Snapshots: Werenski, Olivier, Karmanov
The Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a tough 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday night, and a further blow was dealt to the team when veteran Zach Werenski was forced to leave the game due to an injury. The club announced tonight that Werenski suffered an upper-body injury during the game, and after, Columbus head coach Dean Evason told the media (including NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti) that it was too early to tell the extent of the injury. Evason did say that the team will evaluate Werenski’s status tomorrow.
Werenski has a strong argument as the Blue Jackets’ best player. The 28-year-old is a Norris Trophy-caliber all-around defenseman who scored 82 points in 81 games last season and finished as the Norris Trophy runner-up. He has 21 points through 23 games this season, good for second on the team in scoring. He plays just over 26 minutes per night, and is relied-upon by Evason in just about every key situation. While it’s too early to tell if Werenski’s injury is anything serious, if the Blue Jackets have to go without their most important player for any extended amount of time, that absence would likely deal a significant amount of damage to their ability to keep pace in a hotly-contested Eastern Conference Wild Card race.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- Werenski wasn’t the only Blue Jackets player to leave the game with an upper-body injury; the team also announced that forward Mathieu Olivier would miss the rest of the game with his own upper-body ailment. While Olivier isn’t nearly as crucial to the Blue Jackets’ lineup as Werenski is, his loss would also be felt by the team should his injury sideline him for any notable period of time. Olivier is one of the game’s more intimidating physical wingers, and he also showed some goal-scoring touch last season, scoring a career-high 18 times. The Blue Jackets will evaluate Olivier’s status tomorrow, as they will with Werenski.
- The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler reported tonight that prospect blueliner Alexander Karmanov will sign with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion tomorrow, registering as the team’s third import player. Karmanov, 17, is notable as he stands 7’0″ tall and weighs 278 pounds, according to Elite Prospects’ listing. There are no defensemen in the NHL (or AHL, for that matter) with that kind of size profile, and in an NHL that has become increasingly focused on size and strength for defensemen, that alone is enough to help Karmanov garner interest as a pro prospect. A Penn State commit who is repped by Dan Milstein’s Gold Star Sports Management, Karmanov’s reported signing in the OHL gives him a greater platform to raise his stock as a prospect in advance of the 2026 NHL Draft, which he is eligible to be selected in.
Blue Jackets Sign Brendan Smith To Two-Way Deal
The Blue Jackets signed Brendan Smith to a two-way contract, according to a team announcement. Since he was not placed on waivers today, he will be rostered for tonight’s game against the Capitals. He had played the first several weeks of the season on a professional tryout with AHL Cleveland after being released from a camp tryout with Columbus.
While it’s a delayed resolution, Smith finally gets the NHL contract he’d hoped for ever since signing his PTO with the Jackets back in August. It was the first time in 14 NHL seasons that Smith had needed to settle for a tryout. Because he was already playing in the Jackets’ system, today’s news essentially amounts to a call-up. The past few weeks in Cleveland marked his first minor-league action since being waived by the Rangers in February 2018. In 11 games for the Monsters, the depth defenseman recorded one assist with eight penalty minutes.
Smith was never known for his offense at the NHL level, but he was nearly a point-per-game player in college and had good scoring lines in the AHL in the early stages of his career with the Red Wings organization. That makes his lack of production in Cleveland underwhelming, particularly with his -5 rating being tied for the second-worst on the team.
Nonetheless, the 36-year-old is getting another shot on an NHL roster. Columbus has been down a veteran option for most of the season, with Erik Gudbranson missing all but four games with upper-body and hip injuries. Dysin Mayo has been rostered as a seventh defenseman for a good chunk of the campaign as a result, but they’ve shown an extreme reluctance to play the righty. He’s only appeared once despite being rostered for 13 games.
The Blue Jackets presumably desired a more experienced option for the press box and to challenge the struggling Jake Christiansen for third-pairing minutes, and they’ll get that in Smith. A first-round pick by Detroit back in 2007, he’s gone on to appear in 726 NHL games with 39 goals, 105 assists, and 144 points with a -15 rating. If he gets into a game for the Blue Jackets, they’ll be his sixth NHL team and his third in the past three years following recent stints with the Devils and Stars.
Blue Jackets Recall Brendan Gaunce, Reassign Luca Del Bel Belluz
The Blue Jackets announced that they’ve elevated forward Brendan Gaunce from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Center Luca Del Bel Belluz is headed back down to Cleveland in the corresponding move.
