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.
Blue Jackets Place Zach Werenski On Injured Reserve, Recall David Jiricek
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced a pair of roster moves this morning, placing defenseman Zach Werenski on injured reserve after sustaining a quad contusion in last night’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers on a hit from forward Garnet Hathaway, which resulted in a minor penalty and $5,000 fine. Werenski will miss between one and two weeks. In response, the team recalled top defense prospect David Jiricek from AHL Cleveland.
This continues to be a tough stretch of injury luck for Werenski, who missed the last 69 games of last season with a shoulder injury. Werenski skated 13:43 last night and recorded a -1 rating before exiting the game, which ended up being a 4-2 loss for Columbus in their home opener. It was the start of a four-game homestand for the Jackets, who don’t play on the road until October 21st at Minnesota.
It opens the door for Jiricek, the sixth-overall pick in 2022, to force his way onto the roster over the next few games. The Blue Jackets are reportedly shopping a defenseman to make room for Jiricek on the active roster, but a trade might now wait until later in the month with Werenski on the sidelines. Jiricek was one of the best rookies in the AHL last season, logging 38 points in 55 games for the Cleveland Monsters and earning a look in four NHL games with Columbus. He’s still looking for his first NHL point, however.
Columbus head coach Pascal Vincent confirmed earlier this morning that it wasn’t likely to be a long-term absence for Werenski, the team’s undisputed number-one defender. However, Jiricek, a right-shot defenseman, won’t be able to directly replace the role of Werenski, who plays on the left side. While Jiricek could get some significant minutes over the next few weeks, the most direct effect of this injury will be on offseason addition Ivan Provorov, who will now likely slide up to the top pairing alongside Damon Severson. Provorov had a tough outing against his former team last night, recording just two shot attempts and a -2 rating in over 25 minutes of ice time.
Morning Notes: Werenski, Johansson, Pietrangelo
As reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Columbus Blue Jackets franchise defenseman Zach Werenski exited last night’s game after suffering a quad contusion. Werenski was injured on an apparent knee-to-knee collision with Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway, and Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent told reporters that Werenski’s injury is not believed to be one that will cause a long-term absence.
This development is extremely unfortunate, as Werenski, 26, was limited to just 13 games played last season due to injury. Although this injury may not keep Werenski out “long-term,” it is not clear exactly when he’ll be able to return to the ice for Columbus. That alone is a major blow for the club, as Werenski is the best player in an organization dripping with desperation to return to the playoffs after a nightmarish 2022-23 campaign. In what is expected to be a cutthroat Metropolitan Division playoff race, the Blue Jackets will have to hope Werenski can return to full health quickly so they can avoid falling behind.
- Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson left last night’s season opener with an apparent injury after being “crumpled into the boards” by Florida Panthers rookie defenseman Uvis Balinskis. Per The Athletic’s Michael Russo, Wild head coach Dean Evason did not give any update on Johansson’s status postgame. Russo surmised that a Johansson absence might force the Wild to either run seven defensemen for their next game, swap Dakota Mermis off their roster for a cheap call-up from the AHL’s Iowa Wild, or play a man short.
- Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had a scary moment during last night’s season-opening victory against the San Jose Sharks, one where he took a Nic Hague shot up high. The result, as reported by The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, was that Pietrangelo was bleeding “a lot.” Granger adds that Pietrangelo was able to “skate off” the ice and “seemed fine” given the circumstances, so perhaps that painful moment from last night’s game won’t end up having any more lasting implications for Pietrangelo’s health.
Metropolitan Notes: Werenski, Danforth, Atkinson, Couturier, Mete, Arvanitis
With training camps opening today for most teams, a few squads made some paper moves last night to properly represent players’ statuses heading into 2023-24. One of them was the Columbus Blue Jackets, who officially activated star defenseman Zach Werenski from injured reserve, according to CapFriendly. The move ends a more than ten-month stint on the injured list and clears the path for Werenski to resume his role as the team’s top defender on opening night.
