Blue Jackets' defensemen Andrew Peeke, Nick Blankenburg selected for world championships
Bailey Johnson
A full 82-game schedule wasn't enough for Andrew Peeke.
After playing in all of the Blue Jackets' games this year, totaling two goals and 13 assists while averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per game, the defenseman is headed to Finland to represent the United States at the IIHF World Championships.
Peeke will be joined by Jackets rookie defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who signed with Columbus in April after finishing his four years at the University of Michigan. The competition begins May 13, and the two blueliners will face teammate Elvis Merzlikins in net for Latvia in the opening game.
This spring will be the first time Blankenburg dons the red, white and blue to represent his country in international competition. He took a winding path to the NHL, beginning his Michigan career as a walk-on, and tallied one goal and two assists in seven games with the Jackets at the end of the season.
Peeke previously played for the United States at the U20 world juniors in 2018, where he scored one goal and notched one assist in seven games as the U.S. finished in third place.
Alexandre Texier, who missed the final 42 games of the season with a broken finger and then a personal leave of absence, said Tuesday that he'll join the French team in the competition. Other Jackets who might be added to the roster for their respective countries include Patrik Laine (Finland), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Denmark), Dean Kukan (Switzerland) and Emil Bemstrom (Sweden).