Del Bel Belluz was initially brought up earlier in the month after an injury scare to Sean Monahan, although he didn’t end up missing any time. They still opted to give the 22-year-old pivot a crack at NHL minutes, something that became more feasible after captain Boone Jenner landed on injured reserve last week. Del Bel Belluz had gotten into seven of the last eight games, but rarely as more than a fourth-line center. He averaged only 9:35 of ice time, limited to one assist while winning just 10 of his 34 faceoffs for a 26.4 FOW%.
Given Del Bel Belluz’s skillset as an offensive needle-mover, that wasn’t the best choice for his long-term development, nor was he the best fit for the role the Jackets were asking him to play. The 2022 second-round pick more accurately flashed his ceiling during a 15-game call-up last year, when he rattled off two goals and six assists for eight points in nearly 14 minutes of ice time per game.
With Del Bel Belluz not getting that type of deployment this time around, they’ll opt to let him resume playing a starring role in Cleveland while recalling the vastly more experienced Gaunce to serve as a fourth-line stopgap. The 31-year-old was reacquired by the Blue Jackets via trade from the Wild over the offseason after previously spending three seasons in Columbus and Cleveland from 2021-22 through 2023-24. Gaunce brings a 13-16–29 scoring line with a -17 rating in 189 career NHL appearances to the role.
Blue Jackets Place Boone Jenner On Injured Reserve
For the second time in as many seasons, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be without their captain for some time. The Blue Jackets announced that Boone Jenner has been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Jenner isn’t expected to have a short stay on the IR either. Head coach Dean Evason indicated that the injury wasn’t expected to be a short term one. It’s more of the same for Jenner, who hasn’t played in a full season since the 2016-17 campaign.
The injury stems from the Blue Jackets’ contest on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. Despite winning the game by one goal, Jenner left the contest after one shift in the second period.
It’s an unfortunate blow to Columbus and Jenner. He had gotten off to a solid start to the 2025-26 season, scoring three goals and 10 points through his first 16 games. After returning from an extended injury last season, Jenner had scored 10 goals and 29 points in his last 42 games.
That kind of production over the last little while, as well as his career performances, has made Jenner a speculative trade candidate of late. Unfortunately, if the Blue Jackets had any idea of trading Jenner in his contract year, the new injury concern has a chance of impacting their potential return.
Latest On Jet Greaves, Elvis Merzlikins
- The Columbus Blue Jackets leaned heavily on netminder Jet Greaves this past week, a change from most of the season where they’ve split starts evenly between Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins. According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, that should not be viewed as an indication that Columbus is moving away from Merzlikins and moving to a more traditional starter-backup model. Per Portzline, head coach Dean Evason maintains that the decision on which goaltender to start remains a day-to-day decision. Greaves has posted an .897 save percentage across 10 games this season, while Merzlikins has a .908 through seven games played. Merzlikins dealt with an illness this past week while Greaves got the larger workload.
Blue Jackets’ Boone Jenner Generating Trade Interest
It’s never too early for teams to start planning to bring in additional pieces to their lineup. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period believes another name has entered the trade market, saying that Columbus Blue Jackets’ captain Boone Jenner would be an ideal fit for most contending teams.
Still, it’s unlikely that any trade chatter regarding Jenner is coming from the Blue Jackets. Pagnotta is correct that Columbus is near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but it’s important to add context. They technically have a winning record (8-7-1) and are only two points removed from the last wild-card spot.
Given that Columbus is one good week away from being included in the contention conversation, they likely haven’t had substantive internal discussions about moving anyone this season. Regardless, there’s no questioning that Jenner would provide a handsome return if they made him available.
For starters, there are virtually no hurdles to clear in a potential Jenner trade. He’s making an affordable $3.75MM salary this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer, and only has an eight-team no-trade clause as far as protection goes. Even if Jenner somehow has eight contending teams on his no-trade clause, the Blue Jackets would realistically have another eight to 10 teams to choose from.
Although he might not be the top-six forward that Columbus has often utilized him as, Jenner would be a well-above-average third-line forward for most competitive teams. He can play all three forward positions, though his 54.1% career success rate in the faceoff dot over 8,000+ career draws suggests he’s best at center.
