Metropolitan Notes: Jenner, Werenski, Connauton, Konecny, Clutterbuck
Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner will not require surgery for the back injury that kept him out for the final seven weeks of the season, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link). He’s expected to be able to have a full summer of training and be ready for training camp in the fall. The 28-year-old had a strong year offensively, notching 23 goals and 21 assists in just 59 games, the highest per-game rates of his career. While his current contract is expiring this summer, Jenner signed a four-year extension last July at the same $3.75MM price tag.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Still with Columbus, Portzline reports in a separate tweet that defenseman Zach Werenski underwent surgery this week to repair a broken nose. The procedure may keep him out of playing for the United States at the upcoming World Championships. Werenski led all Blue Jackets blueliners in scoring this season with 11 goals and 37 assists in 68 games; his assist and point totals were both career bests.
- Flyers defenseman Kevin Connauton told reporters, including Sam Carchidi of Philadelphia Hockey Now (Twitter link) that surgery won’t be needed on his knee injury that kept him out towards the end of the year. The 32-year-old played in 39 games this season between Florida and Philadelphia and is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Flyers winger Travis Konecny has declined an invitation to play for Canada at the upcoming World Championships, notes Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 25-year-old came one assist shy of reaching his career high in assists with 36 this season but also had his lowest goals per game rate since his rookie campaign.
- Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck is expected to be ready to return next season, mentions Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). The 34-year-old has been out since just before the trade deadline with a shoulder injury, one that ruled out any chance of him being traded. Instead, New York signed him to a two-year extension, one that cuts his cap hit in half from 3.5MM to $1.75MM.
Injury Notes: Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Blue Jackets
The Toronto Maple Leafs, while still remaining competitive with a tough schedule, have faced significant injury setbacks over the past few weeks. A mass of updates came today during a press conference with head coach Sheldon Keefe, where he revealed that forward Michael Bunting will miss the final two games of the regular season, defenseman Rasmus Sandin is likely to return for the team’s finale on Friday versus the Boston Bruins, and forward Ondrej Kase remains day-to-day with no timeline to return.
As the Maple Leafs prepare for a likely impending First Round matchup with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, this is mostly positive news. The language surrounding Bunting’s injury wasn’t initially positive after he fell awkwardly during an April 23 game against Florida, but his prognosis has improved since then and it looks like a possibility that he could be ready for the beginning of the series. Sandin has missed over a month with a knee injury, while Kase has missed the same duration with a concussion.
- There are some more updates on various players on a Stanley Cup contender, as the Colorado Avalanche deal with some injury issues of their own. Head coach Jared Bednar spoke to reporters today, saying that defenseman Devon Toews will return to the lineup tonight after dealing with an undisclosed injury, forward Mikko Rantanen is working toward a return on Thursday against the Nashville Predators, and captain Gabriel Landeskog won’t return until the postseason. Toews has missed just around a week and a half, but his absence cannot be understated, as he continues to be one of the most underrated defensemen in the league with 57 points in just 64 games this year (while averaging over 25 minutes per game). Meanwhile, the Colorado captain has been out since early March with a leg injury.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that both captain Boone Jenner and Sean Kuraly will miss the short remainder of the season with respective injuries. Kuraly, in his first season with Columbus, suffered a foot injury last Sunday and will miss the remaining three games. Jenner will have missed the last month and a half of the season with a back injury.
Injury Notes: Lehner, Jenner, Oilers
Multiple reports over the past day suggest that Vegas Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner could be in danger of missing the rest of the regular season with a knee injury, adding to the laundry list of injuries that Lehner’s had to deal with this season. Backup goalie Laurent Brossoit has gone into a free fall since Lehner’s injury, with his save percentage dipping all the way down to .895 after a solid start to the season. Third-stringer Logan Thompson has also really struggled in his few starts this season, so there seems to be no clear answer within the organization at the moment. It’s likely going to force Vegas’ hand to trade for a goaltender at the deadline, as the team is eighth in the Western Conference and out of the playoff picture in terms of points percentage.
Other injury-related notes from around the league today:
- Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner remains week-to-week, per head coach Brad Larsen. Jenner suffered a lower-body injury nearly a week ago now, putting a stop to what’s been a career season for him. His 23 goals through 59 games are tied for the team lead, he’s third on the team in points with 44, and he’s averaged over 20 minutes a night as the team’s best center.
- Jesse Puljujarvi and Kris Russell are both making their returns to the Edmonton Oilers lineup tonight against the Sabres, per the team. The return of Russell signals a fully healthy blue line in Edmonton, allowing youngsters Philip Broberg and Markus Niemelainen to return to the AHL for additional development time. Puljujarvi returns to his normal office in the team’s top-six, where he had 28 points in 46 games prior to his injury.
Columbus Blue Jackets Place Boone Jenner On Injured Reserve
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they have placed forward Boone Jenner on injured reserve today. In a corresponding move, the team added winger Trey Fix-Wolansky from the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL on emergency recall. Jenner, the Blue Jackets’ captain, is considered week-to-week with a lower body injury.
