The Blue Jackets announced Saturday that defenseman Zach Werenski is expected to miss four to six weeks with an ankle injury he suffered in Wednesday's 6-5 OT loss to the New Jersey Devils. The team placed Werenski on injured reserve on Friday.
Columbus defenceman Zach Werenski has left the game after an awkward collision with Ondej Palt. pic.twitter.com/XW1i8pLEmg
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 28, 2023
Additionally, the club placed center Sean Kuraly on IR retroactive to Dec. 23 and recalled defenseman Jake Christiansen from the AHL. Kuraly is day-to-day with an abdominal injury.
| Player | Injury | Time frame (Date When Injury Occurred) |
|---|---|---|
| Zach Werenski | Ankle | 4-6 weeks (Dec. 27) |
| Adam Boqvist | Shoulder Strain | 4 weeks (Dec. 5) |
| Patrik Laine | Clavicle Fracture | 6 weeks (Dec. 14) |
| Boone Jenner | Broken Jaw | 6 weeks (Dec. 8) |
In 34 games this season, Werenski has posted 1-24--25 while averaging 24:04 TOI/game. If he misses four weeks from the date he suffered his injury, that puts his return at Jan. 24, which means he'd miss 10 games. If he misses six weeks, that puts his return at Feb. 7, meaning he'd miss 14 games.
Since the start of the 2020-21 season, Werenski has played in just 150 of a possible 257 games.
This season, Kuraly has posted 6-5-11 in 35 NHL games while Christiansen has recorded 5-17--22 in 28 AHL games. Last season, Christiansen posted 0-4--4 in 24 NHL games.
The Blue Jackets are in Buffalo to face the Sabres on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Ohio.
