Blue Jackets Activate, Reassign Yegor Chinakhov
The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated winger Yegor Chinakhov off injured reserve and assigned him to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, according to a team release Wednesday.
Chinakhov, 22, sustained a back strain pre-season that sidelined him for most of training camp and the first six games of 2022-23. Now healthy, he heads to Cleveland, where he’s only played eight games since coming to North America in 2021. They’ve gone quite well, however, as the 2020 first-round pick has four goals and five assists for nine points in those AHL contests.
The early-season injury likely cost Chinakhov a roster spot, given the team’s influx of young wingers. However, don’t expect him to stick in the minors for long – he notched a respectable 13 points in 30 games with the Blue Jackets last season and posted solid possession numbers relative to his teammates. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound winger will surely be ticketed for top-line minutes in the minors while on assignment.
Assigning Chinakhov directly to the minors also means the team is intent on giving another young Russian winger, Dmitri Voronkov, at least a brief look in the NHL. The Blue Jackets recalled Voronkov earlier in the week when they placed forward Patrik Laine on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, but he hasn’t yet suited up in what will be his first NHL game. That’s expected to change tomorrow against the Canadiens, as Kent Johnson will serve as a healthy scratch so Voronkov can enter the lineup. Voronkov, 23, has played exclusively in Russia up until this season and had no points in four games with AHL Cleveland to start 2023-24.
Chinakhov has not played an NHL game since December 19, 2022, against Dallas, when he sustained an ankle injury on his first shift that sidelined him for the majority of 2022-23. After returning to health, Chinakhov finished out the season in Cleveland.
Blue Jackets Place Patrik Laine On IR, Recall Dmitri Voronkov
According to a team release, the Blue Jackets have recalled forward Dmitri Voronkov from AHL Cleveland. To make room for Voronkov on the active roster, the team placed forward Patrik Laine on injured reserve with an upper-body injury retroactive to last Friday, sidelining him for the team’s next two games at the least.
Voronkov, 23, had a breakout pro season for the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan in 2022-23, potting 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points in 54 games while playing a heavy, imposing style of game. He was expected to contend for a roster spot with the Blue Jackets out of training camp but ultimately did not make the cut and began the season on assignment to Cleveland, where he has just one assist through four games. A fourth-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2019, Voronkov could make his NHL debut Tuesday against the Ducks.
As for Laine, this news is expected after taking a hard, late hit from Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson with just seconds left in Friday’s 3-1 win. Andersson, who has an appeal scheduled for today with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, was suspended four games for the hit. Laine will miss at least three games because of the play, also sitting out of Saturday’s overtime victory over the Wild. It’s a tough break for the 25-year-old, who remains day-to-day after recording two points through four contests, continuing to experiment playing at center after sticking on the wing for most of his 466-game NHL career.
After being acquired from the Jets in exchange for center Pierre-Luc Dubois early in the shortened 2020-21 season, Laine has been an effective goal-scorer for a struggling Columbus team but failed to stay healthy. Just over the last two seasons, Laine notched close to a point-per-game but missed a combined 53 games, keeping him from hitting the 30-goal plateau for the first time since 2018-19. He’s been on pace for well over 30 markers in each of the past two years (38 in 2021-22, 33 in 2022-23), signaling that he can still be the star sniper the Jets thought they were getting with the second-overall pick in 2016.
Rasmus Andersson Suspended Four Games, Flames Will Appeal
6:12 p.m.: Andersson has been suspended four games as a result of the play, NHL Player Safety confirms. Andersson will be eligible to return on November 1 against the Stars. Charging was the official designation on the play. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis later reported the Flames are planning to appeal the suspension, although a significant reduction in length is unlikely to happen in time based on past precedent.
10:19 a.m.: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson delivered an elbow to the head of Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine in the dying seconds of last night’s contest, earning himself a major penalty in the process. The clip of the play can be viewed here. It has also earned him a discussion with the league as the Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link) that he’ll have a hearing today. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that it’s a phone hearing which means the maximum suspension would be for five games.
Laine did not travel with the Blue Jackets following the game for their game today against Minnesota, the team announced (Twitter link). He is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Laine has changed positions this season and has lined up as a center in the early going. Not surprisingly, he has struggled a bit at the faceoff dot, winning just 41% of his draws while he has a goal and an assist in four games so far this season.
As for Andersson, he has once again logged heavy minutes for Calgary in the early going, averaging just shy of 24 minutes per game while chipping in with three points in their first five contests. The Flames are one of just two teams that aren’t in action tonight with their next contest coming tomorrow against Detroit. That means while the hearing will take place today, it’s possible that any supplemental discipline may be announced on Sunday.
