Tampere, Finland, where he led the Swedes in scoring with 4-5-9 in six games played.