The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have placed forward Cam Atkinson on injured reserve. The move is retroactive to December 19th. In a corresponding move, the Blue Jackets recalled Jakob Lilja from their AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters. They also added Ryan MacInnis, Adam Clendening and Gabriel Carlsson to the roster on an emergency basis. However, Clendening was returned to Cleveland after Friday night’s game.
Cam Atkinson Placed on Injured Reserve by Blue Jackets
#CBJ place @CamAtkinson13 on IR, recall four players from @monstershockey https://t.co/8DipFwCX9t
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 26, 2019
Atkinson suffered an ankle sprain on December 19th in a game against the Los Angeles Kings. He is expected to be out two to three weeks due to the injury.
In 35 games this season, Atkinson has accumulated nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points.
He was originally drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the sixth round, 157th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Yet Another Injury for the Blue Jackets
Another day, another important player lost for the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets currently have eight players listed on the injured reserve. This includes Ryan Murray, Josh Anderson and most recently Oliver Bjorkstrand. Now with Atkinson on the shelf, the Blue Jackets will be without two of their top four forwards in terms of production.
Despite the injuries, the Blue Jackets somehow manage to find ways to pick up points. They have a record of 6-1-3 in their last 10 games, giving them points in nine of the 10 games played. However, despite this recent solid play by the Blue Jackets, they still find themselves five points out of the final wild-card position.
This level of play is certainly not sustainable given the number of injuries the club is currently dealing with. The Blue Jackets depth will certainly be tested in the next few weeks.
The Blue Jackets’ next game will be on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
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