Really, Werenski’s injury was incredibly symbolic for the Blue Jackets last season. A team with some promise after flashy offseason moves, like bringing in free agent prize Johnny Gaudreau, needed everything to go right to be competitive in the Eastern Conference. But a shoulder injury sustained just 13 games into the season would end Werenski’s campaign – during a game that also saw young defender Nick Blankenburg sustain an ankle injury that kept him out long-term. Adam Boqvist had gone down with a foot injury not too much earlier, and before long, Jake Bean joined the trio on the injured list with a season-ending shoulder injury – meaning Columbus had lost four of their top six defensemen to start the campaign within the season’s first 16 games. After a similarly flashy summer regarding player acquisitions, Werenski and the other Blue Jackets will look to avoid the same horrid injury luck.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan Division this morning:
- Columbus also took forward Justin Danforth off injured reserve, who played just six games last season before a shoulder injury ended his campaign. The 5-foot-9 winger had gotten off to a great start during his second season in Columbus, registering two goals and an assist through five contests and even sliding up into the top six at points. The 30-year-old, a pending UFA with a $975K cap hit, could be on the outside looking in for a roster spot, however. The team needs spots in the lineup for younger forwards like Yegor Chinakhov, Adam Fantilli, Alexandre Texier, and, likely, Russian rookie Dmitri Voronkov after a strong KHL season in 2022-23.
- The Philadelphia Flyers made similar paper moves, per CapFriendly, activating forwards Cam Atkinson, Sean Couturier and defenseman Victor Mete off injured reserve. Both Atkinson and Couturier missed the entirety of 2022-23 due to upper-body and back injuries, respectively. The Flyers’ front office has said repeatedly throughout the summer that they expected both players back at full health for the start of the upcoming season. Mete, a July free agent signing, played just 17 games between the NHL and AHL last season with Toronto before a lower-body injury shut him down for the season in early December.
- The New York Rangers have signed goaltender Brad Arvanitis to a PTO, according to a team announcement on X. He’ll be in camp as an extra body with an ECHL contract already secured with the Maine Mariners, the Boston Bruins’ affiliate, for next season. Arvanitis, 26, actually spent the majority of last season playing in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), a league technically one rung below the ECHL but carries no direct NHL affiliation. However, SPHL teams often serve as a source of reserve players for ECHL squads, and the two leagues will often loan players to each other throughout the season. In his first full professional season after finishing his collegiate career at Division III school Babson College, Arvanitis posted a .919 save percentage, 2.71 goals-against average and a 9-6-2 record in 20 appearances with the SPHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers.
East Notes: Bruins, Werenski, Elson
The Boston Bruins got some expected but tough news today, with captain and two-way dynamo Patrice Bergeron retiring after a fruitful 19-year career with the club. However, their focus can’t drift too far away from their main to-do list items still unchecked this offseason: new contracts for restricted free agents Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic.
Boston is facing arbitration hearings with both players. Swayman’s is up first on July 30, while Frederic’s is slated for August 1. The two parties have up until the start of the hearing to settle on a deal themselves – otherwise, their next contracts will be decided by an independent arbitrator. Independent Bruins reporter Joe Haggerty surmised today that a pair of recent arbitrators’ decisions, Chicago’s Philipp Kurashev (two years, $2.25MM AAV) and Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov (one year, $3.55MM AAV), have set the framework for Frederic’s and Swayman’s deals if they both reach arbitration. It’s worth noting that Samsonov was only eligible for a one-year deal via arbitration, given his pending UFA eligibility next season, while Swayman is still eligible for two. Even so, a combined $5.8MM cap hit for Frederic and Swayman would push the Bruins to the limit of the salary cap, per CapFriendly, and would likely result in the team carrying less than the maximum 23-man roster to start the season.
