Jake Christiansen's Journey to the NHL is a Story of Pure Perseverance

Christiansen was passed over multiple times at the draft. Despite that and over 200 AHL games, he's now an NHL top-four defenseman.

The Columbus Blue Jackets started the 2024-25 season with significant questions on their roster. Perhaps at the top of their list was how would their defense look? Although they had eight guys on the roster who were ready to play, there was no clarity on the order or how they would reduce their goals against.

Zach Werenski was the obvious candidate to be the Blue Jackets’ number-one defenseman. But then how would 2-6 look? Could someone step into the second pair and provide consistency and minutes?

Early on in the new season, Jake Christiansen has done that. His story and rise is one of perseverance, inspiration and hard work.

Christiansen Passed Over

Christiansen played parts of five seasons with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. While he was one of their better defensemen, he was never able to parlay that into hearing his name called at the NHL Draft.

Three different drafts went by. Each one ended the same as the one before. If Christiansen was eventually going to break into the NHL, he was going to have to do it the old-fashioned way. That was with hard work and dedication to his craft.

Of course the path wasn’t going to be easy or on the fast track. It took Christiansen over 200 AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters and another 44 NHL games with the Blue Jackets before he would get his breakthrough.

Christiansen was an AHL All-Star on multiple occasions. He was always on the edge of making it full-time in the NHL. He never quit or gave up. With the right attitude and a coach in Dean Evason who’s putting him in position to succeed, he’s now one of their most important players on a blue line trying to find their identity.

Christiansen talked exclusively with The Hockey Writers on Thursday and opened up about his journey and what led to this season. With additional insight from Evason and Damon Severson, you’ll see why Christiansen is a good fit for the way the Blue Jackets want to play.

AHL Time Proved Beneficial

“I think that every game, you learn something,” Christiansen said. “I've had 200 some games in the American League and a lot of learning lessons. I think if I was to watch a game from my first season, it's a completely different player. It's not just on the ice, just stuff off the ice, how you conduct yourself, how you go about situations and how to go through a full season. I've learned a lot from being in the American League. I think it's a great development tool.”

Jake Christiansen made the most of his time in the American Hockey League.

While many players would get frustrated and impatient after so many years of not being able to stick in the NHL, Christiansen always used that as motivation. With every situation, he would take something meaningful from it. He also understands he has a long way to go.

“I think there's some tough times, some frustration and joy, a lot of that through the years. I didn't get drafted in from the Western League three years in a row. Kind of a similar situation in my young career, wasn't getting drafted, wouldn't make it, went to the American League, couldn’t get a deal, went back to the Western League. It’s never been a quick path for me to this point. And I'm sure that I got to keep learning and keep growing.