The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have placed forwards Brandon Dubinsky and Markus Hannikainen on injured reserve. They also have recalled goaltender Jean-Francois Berube from their AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters.
Columbus Blue Jackets Place Brandon Dubinsky and Markus Hannikainen on Injured Reserve
Brandon Dubinsky will be out for at least a week with a strained hamstring which he suffered on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 32 games this season, he has scored four goals and added six assists for 10 points. Over his career between the Blue Jackets and New York Rangers, Dubinsky has recorded 151 goals and 283 assists for 434 points in 794 games. He was originally drafted by the Rangers in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
Hannikainen will be out for at least a week with an elbow injury that also occurred in Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 34 games this season, Hannikainen has scored three goals and added four assists. Hannikainen was signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent on April 20th, 2015. Over his four year career with the Blue Jackets, he has scored eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 81 games.
What This Means for the Future
With the two forwards out, Nick Foligno and Lukas Sedlak drew back into the lineup on Thursday night against the Nashville Predators. Foligno had been away from the team to accompany his daughter as she underwent surgery. Foligno’s daughter was born with a congenital heart defect. She underwent successful surgery and is doing well according to coach John Tortorella.
Foligno has 10 goals and 11 assists in 38 games this season.
Sedlak has played 28 games for the Blue Jackets this season. He has registered one goal and two assists.
The club also recalled Jean-Francois Berube after the club made starting netminder Sergei Bobrovsky a healthy scratch. Bobrovsky was scratched due to an unspecified reason. The only thing we know that it had to do with not meeting club policies. It’s not yet known if Bobrovsky will be suspended by the team or not.
Berube has posted a record of 11-10 with Cleveland in the AHL this season. He has a 2.94 goals-against-average and a .899 save percentage over that time. With the Blue Jackets playing back to back nights this weekend, we could see him get his first start with the club.
The Blue Jackets next game will be on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals.
Main Photo: NASHVILLE, TN – APRIL 7: Brandon Dubinsky #17 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Nashville Predators during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on April 7, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra /NHL/ Getty Images)