More out of the Eastern Conference today:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets need a giant refresh button after a disappointing and injury-laden campaign last season. No one needs it more than their number one defender, Zach Werenski, who’ll be ready to go after missing all but 13 games last season with a shoulder injury. Today he told reporters, including BlueJackets.com’s Jeff Svoboda, that he’s met with incoming head coach Mike Babcock and is feeling revitalized ahead of an important transitional season for the club. Werenski said the conversation “kind of fired me up a little bit. I think from that point on, I just wanted to get to training camp and get the season going.” The 26-year-old left-shot defender registered eight points in his limited action last year and skated over 23 minutes per game.
- A rare press release error was clarified by CapFriendly today, confirming that minor-league forward Turner Elson will remain under contract with the Rangers next season despite the team saying they’d signed him to a one-year deal in 2022. CapFriendly reported the two-year deal correctly at the time. Elson, 30, played a bottom-six role with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack last year and will earn a minimum guaranteed salary of $250K in 2023-24. Coming to the Rangers last summer after a decade spent in the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, and Detroit Red Wings organizations, Elson registered a strong 17 goals, 24 assists and 41 points in a team-leading 72 games for the Wolf Pack. It’s been quite the winding career for the undrafted free agent, who has three NHL games to his name and has cemented himself as solid veteran leadership and scoring depth in the minors.
Blue Jackets Officially Name Mike Babcock As Their Head Coach
The final NHL head coaching vacancy has officially been filled. Prior to the opening of free agency today, the Blue Jackets announced that they have named Mike Babcock as their new head coach, signing him to a two-year deal. Earlier this week, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported (subscription link) that the contract will pay Babcock $4MM per season. GM Jarmo Kekalainen released the following statement:
Our goal at the outset of this process was to find a coach to give our players the best chance to succeed through structure, discipline and experience as we continue to build a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup championship. After a very thorough and lengthy process we are pleased to welcome Mike Babcock as the next head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It was reported last month that Babcock was set to take over as the new bench boss for Columbus. However, since he was still under contract with Toronto until yesterday, the team waited until today to make the hire to ensure that the Maple Leafs alone were the only team paying out the remainder of his record-breaking eight-year, $50MM contract.
Babcock hasn’t been behind an NHL bench for a while as he last coached during the 2019-20 campaign before being let go by Toronto after an underwhelming 9-10-4 start to their season. Since then, his coaching experience has been limited to one season as a volunteer coach at the University of Saskatchewan. However, the Blue Jackets believe that he’s the right fit to turn things around after they finished dead last in the Eastern Conference last season.
Babcock has a 700-418-183 record over parts of 17 NHL seasons between Anaheim, Detroit, and Toronto. Internationally, he is the only member of the ‘Triple Gold’ club among coaches (Olympics, World Championships, and a Stanley Cup). That experience comes in stark contrast to former head coach Brad Larsen who was a first-time NHL bench boss before being let go after the season.
Columbus has certainly been active this offseason already, looking to augment its roster. On the back end, they’ve acquired Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson, giving them two proven top-four pieces to help take some of the pressure off Zach Werenski who should be ready to go after missing most of last season due to injury. Up front, they picked up Adam Fantilli in the draft this week and are encouraging him to turn pro right away; TSN’s Darren Dreger suggests (Twitter link) that his signing could occur today. With nearly $5MM in cap space, per CapFriendly, they could still try to add another piece or two in free agency or on the trade front.
Kekalainen clearly believes last year’s showing was an aberration with the hiring of Babcock, a win-now coach, and his defensive upgrades. The Blue Jackets play in a tight Metropolitan Division that has only one team (Philadelphia) looking to bottom out so even with these moves, their work to get back to the playoffs is going to be cut out for them.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sean Kuraly Activated From Injured Reserve; Jack Roslovic To Be Scratched
The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially placed Zach Werenski on injured reserve after announcing recently that he is out for the remainder of the regular season. It’s not all bad news though, as Sean Kuraly has been activated to take his spot on the roster.
Kuraly, 29, ended up missing only two games thanks to a five-day break the Blue Jackets had last week, and will likely assume his regular place in the lineup immediately. The veteran forward was great for the team last season with 14 goals and 30 points in 77 games and had been off to a nice start this year too, with four points in his first 11.