Losing Jenner is certainly tough for the Blue Jackets, who sit 13 points back of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but still consider themselves very much in the race. In addition to being their captain, Jenner also lines up as Columbus’ top center, and leads the team with 23 goals and 44 points in 59 games this season. The loss of Jenner also coincides with potential injuries to Patrik Laine and Jakub Voracek, reports The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. Without them, Columbus loses its top three point producers, in addition to Alexandre Texier, who is currently on a leave of absence from the team.
Fix-Wolansky recently made his NHL debut for Columbus on February 8th, scoring his first NHL goal that game. The 22-year-old currently has two assists in five NHL games this year, along with an impressive 22 points in 32 games in the AHL this season. If Columbus hopes to stay in the playoff race, they will have to count on secondary options such as Fix-Wolansky.
Oliver Bjorkstrand Enters COVID Protocol
Dec 27: According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Roslovic, Carlsson, and Andrew Peeke were all back at practice today after previously being in the protocol. Unfortunately, Oliver Bjorkstrand has taken their place and is now unavailable.
Dec 19: As the spread of COVID across the NHL rolls on, with over 100 players currently in the league’s protocol, the latest additions come from the Columbus Blue Jackets’ locker room. The team has announced that forwards Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic and defenseman Gabriel Carlsson have entered the NHL COVID Protocol.
The Blue Jackets additionally made the decision to cancel practice on Sunday, citing an “abundance of caution”. However, there has been no indication that any plans have changed surrounding their travel plans with a road game in Buffalo coming up on Monday. While other teams have been shut down when multiple COVID placements occur, it seems that Columbus will move forward as planned.
However, they will do so without several key players. Jenner is not only the captain of the Jackets, but also leads the team with 11 goals and 324 face-off wins. Roslovic may have been the top candidate to replace Jenner but will also be out for an indeterminate amount of time. As for Carlsson, the depth defenseman has taken on greater importance with Adam Boqvist and Dean Kukan sidelined by injury, but will now join them on the shelf.
Columbus Blue Jackets Name Boone Jenner Captain
With Nick Foligno gone in free agency, the Columbus Blue Jackets needed a new captain. That decision has been made, and Boone Jenner will wear the “C” this season as the seventh captain in franchise history. He’ll be joined by Zach Werenski, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Gustav Nyquist, who will each serve as alternates. New head coach Brad Larsen explained why Jenner was the choice:
We had a lot of discussions as a coaching staff and with management and, while we were in no rush to make a decision regarding the next captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, it became obvious to all of us that Boone was the right choice. He has tremendous character and a work ethic that has earned the respect of his teammates and he’s been an important part of our leadership group for several years. Zach, Gus and Oliver also have been part of that group and we are fortunate to have these guys lead our team.
Jenner, 28, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jackets to this point, suiting up 530 times in the regular season for the club. He reached a career-high of 30 goals in 2015-16 but has never really come close to matching that total, settling into more of a two-way role behind some of the team’s more offensive players. He had eight goals and 17 points in 41 games last season, but with some of the changes the team has made in recent months, could find himself more involved at that end of the rink this season.
At the very least, he will serve as a strong leader among a group that is going through a big transition. Foligno, Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson, huge parts of the franchise’s identity, are all playing for other teams this season. Werenski is now the face of the franchise, but he’ll be supported by Jenner now who takes on the responsibility of captain with an extension in pocket. The veteran forward is signed through 2025-26, meaning there doesn’t have to be any changes for several years.
The Blue Jackets, though considered something of a rebuilding group after trading away Jones, still have quite a few talented skaters on the roster and could surprise people this season. If it goes south, however, it’ll be up to Jenner and his alternates to keep the ship on course.
Boone Jenner Signing Extension With Columbus Blue Jackets
TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting that the Columbus Blue Jackets are extending forward Boone Jenner. Dreger reports that it’s a multi-year extension for the long-time Columbus depth forward. The Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that deal is a four-year contract with a cap hit of $3.75MM and will kick in at the end of this season.
Jenner, a defensively-minded middle-six forward, can play both center and wing and sits in the prime of his career at age 28. Playing over 500 NHL games, all for Columbus, Jenner will stick around with the Blue Jackets as they continue to navigate a sort of on-the-fly rebuild. Jenner’s a gritty forward who’ll swallow 17 to 18 minutes of ice time a game, a valuable asset in today’s league. While expecting him to repeat his 30-goal campaign from 2015-16 is extremely unlikely, he does carry some offensive upside and can guide some of Columbus’ up-and-coming forwards.
It’s important retention for Columbus. Jenner is a strong faceoff man and he’ll likely continue to post between 20 and 35 points per season for the duration of his next deal. Drafted 37th overall in 2011 by the team, he’s been a reliable contributor over the years and will continue to be an integral part of the team’s emotional core for years to come.
Boone Jenner Undergoes Surgery
The Columbus Blue Jackets have lost another forward and another potential trade chip. Boone Jenner has undergone surgery to repair a broken finger and will miss approximately six weeks. That effectively ends his season, unless the Blue Jackets make a run down the stretch and creep into a playoff spot in the Central Division.