Additionally, Jenner underrated physical presence on the ice, often registering more than 100 hits a year, and over 200 hits on four different occasions. He’s defensively sound as well, averaging a 90.5% on-ice save percentage at even strength throughout his career.
This leaves his offensive game as the main point of contention, and why he’s likely better used as a third-line pivot rather than a top-six piece. It’s challenging to gauge exactly where Jenner’s offensive game stands now, considering the injury history he’s faced over the last several years. Still, he’s tallied 32 goals and 64 points in his previous 100 games, which is a 52-point 82-game average.
That offensive production may appear like a capable top-six forward on most teams. Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets have faced difficulty in keeping Jenner in that role, given that he hasn’t played in 70 or more games since the 2019-20 season. Regardless, given his other attributes, Jenner would be a valuable piece for any postseason team.
Blue Jackets Recall Luca Del Bel Belluz
The Blue Jackets announced that they have recalled center Luca Del Bel Belluz from AHL Cleveland. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson was moved to injured reserve in the corresponding move.
Del Bel Belluz’s addition to the roster comes in the wake of an injury to top center Sean Monahan, who left last night’s game against the Flames after sustaining an apparent upper-body injury late in the second period on an awkward collision into the end boards with Calgary rearguard Rasmus Andersson. Columbus isn’t expecting Monahan to miss significant time, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports, but a short-term absence still appears likely.
Del Bel Belluz is in his third season of professional hockey after the Jackets picked him in the second round of the 2022 draft, 44th overall. He’s in the second year of his entry-level contract, which carries a reduced cap hit of $859,999 because of a pair of slide years. With over $16MM in cap space, according to PuckPedia, there’s virtually no limit on the roster moves Columbus can make.
The No. 4 prospect in Columbus’ system got his first legitimate taste of NHL action last season and looked the part. He made his debut the previous season but only played in one game. That time around, he got 15 appearances in January and February, also due in part to a Monahan injury. He was given bottom-six deployment but still averaged a respectable 13:45 of ice time per game, about 50 seconds of which came on the power play. He was productive in his chance, scoring twice and adding six assists for eight points. He only won 43% of his faceoffs – as to be expected for a rookie – and he wasn’t particularly physical with just four hits. His possession impacts were undesirable as well, although the Jackets will wait for a larger sample size before making any determinations on the quality of his two-way play.
While his defensive growth remains a question mark, Del Bel Belluz’s offensive ceiling is evident. In a Columbus pool flush with up-and-coming centers, he has some work to do to stand out, but he is making a real push. Now, 21, he has three goals and five points through his first seven games for Cleveland this season. Last year, he was named to the AHL’s All-Star Game amid a 27-goal, 53-point effort in 61 showings.
Columbus already had Yegor Chinakhov sitting as an extra forward, but he’s a winger. With Monahan facing missed time, they wanted insurance down the middle. They have options already dressed on the wing who can easily slot in down the middle – Boone Jenner and Cole Sillinger, in particular – but, understandably, head coach Dean Evason doesn’t want to mess too much with a forward group that’s helping Columbus generate 32.8 shots per game, second-most in the league.
The Blue Jackets aren’t back in action until Saturday, so they have some time to make a determination on Monahan’s status. As for Gudbranson, he’s on his second multi-game absence of the season already. He hasn’t played since Oct. 25 due to a hip issue, so since he’s missed more than a week, he’s eligible for activation at any time. The 33-year-old has only made four appearances this season because of his hip problem and a previous upper-body issue. He’s averaged only 14:51 per game and has a -2 rating.
RFA Tim Berni Signs Six-Year Deal In Swiss League
- It’s fair to say that Tim Berni won’t be returning to the NHL anytime soon. The Blue Jackets RFA defenseman will be staying in Switzerland as Zurich of the NL announced that they’ve signed the 25-year-old to a six-year contract beginning next season. This season, Berni has three points in 20 games with Geneve-Servette. He previously saw action in 59 games with Columbus back in 2022-23 but even with close to a regular role on the roster, he elected to return home after that season.
Blue Jackets Prospect Tanner Henricks Out Three Months With Lower-Body Injury
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect defenseman Tanner Henricks is out for three months with a lower-body injury, per St. Cloud Live’s Mick Hatten. Per Hatten, Henricks’ brother Ty Henricks, a forward for Western Michigan University, delivered a body check on his younger brother, and was given a five-minute major penalty for contact with the head. Falling from the hit, Tanner reportedly suffered a lower-body injury, and “was seen in a walking boot after the game.”
