Jake Christiansen is making the most of his opportunity.
The 24-year-old undrafted defenseman from West Vancouver, British Columbia, has played two games since being recalled from the AHL ahead of Saturday's game against San Jose due to Adam Boqvist's injury. In his career, he's posted 1-6--7 in 37 NHL games including 0-2--2 in five games this season.
He's certainly earned this call-up, as he's currently the fourth-highest scorer among AHL defensemen with 13-27--40 in 54 games.
hey now, he's an All Star
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) June 14, 2022
Jake Christiansen put in hard work for his spot on the AHL Second All-Star Team:
4th in points among all defensemen in the AHL
Led the Monsters in points & assists
Tied a Monsters record for most consecutive games with an assist pic.twitter.com/77i2NaYIv8
According to evolving-hockey.com, he's fourth among Blue Jackets defensemen with two goals above replacement, 0.3 wins above replacement, and 0.6 standings points above replacement.
In a small sample size, Christiansen has proven that he belongs in the NHL. He's been solid on the defensive end, can move the puck, and has offensive upside. His one-year, $775k deal expires after this season and he'll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, and he's proven that he's earned another contract.