Predators Claim Liam Foudy Off Waivers From Blue Jackets
The Predators have added some extra forward depth as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed forward Liam Foudy off waivers from the Blue Jackets.
The 23-year-old was a first-round pick by Columbus back in 2018 (23rd overall) out of OHL London. While he put up a point per game with the Knights in his post-draft season, consistent production has been tough to come by in the pros. Foudy has just seven goals and 12 assists in 90 career NHL contests over parts of five seasons. Things have gone a lot better for him in the minors with AHL Cleveland as he has 35 points in 41 appearances at that level but needed to clear waivers to get back there. Clearly, that didn’t happen.
Once viewed as a possible important part of their rebuild, the Blue Jackets have since stockpiled several young middlemen which effectively pushed Foudy, a natural center, to the wing. While the position swap worked better for him as a speedster, their extra depth ultimately knocked him out of the lineup first and now off the roster entirely.
Meanwhile, Nashville is in the midst of shaking up its forward group under new GM Barry Trotz. Bringing in Foudy is a no-risk proposition for them as he’s on a contract that’s below the league minimum and he will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. Notably, the Preds had a full roster so a move needed to be made to add Foudy to the active roster. That move was done by placing defenseman Luke Schenn on IR. Schenn was injured in the season opener and was given a four-to-six-week recovery timeline.
Columbus Blue Jackets Extend AHL Affiliate
Since the 2015 season, after changing their AHL affiliation away from the Springfield Falcons, the Columbus Blue Jackets have maintained an affiliation agreement with the Cleveland Monsters. Today, the Blue Jackets organization announced that they would be extending that agreement under a new multi-year agreement between the two parties.
Given the fact that the team already had a previous agreement for this season, and a multi-year agreement suggests the agreement is two years or more, this will cement the Monsters as the longest-serving AHL affiliate of Columbus over their franchise history. As the Blue Jackets officially became an NHL team during the 2000-01 NHL season, their first AHL affiliate would be the Syracuse Crunch, an affiliate that would last until 2010. They would then come to an agreement with the now-defunct Falcons, before finally landing with the Monsters at the start of the 2015-16 season.
Notably, in their first season as the direct AHL affiliate of the Blue Jackets, the Monsters would go on to win the 2016 Calder Cup, sweeping the Hershey Bears in the final series, becoming the first Columbus affiliate to win a championship. At that time, the team was led by Oliver Bjorkstrand and has now transitioned to being led by Trey Fix-Wolansky.
In the announcement, Blue Jackets Director of Player Personnel, Chris Clark, spoke in high regard for the relationship saying:
“Giving our young players an opportunity to grow and develop both on and off the ice in a world-class environment like the one they have with the Cleveland Monsters is very special and we couldn’t be prouder and more excited that our partnership will continue for many years to come. Both organizations share a commitment to succeed at the highest level, while growing the game and having a positive impact in our communities and state and we look forward to continuing that work together.“
Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Zach Werenski, Waive Liam Foudy
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced three roster moves. Star defenseman Zach Werenski has been activated off of injured reserve, and forward Liam Foudy has been placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters as a corresponding move.
Also, prospect forward Jordan Dumais was activated off of injured reserve and loaned to the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.
It had been anticipated by some that defenseman David Jiricek would find himself returned to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters whenever Werenski ended up returning to the lineup.
That’s not the case, though, and according to team reporter Jeff Svoboda Jiricek is actually projected to retain his spot on head coach Pascal Vincent’s nightly lineup. Per Svoboda, 2018 eighth-overall pick Adam Boqvist is likely to be headed for the press box to make room for Werenski’s return.
This activation is great news for the Blue Jackets, who have only enjoyed 14 total games of Werenski both this season and last. Injuries have dogged Werenski in recent years, but when healthy he’s among the NHL’s most dynamic blueliners.
Widely considered a true number-one defenseman, having Werenski in the lineup significantly enhances the Blue Jackets’ ability to compete on a nightly basis.
The result of Werenski’s activation is that Foudy, 23, gets exposed to waivers. The Blue Jackets spent the 18th overall pick at the 2018 draft to select Foudy out of the London Knights of the OHL. The Blue Jackets seemed to be making a bet that Foudy’s genuinely elite speed would allow him to develop into not only an elite OHL scorer but also an impact NHLer.