Logan Cooley Extension Setting RFA Market
The Utah Mammoth became the first to cave when they signed pending-restricted free agent and star center Logan Cooley to an eight-year, $80MM contract extension. Mammoth owner Ryan Smith said after that the deal gives both team and player the assurance that Cooley will be able to plant his roots. For teams across the league, the move could have a deeper impact. With fellow young stars Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli all on expiring deals of their own – Cooley’s $10MM annual price tag could be the start of negotiations, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
That’s great news for Bedard, who is the only on the list to outscore Cooley through their young careers. Cooley boasts 53 goals and 121 points in 168 career games, including this season, while Bedard has managed 51 goals and 142 points in 161 games. There’s no doubt that Bedard has facen the tougher test as well, looking to buoy a desolate Chicago Blackhawks club while Cooley’s rebranded Mammoth look to make their first playoff push.
The heavier load should earn Bedard a boost when negotiations roll around. His yearly cap hit could match Cooley’s $10MM on a shorter deal, potentially four-to-five years, or could go as high as $12MM on a max-term, eight-year deal per LeBrun, who points out that Bedard holds all of the leverage in negotiations. The 20-year-old centerman is a pillar of Chicago’s nightly lineup, and could even be a candidate for their captaincy on his next deal. With no salary cap concerns in sight, Chicago won’t be pressured to spoil Bedard’s importance by trying to save a few extra bucks.
Negotiations could be a bit tougher for Fantilli, who has elevated his play to a true top-line level but hasn’t yet taken over the top forward role for the Columbus Blue Jackets. That title has to stand with right-winger Kirill Marchenko, whose 10 points in 10 games is double what Fantilli’s five points on the year. Part of that scoring dip comes from Fantilli moved away from centering Marchenko, one season after the two played together more than any other Columbus forward pair. Fantilli scored a career-high 31 goals and 54 points, while shooting at a manageable 16.2 percent, in the elevated role last season. This year, he’s been tasked with commanding the team’s second-line, to mixed results.
Signs of continued growing pains does separate Fantilli from the dominant roles of Cooley and Bedard. With those two rivaling for eight-figure contracts, it seems Fantilli would have better luck pushing for a deal in the realm of $9MM each season. Blackhawks winger Frank Nazar recently signed a surprising seven-year, $46.2MM contract after carrying Team USA to a World Championship Gold alongside Cooley. The deal carries a team-friendly $6.6MM cap hit, but pays Nazar $9.1MM and $8.66MM in salary through the first two years respectively. Those numbers could be significant markers for Fantilli, as he looks to sign his own deal as second-fiddle. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell shared that Columbus doesn’t plan to negotiate a new deal with Fantilli until after the Olympic break, per LeBrun.
Just like at the 2023 Draft, Carlsson’s fate lies somewhere between Bedard and Fantilli. The Swedish-native has taken on a major role for the Anaheim Ducks, offering both top-end impacts both on and off of the puck. He scored a career-high 45 points in 76 games last season. That’s the lowest personal-best on this list, though it came with a Ducks squad that scored the third-fewest goals in the 2024-25 season. Anaheim was led in scoring by Troy Terry‘s 55 points last year, a mark that Carlsson could reasonably clear with some bolstered roles around him. He’s proving as much early on this season, with a team-leading 11 points in nine games while playing alongside Alex Killorn and either Cutter Gauthier or Chris Kreider.
Carlsson appears to have taken a big step forward through the early year. Anaheim won’t have to look far for a comparable deal, after signing Mason McTavish to a six-year, $42MM contract extension in the weeks before the season. The resulting $7MM cap hit is likely a bit cheaper than McTavish could’ve managed on a seven-or-eight-year deal. That should well support Carlsson’s push towards a $9MM contract next summer, especially if he can continue to outscore McTavish through the rest of the year.
The NHL salary cap is presently skyrocketting. It is up $7.5MM this season, and expected to rise another $18MM before the 2027-28 season. That growth has made projecting new contracts a much tougher task – which is where timely extensions like Cooley’s help set the market. He’s been awarded $10MM to man his team’s top-forward role for much of the next decade. That’s set a price tag for the role – one that some 2026 restricted free agents could live up to, while others need to keep trying to play their way into a bigger payday.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.