Cam Atkinson Bio
Cameron Thomas Atkinson is an American former professional ice hockey right winger who played thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Selected in the sixth round, 157th overall, of the 2008 NHL draft by the Blue Jackets, Atkinson carved out a long career despite being smaller than most NHL forwards, earning a reputation for exceptional speed, slick agility, soft hands, and a powerful shot. He recorded 226 goals and 202 assists for 428 points across 760 regular-season NHL games, and he added additional production in the playoffs during several postseason runs with his clubs.
Atkinson retired as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets after signing a symbolic one-day contract on October 16, 2025, having last played for the Tampa Bay Lightning the previous season. He is remembered as a hard-working, undersized winger who consistently produced at a level well above what was expected when he was drafted.
Early Life and Background
Cameron Thomas Atkinson was born on June 5, 1989, in Riverside, Connecticut, and grew up as the middle child of five children in the Atkinson household. His parents, Tom Atkinson and Ellen Atkinson, raised a family in which all of the children began playing hockey at a young age, shaping an early environment centered on the sport. As a youth, Cam dabbled in many activities and played, by his own recollection, pretty much every sport, but his two true passions quickly became tennis and ice hockey.
Atkinson’s athletic development took a serious turn when he was 15 years old. During a hockey tournament in Marlborough, Massachusetts, he fractured both his tibia and fibula, and a doctor warned that he might never skate again. His parents refused to accept that prognosis, sought a second medical opinion, and a different physician surgically inserted a rod and two pins into his leg. Atkinson recovered fully and returned to competitive hockey, a turning point that helped define the determination he carried into the rest of his career.
In 2004, Atkinson enrolled at Avon Old Farms, an all-boys’ boarding school in Avon, Connecticut, widely recognized for its competitive hockey program. The school provided the structured environment and high-level competition that helped him continue his development as a forward.
Path to Hockey
Despite his play at Avon Old Farms and a strong offensive skill set, Atkinson was generally overlooked by NHL teams during his draft year because of his small frame. Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall, he fell to the sixth round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, where the Columbus Blue Jackets selected him 157th overall. Rather than jump straight to professional hockey, Atkinson chose to honor his college commitment and enrolled at Boston College to play for the Boston College Eagles.
He made an immediate impact in college, scoring the game-winning goal in his debut game on October 10, 2008, a 5–4 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers, and was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week for the performance. He played all 36 games of his freshman 2008–09 season, producing seven goals, two of them game-winners, and 12 assists for 19 points, and received the Bernie Burke Outstanding Freshman Award. The following year, Atkinson led the entire NCAA in goals with 30 in 2009–10, including two in the national championship game, and at one stretch scored three hat tricks in only ten games.
Cam Atkinson Career
Early Career (2011–2013)
On March 27, 2011, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed Atkinson to a two-year entry-level contract that included an amateur tryout agreement so he could finish the 2010–11 season with the Springfield Falcons, the Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League affiliate. He made his professional debut on April 1, 2011, scoring the game-winning goal in a victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and added three goals and five points in five games with Springfield.
He scored his first NHL goal on October 10, 2011, against goaltender Cory Schneider of the Vancouver Canucks, although the Canucks won that game 3–2. After a brief four-game stint with Columbus, he was returned to Springfield, where his play earned him a spot on the 2012 AHL Eastern Conference All-Star Team. He then recorded his first NHL hat trick on April 5, 2012, in a 5–2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, signaling the start of his growth as an offensive contributor at the top level.
Columbus Blue Jackets Breakthrough (2013–2021)
After his time split between the AHL and NHL, Atkinson settled into a regular role with the Blue Jackets and steadily built his offensive totals. His second career hat trick came on March 27, 2015, in a 5–2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, and he added a third hat trick during the 2015–16 season in a 5–2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, showing that he could produce against top competition.
His biggest leap came in 2016–17, when he broke out as one of the Blue Jackets’ most dangerous scorers and helped push the team to the top of the standings. That January, he was named a 2017 NHL All-Star Game replacement for Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, who withdrew with a lower-body injury, an honor widely viewed as overdue. On November 16, 2017, the Blue Jackets rewarded him with a seven-year, $41.125 million contract extension worth $5.875 million per year, and during the 2017–18 season he recorded his fourth career hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers, fueling a six-game Columbus winning streak.
The 2018–19 campaign was the statistical peak of Atkinson’s career. He set personal bests across the board with 41 goals, 28 assists, and 69 points in the regular season, and he added 8 points in 10 playoff games as Columbus made a deep postseason push. His production during this run cemented him as one of the franchise’s most important players of that era.
Philadelphia Flyers Era (2021–2024)
On July 24, 2021, the Blue Jackets traded Atkinson to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Jakub Voráček, marking a new chapter in his career. He joined a rebuilding Flyers squad and continued to provide veteran scoring and two-way play on the wing. However, during training camp ahead of 2022–23, he was diagnosed with a herniated disc and also required surgery on his left tricep, forcing him to miss the entire 2022–23 season while on injured reserve.
Atkinson returned to the Flyers lineup for the 2023–24 season but did not play out the final year of his contract. Philadelphia used a compliance buyout on the remaining term, making him an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NHL career.
Tampa Bay Lightning Era (2024–2025)
On July 2, 2024, Atkinson signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an unrestricted free agent. He slotted into a contending Lightning forward group and provided bottom-six scoring and speed while contributing on special teams. The Lightning used him as a reliable depth winger during the 2024–25 season, and his veteran presence helped balance a young offensive core.
Driving Style and Strengths
Atkinson built his NHL career on world-class speed and quick-twitch agility, which allowed him to separate from defensemen and create chances in tight areas. He paired that skating ability with soft hands around the net, a quick and accurate wrist shot, and a relentless work ethic, traits that helped him overcome the size disadvantage that pushed him down the draft board. He was also trusted in late-game situations and on special teams, where his shooting and anticipation made him a consistent contributor.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Atkinson’s signature moments were his first NHL goal against Cory Schneider, his four career hat tricks, and his 2017 All-Star Game selection as a replacement for Evgeni Malkin. The seven-year contract extension he signed in November 2017 stood as one of the biggest deals of his career, and his 41-goal, 69-point season in 2018–19 represented the offensive high point. He also made a memorable return to Columbus in 2025, signing a one-day contract to retire as a Blue Jacket on October 16.
Cam Atkinson Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Cameron Thomas Atkinson was raised in Riverside, Connecticut, the middle child of five born to Tom Atkinson and Ellen Atkinson. All of the Atkinson children began playing hockey at a young age, and the family home served as the starting point for Cam’s love of the game. His parents were central to his hockey journey, including their decision to seek a second medical opinion when a doctor warned that a teenage Cam might never skate again after a serious leg fracture.
Personal Life
Off the ice, Atkinson became known for his community involvement, particularly during his time in Philadelphia, when he joined teammates Scott Laughton and Joel Farabee in supporting local LGBTQ organizations. He has been generally private about other aspects of his personal life, with no public spouse or children recorded in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
Atkinson entered the 2025 offseason as an unrestricted free agent for the second consecutive summer, having played the 2024–25 campaign with the Tampa Bay Lightning on a one-year deal. After going unsigned through the summer, his path back to the league closed when, on October 8, 2025, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that he would sign a one-day contract in order to retire as a member of the organization.
He was honored prior to the Blue Jackets’ home game against the Colorado Avalanche on October 16, 2025, closing a 13-year NHL career that began with the same franchise that drafted him in 2008. The ceremony gave Columbus and its fans a chance to recognize a player who had been central to some of the most successful seasons in franchise history.