Still, Kuraly’s return won’t spark much excitement in Columbus where the season is quickly falling apart. Werenski is out for the year, Patrik Laine is out for a month, and Jakub Voracek, Justin Danforth, Nick Blankenburg, and Adam Boqvist all remain on injured reserve.
Even with that many injuries, the team is making a rather bold statement for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that Jack Roslovic will be a healthy scratch, with Kuraly and Kent Johnson drawing back into the lineup. A request for Roslovic to meet with the media was declined.
The 25-year-old center has just one goal in 14 games this season after signing a two-year, $8MM contract in June. The deal will walk him directly to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024, but it seemed after last season like Roslovic had established himself as a core piece in Columbus. With 22 goals and 45 points in 81 games, he finished fifth among Blue Jackets forwards in 2021-22 despite still rather limited minutes. Averaging just over 14 minutes a night, nearly all of his production was at even strength.
While one scratch doesn’t guarantee a player’s time in a market is over, it is rather stunning to see a $4MM player in the press box while the Blue Jackets have so many other injuries. Message sent.
Zach Werenski Out Rest Of Season
The Columbus Blue Jackets have updated the status of Zach Werenski and it isn’t good news. The star defenseman suffered a separated shoulder and torn labrum last season and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season. The team has also moved Nick Blankenburg, Sean Kuraly, and Jakub Voracek on injured reserve, while recalling Gavin Bayreuther, Marcus Bjork, and David Jiricek.
Blankenburg is out six to eight weeks with a fractured ankle. Kuraly is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Voracek is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Erik Gudbranson is also day-to-day but will not play tomorrow.
This is about the worst-case scenario for the Blue Jackets, who managed to win last night for just the fourth time this season. The team has already struggled to keep the puck out of their own net, allowing 57 goals through 13 games. By removing Werenski – and to a lesser extent Blankenburg – their defensive group now looks incredibly thin with basically no first-pairing talent. The 25-year-old also makes more than $9.5MM per season, a higher cap hit than anyone other than Johnny Gaudreau.
Without him, the team suddenly looks like a group that will be unable to turn around their tough start. The draft lottery in a year with several high-end prospects looks like a tempting reward for finishing near the bottom of the league.
The silver lining, perhaps, is that a young player like Jiricek could receive some interesting NHL opportunities. Werenski was the quarterback of the team’s top powerplay unit, a role that will now need to be filled by someone. During Jiricek’s short two-game taste earlier this year he did see a bit of time with the man advantage, though he wasn’t able to record a point.
While they won’t admit it, the Blue Jackets will likely have to transition this season into a development year and start looking toward the future. That will increase speculation about Gustav Nyquist, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Joonas Korpisalo, all scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Columbus Blue Jackets Expected To Recall Gavin Bayreuther, Marcus Bjork
It was a great win over their former coach last night but it came at a price for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team appears to have lost Zach Werenski long-term, while Erik Gudbranson was also removed from the game with a more minor injury. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic expects an update for both later today but notes that Gavin Bayreuther and Marcus Bjork will likely be coming up from the AHL.
Bayreuther, 28, played in 43 games for the Blue Jackets last season and has already suited up once this year. The minor league veteran doesn’t bring much offense to the table but is at least an experienced option to insert into the lineup. For long stretches, he’s probably not what you want though, which is what makes the recall of Bjork a little more interesting.
The 24-year-old Swede signed a one-year, entry-level contract last May to join the Blue Jackets organization after playing the last four seasons in the SHL. A star at the junior and minor league level in Europe, the undrafted defenseman has shown incredibly well in his short stint with the Cleveland Monsters. Through 11 games, Bjork has two goals and five points, and appears to be getting his first call-up to the NHL.
While losing Werenski drastically injures the Blue Jackets’ hopes of competing in the Metropolitan Division, it also could open up some opportunities to test young players. Top pick David Jiricek also played two games for the club earlier this year and has been good in the minor leagues, while Jake Christiansen played eight games for the team last season and could be due for another opportunity.