The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t be using Andrew Peeke in the lineup for the next while, after the young defenseman suffered a broken finger on Tuesday night. Peeke has been moved to injured reserve and is expected to miss four to six weeks. In his place, the team has recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the AHL under emergency conditions.
Peeke, 21, is just the latest injury for the Blue Jackets, whose roster page is starting to look like an infirmary as the season goes on. Josh Anderson, Markus Hannikainen, Brandon Dubinsky, Emil Bemstrom and Ryan Murray are all already out of the lineup, stretching the team’s depth incredibly thin.
Even the young defenseman Peeke wasn’t expected to play big minutes in the NHL this season, his first after leaving Notre Dame. The 34th overall selection in 2016 has just 28 professional games under his belt but projects to be a regular for the Blue Jackets down the line.