The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters announced Wednesday that upon their clearing waivers, the Blue Jackets assigned veteran forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Brendan Gaunce to the Monsters. In 26 appearances for Columbus this season, Aston-Reese posted 1-4-5 with 12 penalty minutes while Gaunce supplied 2-4-6 with 12 penalty minutes in 25 NHL appearances and added 4-2-6 with eight penalty minutes in 12 appearances for Cleveland.

A 6’1”, 203 lb. left-shooting native of Staten Island, NY, Aston-Reese, 31, logged 49-53-102 with 165 penalty minutes and a +17 rating in 415 career NHL appearances for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Columbus spanning parts of nine seasons from 2017-26. In 123 career AHL appearances for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Grand Rapids Griffins spanning parts of four seasons from 2017-19 and 2023-24, Aston-Reese contributed 32-44-76 with 127 penalty minutes and a +30 rating.

Prior to his professional career, Aston-Reese notched 66-82-148 with 182 penalty minutes and a +48 rating in 145 career NCAA appearances for Northeastern spanning four seasons from 2013-17. In 2016-17, Aston-Reese led the NCAA in goals (31) and points (63), earned Hockey East Player of the Year and NCAA (East) First All-American honors, and was named to the Hockey East First All-Star Team. In 2015-16, Aston-Reese helped Northeastern claim the Hockey East Tournament Championship while earning a spot on Hockey East’s All-Tournament Team and the conference’s Second All-Star Team.

A 6’3”, 219 lb. left-shooting native of Sudbury, ON, Gaunce, 31, was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (26th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and signed a two-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 1, 2024 through the 2025-26 season. Gaunce was acquired by Columbus via trade from Minnesota on June 26, 2025 in exchange for right wing Cameron Butler. In 214 career NHL appearances for Vancouver, the Boston Bruins, Columbus, and Minnesota spanning parts of ten seasons from 2015-20 and 2021-26, Gaunce generated 15-20-35 with 83 penalty minutes. In 394 career AHL appearances for the Utica Comets, Providence Bruins, Cleveland, and the Iowa Wild spanning parts of eleven seasons from 2014-20 and 2021-26, Gaunce contributed 127-141-268 with 248 penalty minutes, wearing the captain’s “C” for Cleveland in 2023-24 and again this year. 

In 2020-21, Gaunce helped the SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers claim the SHL Championship, posting 5-7-12 with 18 penalty minutes and a +8 rating in 18 regular-season appearances and 3-4-7 with 29 penalty minutes and a +2 rating in 12 playoff appearances for the Swedish club. Prior to his professional career, Gaunce logged 103-133-236 with 211 penalty minutes and a +8 rating in 258 career OHL appearances for the Belleville Bulls spanning four seasons from 2010-14. Gaunce wore the captain’s “C” for Belleville in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

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