Atkinson set for another big NHL season with Blue Jackets

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Like his team, Cam Atkinson is on the rise.

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended the 2014-15 NHL regular season with a flurry, winning 15 of their last 16 games. Key acquisitions during the offseason have many believing the Blue Jackets, who narrowly missed qualifying for the playoffs last season, will build off last season’s late surge and emerge as contenders in the Metropolitan Division.

Meanwhile, Atkinson, a Greenwich native, is poised to do his share to help Columbus make a playoff push after registering consecutive 40-point seasons. A forward known for his speed and on-target shot, Atkinson recorded 22 goals and 18 assists this past season for the Blue Jackets after notching 21 goals and 19 assists during the squad’s 2013-14 campaign. After playing in 27 games as a rookie (2011-2012) and 35 his second season — which was cut short by a lockout — Atkinson has provided a steady presence to the Blue Jackets, appearing in 79 and 78 games, respectively, the past two years. He has tallied 59 goals and 53 assists so far for his career.

“My first two years I was trying to become acclimated to the league,” Atkinson said prior to competing in The Big Assist VII charity event at Terry Conners Ice Rink in Stamford Wednesday — a game that raised money for the Obie Harrington-Howes Foundation, benefiting people with spinal cord injuries. “Now I feel like I belong in the league, you have to prove people wrong. I’m very excited to be in Columbus.”

The Blue Jackets signed the 26-year-old right wing to a three-year contract extension in March.

“It’s very hard for players to remain with the same organization for a long time, so I’m excited to be a part of this group for the next three years and I would love to finish my career in Columbus,” said Atkinson, who was raised in Riverside. “I’m looking forward to being one of the core players and hopefully, help bring the Stanley Cup back to Nationwide Arena.”

Following a 43-32-7 season in 2013-14 — a campaign that saw them reach the playoffs, the injury-plagued Blue Jackets went 42-35-5 last season. At one point of the season, Columbus’ had 15 players on its injured reserve list.

Greenwich native and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson takes photos with fans before the seventh annual Big Assist benefiting the Obie Harrington-Howes Foundation at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, Conn., on Wednesday, July 15, 2015. less Greenwich native and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson takes photos with fans before the seventh annual Big Assist benefiting the Obie Harrington-Howes Foundation at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, ... more Photo: Jason Rearick / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Jason Rearick / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Atkinson set for another big NHL season with Blue Jackets 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

“We had a ton of injuries last year, but when we were a healthy group toward the end of the season we went 15-1,” said Atkinson, who helped Boston College win the NCAA title in 2010, tallying twice in the championship game. “It was a little too late, because we didn’t make the playoffs. But it was a step in the right direction and it showed how good a team we could be when we are a healthy group.”

Columbus improved significantly during the offseason, signing left wing Brandon Saad to a six-year contract. Acquired in a trade, Saad posted 23 goals and 29 assists for the two-time defending NHL champion Chicago Blackhawks this past season.

“Getting Saad was huge for us,” Atkinson said. “He played on the top line in Chicago and got the job done, helping the team win a couple of Stanley Cups. He’s young, but very experienced — he’s a man-child. He will bring a lot of offensive capabilities to our team and really help our team.”

Signing forward Gregory Campbell, who played for the Boston Bruins the past five seasons, was also key offseason move for the Blue Jackets.

“Campbell is a player who gets in hard on forechecks,” said Atkinson, an Avon Old Farms School graduate. “He scraps, protects his teammates and is a great role player. Everyone needs a bunch of guys like that on their team.”

Atkinson relished his first playoff appearance when the Blue Jackets played the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014 and like his team, is eager to return to the playoffs.

“Competing in the playoffs was an awesome experience,” Atkinson said. “It’s a whole other level and we hung in there against Pittsburgh. They were just a little more experienced than us. Being in that situation makes you hungry to get back to the postseason each and every season. As long as you make it, you have a chance to win the most important trophy.

With the trades we made and the players we have coming back, we are going to be a very hard team to play against. As long as we stay healthy we can do a lot of damage. I feel like I could do a lot more this year. I’ve been working hard at the gym and I’m excited to start playing.”

david.fierro@scni.com; 203-625-4423