BREAKING — 1:15pm
Per the Columbus Blue Jackets public relations, team:
Patrik Laine will miss the next 3-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Yet another setback for the team and the star forward. Best wishes
Onto the rest:
In a two game week with travel from Finland, the Columbus Blue Jackets were able to obtain 3 of an possible 4 points available.
Columbus won a 5-2 win at home against Philadelphia. This was the return of former coach John Tortorella and alumni Cam Atkinson and Lukas Sedlak.
Columbus lost a 4-3 overtime nail bitter to the New York Islanders, getting first goals of season from forwards Cole Sillinger and Emil Bemstrom; and the first NHL career goal for defenseman Marcus Bjork in his first career game.
Moving into this week, the Union Blue sits at 31st of 32 in the overall league standings, tied with the Anaheim Ducks due to games played. The Ducks have played 15 with 9 points; Columbus is at 14 with the same played.
This week, Columbus begins a 6 game home stand, with 4 games between Tuesday and Sunday.
They play the Flyers for the second time this season. The first time since the injuries to defensemen Zach Werenski, Erik Gudbranson, and Nick Blankenburg.
Additional, the Blue Jackets welcome three opponents for the first time this season: Montreal, Detroit, and Florida. All three from the Atlantic Division, all have undergone major transition.
The injury report remains the biggest mark of concern for the fan base and the players in the locker room.
Two on the list can already be ruled out for the regular season- forward Justin Danforth and defenseman Zach Werenski due to torn labrums.
Danforth, 29, is in the first year of a two year contract extension, paying him $975K annually. The Oshawa native joined Columbus after many seasons in Europe, and became the 2021-2022 representative of the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance in the game of hockey. He was a breakout player in the 2022-2023 season, and had 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 6 games this regular season.
Werenski, 25, sustained a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Michigan native had 3 goals and 5 assists in 13 games this season in the first year of a 6 year, $57.5M dollar contract. This makes the 22-23 season the least amount of games Werenski will have played in a single season. In his 7 years with Columbus, he has only played one full season, but has 245 career points in 416 career NHL games (79 goals, 166 assists).
Kent Johnson, 20, has not played since the Finland trip due to an undisclosed upper body injury, status of this week is unknown. After a three game goal streak, he has had only one assist since October 28.
Jakub Voracek suffered an upper body injury in the first game of the Global Series in Tampere, Finland, where the first rounder had his first goal of the season. Prior to the trip, Voracek had 5 assists in 10 games. He was played on IR on Friday.
Joining the IR with Voracek was center Sean Kuraly. The hometown boy has 4 points in 12 games this season, and suffered an injury in the second Global Series game in Finland. Kuraly has gone to the Cup Finals with Boston in 2019 v the St Louis Blues, besting Columbus in the process. In 89 career games with the Jackets, Kuraly has 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists).
Erik Gubdranson is on the IR after suffering an undisclosed upper body injury against Philadelphia, and has not had a point since October 23, where he got an assist against the Rangers. In his first season with Columbus, he has 3 assists in 13 games.
Nick Blankenburg suffered a broken ankle against Philadelphia, and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. He obtained the injury midway through the third period, and still scored an empty net goal for his second goal of the season. In 14 career games, he has 3 goals and 3 assists as an undrafted defenseman out of the University of Michigan Wolverines NCAA program.
Adam Boqvist suffered a broken foot against the Arizona Coyotes, and is pointless in the first four games of the season. In 56 career games as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, he has 11 goals and 11 assists.
On the bright side, Finnish newcomer Joona Luoto has been activated off the season opening injury reserve, and has been assigned to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. Luoto has 0 points in 16 NHL games, all with the Winnipeg Jets.
In the rumor world, the only thing I have is the original report is from the suggestion of Vladislav Gavrikov and Toronto Maple Leafs connection after the mediocre start to the Leafs’ season.
Nothing further to report, but the logic is there given the VV for Lethonen and Nick Foligno for Corson Culeumans deals.
Still working on the CBJ interest, but given the few rentals, that be the best place to look at come the 2022 Trade Deadline.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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