COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Vinny Prospal to a one-year contract, club Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Prospal, 36, has registered 227 goals and 453 assists for 680 points with 513 penalty minutes in 978 career games with Philadelphia, Ottawa, Florida, Tampa Bay, Anaheim and the New York Rangers during his 13 NHL seasons. He has also appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs nine times, tallying 10-25-35 and 26 penalty minutes in 65 games. In 2010-11, he collected 9-14-23 and eight penalty minutes with a +4 plus/minus rating in 29 games with New York and added one goal in five playoff games.

“Vinny Prospal is a proven top six forward in the National Hockey League and we look forward to him playing that role for our hockey club,” said Howson. “We are very pleased to be able to add a player of his caliber to our team at this late date in the free agency process.”

Philadelphia’s second pick, 71st overall, in the 1993 Entry Draft, Prospal made has NHL debut with the Flyers in 1996-97 and has gone on to register five 20-goal seasons and eight campaigns with 50 or more points. He missed just 13 games in eight seasons from 2001-10, appearing in 643-of-656 contests during that span.

After spending nearly five years in the Flyers organization, Prospal joined the Senators in 1998 and in 1999-00 registered his first 20-goal, 50-point campaign with 22-33-55 and 40 penalty minutes in 79 games. He split 2000-01 between Ottawa and Florida before joining the Lightning in July 2001. He would spend six of the next seven seasons with Tampa Bay, where he tallied 14 or more goals and at least 54 points each season from 2001-02 to 2007-08.

Prospal tallied a career-high 25-55-80 in 81 games in 2005-06 and then combined for a career-high 33 goals, while adding 38 assists for 71 points in 80 games with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia in 2007-08. He added 3-10-13 in 17 games during the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs after joining the Flyers late in the regular season. He returned to Tampa Bay in 2008-09 and collected 19-26-45 and 52 penalty minutes in 82 outings before signing with the Rangers prior to the 2009-10 campaign. In his first season in New York, he notched 20-38-58 in 75 games in 2009-10. He served as an alternate captain, ranked second on the club in assists and points and was fourth in power play scoring with 6-13-19.

The Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic native has represented his country in international competition on several occasions, including at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. He played in the 2004 and 2005 World Championships, winning the gold medal in 2005, and in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey tournament. Prospal also represented the Czech Republic at the 1994 and 1995 World Junior Championships.

Full and partial season ticket plans for the Blue Jackets’ 2011-12 season are on sale now starting at less than $15 per game. Plan holders receive significant savings versus single game prices, exclusive access to events with players and coaches and more. Flexible payment plan options are available. For more information, call (800) NHL-COLS or visit BlueJackets.com.

- CBJ -