So far, that bet hasn’t paid off, as Foudy has just 19 points in 90 career NHL games. In his longest stretch of extended NHL action, the 2022-23 season, Foudy managed just 14 points in 62 games. Owner of a $762.5k cap hit through the end of the season, claiming the pending RFA could be an intriguing possibility for teams who may believe they can harness Foudy’s past potential as a prospect in ways the Blue Jackets to this point have not been able to.
As for the move to activate Dumais, what’s notable here is that the Blue Jackets were unable to secure a waiver to allow the 19-year-old to spend 2023-24 in the AHL.
There’s an argument to be made that Dumais has absolutely nothing left to prove at the QMJHL level (he did score 140 points in just 64 games last season, after all) but it seems that such arguments may not have been enough to earn Dumais the type of waiver from the CHL that Shane Wright received. So he’s headed back to the Halifax Mooseheads, where he could very well post video game-like numbers for another season.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Kane, Zub, Werenski
In the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman added credence to the idea that star free agent Patrick Kane could sign with the Dallas Stars. Friedman says that a very reliable source shared the likelihood of Kane landing in Dallas, adding that the stylistic fit could be good for the aging veteran.
The Stars rapidly rise up the power rankings of teams likely to land Kane, leapfrogging the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres. Dallas has flexed a very deep forward group this season, providing nearly identical ice time to each of their top three lines. The only weak spot is likely 34-year-old winger Evgenii Dadonov, who’s spent the year alongside Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. This could be the role that Kane takes over if he joins the Stars; bringing a little more mobility and finesse to the line.
Only three forwards in Dallas’ top nine have scored a goal at this point in the year: Joe Pavelski, Benn, and Roope Hintz. Kane’s all-out-offensive style may be enough to kickstart the Stars’ scorers.
Other notes from around the league:
- Artem Zub left the Senators’ Thursday night game after taking a puck to the head. It’s been revealed now that Zub is doubtful for the team’s Saturday matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, although head coach D.J. Smith shared he doesn’t think the defender will be out long-term.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping top defenseman Zach Werenski can slot back into the lineup tonight. Werenski was placed on injured reserve exactly one week ago, making Friday the first game he’s eligible to return to. The Blue Jackets recalled David Jiricek to the NHL in response to Werenski’s injury. They’ll need to send someone down to make room for Werenski’s return, and Jiricek is the only defender with waiver-exemption. Both Werenski and Jiricek’s status will be one to monitor as the Friday night matchup approaches.
Jet Greaves Returned To Minors
- After being recalled to the Columbus Blue Jackets on an emergency basis yesterday morning, the team has announced they have returned goaltender Jet Greaves back to their AHL, the Cleveland Monsters. Greaves served as the backup option behind Spencer Martin last night against Detroit, giving regular starting netminder, Elvis Merzļikins, a bit more time to recover from a bout of the flu.
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Blue Jackets Recall Jet Greaves Under Emergency Conditions
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that goalie Jet Greaves has been recalled from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters under emergency conditions. The move suggests that starter Elvis Merzļikins, who left Saturday’s win over the New York Rangers after two periods due to flu symptoms, is not healthy enough to dress for tonight’s contest against Detroit. Greaves will likely back up Spencer Martin, who’s in line to make his first start as a member of the Blue Jackets after making 15 saves on 17 shots in relief on Saturday.
Greaves, 22, made his NHL debut late last season when injuries ravaged the Blue Jackets’ crease. An undrafted free agent signing out of the OHL’s Barrie Colts in 2021, Greaves has quickly worked his way up a thin organizational depth chart and has claimed the starting role in Cleveland. He’s off to a good start this season in the minors, stopping 29 of 31 shots in a 5-2 win over Lehigh Valley over the weekend.
It’s a tough early-season interruption for Merzļikins, who has excelled thus far after a rough 2022-23 campaign. Despite taking a season-opening loss against Philadelphia last week, Merzlikins has allowed just three goals on 60 shots faced and boasts a sparkling .950 save percentage through 1 2/3 outings. If the Blue Jackets are going to make any headway in a tough Eastern Conference battle, they’ll need a big bounce-back effort from Elvis, who finished near the bottom of the league with a .876 save percentage and 4.23 goals-against average in 27 starts last season.
Latest On Elvis Merzļikins
- Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent said via team reporter Jeff Svoboda that netminder Elvis Merzļikins “has a stomach bug” and missed today’s practice after leaving last night’s game. Per Vincent, Merzļikins’ status for tonight’s game is in question, and as a result, Spencer Martin (who saved 15 of 17 shots last night in relief against the New York Rangers) could start his first game as a Blue Jacket tomorrow night when the team hosts the Detroit Red Wings.