Jenner, who has one year remaining on his contract and carries a cap hit of $3.75MM, could have been an interesting trade chip if the Blue Jackets decided to sell at the upcoming deadline. He’s the second name that is now out of that conversation after Riley Nash was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury yesterday.
While Nash was perhaps more likely to get dealt given he is on an expiring contract, Jenner is a more important player to the Blue Jackets, playing 18 minutes a night as the team’s most reliable center. He has just eight goals and 17 points this season, a far cry from the 30-goal performance he registered as a 22-year-old in 2014-15, but sees more short-handed ice time than any other player on the team and is also a contributor on the powerplay. Even if he hasn’t been exceptionally effective, taking a piece that involved out of the lineup certainly won’t help the Blue Jackets as they look to go on that stretch run.
It is still possible that a team could acquire Jenner for next season, but more than likely this means he’ll remain with Columbus through Monday’s deadline.
Pacific Notes: Kadri, Wright, Lindholm, Doughty
Before the Colorado Avalanche acquired Nazem Kadri from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a big deal involving Tyson Barrie, the Calgary Flames were close to acquiring the veteran center. However, Kadri refused to waive his 10-team no-trade clause that would have sent him in a deal that would have included defenseman T.J. Brodie.
The Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson writes that Kadri did admit that he rejected the deal to Calgary in hopes of convincing the Maple Leafs that he wanted to stay with the team.
“What happened is they had a deal in place and they wanted me to move my no-trade clause,” Kadri explained. “Obviously, for me, it was no disrespect to Calgary or the Flames organization — I love their team and I love the direction they’re headed. I just figured that had I declined, I would have had a better opportunity of being a Maple Leaf next year, and that’s really what it came down to. “I wanted to play for the Leafs next year. I wanted to be a part of that. In declining that trade, I had aspirations of being a Leaf, and we know clearly that didn’t happen.”
Instead he did get traded to Colorado and now will take over as the team’s second-line center in hopes of developing a powerful secondary scoring line after their top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog.
- The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman (subscription required) delves into the drafting success of the Edmonton Oilers’ new director of amateur scouting, Tyler Wright, noting that while the long-time executive with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings has had lukewarm success drafting in the first round, he has been successful in the later rounds of drafts, having nabbed several key players late in the draft, including Josh Anderson, Boone Jenner, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Filip Hronek and could provide value for Edmonton who hasn’t had as much luck later in the draft.
- In a mailbag piece, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) writes that while defenseman Hampus Lindholm is a solid top-pairing defenseman, his offense still hasn’t come around and at age 25, time is running out. The blueliner posted 34 points in his second season back in the 2014-15 season and hasn’t reached that target since then. However, Stephens writes that Lindholm was never a big fan of Randy Carlyle‘s system and could thrive under new head coach Dallas Eakins and show off some more offense, potentially becoming a regular at 40 points.
- Looking back at the recent history of signings by the Los Angeles Kings, The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) looks at the best and worst deals handed out since 2009. Unfortunately for the Kings, the top bad contract is only kicking in this year as the eight-year, $88MM contract that star defenseman Drew Doughty signed a year ago is about to kick in at age 29. After a down season last year, the 29-year-old blueliner will be getting paid $11MM until he turns 37 years old. Not a good sign if people think that before he’s even started getting paid.
Injury Notes: Jenner, Perron, Shaw
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Boone Jenner for at least another week after a cut on his ankle has become infected. The team announced a one to three week timeline for Jenner today, noting that the laceration happened after Jenner blocked a shot on January 12th. This explains why Mark Letestu has been recalled, though the veteran center is still not expected in the lineup for the Blue Jackets tonight.
It comes at an unfortunate time for Columbus, given that the next three weeks could be the most important stretch of their season. With the decisions surrounding Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky looming, this could be the last stretch that this group has together before watching two of their best players head to a different locker room. Jenner meanwhile has been his effective two-way self this season, but has just nine goals and 21 points to show for it. That’s a far way off from the 30-goal campaign he put up in 2015-16, a distant memory at this point for the 25-year old center. He’ll need to pick things up in the second half if Columbus is going to continue to put pressure on the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
- David Perron has been moved to injured reserve by the St. Louis Blues, as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury. Perron was in the middle of his best stretch of the season with points in 13 consecutive games, while seeing almost 20 minutes of ice time a night. The veteran forward was listed as day-to-day originally, but has now missed three games for the Blues. His IR stint will be retroactive to January 17th, meaning he can come off whenever healthy.
- Andrew Shaw hasn’t played in a month for the Montreal Canadiens, but is getting a lot closer to a return. The feisty forward returned to the ice for practice today and skated on a line with Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput. Shaw had 24 points in 36 games for the Canadiens before suffering what would eventually be classified as a neck injury at the end of December. His return would be a substantial boost for a Montreal team that is quietly pushing for second place in the Atlantic Division.