What began as a seemingly enterprise as normal Wednesday was an action-packed day in information for the Columbus Blue Jackets. One half was anticipated. The opposite half not as a lot.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell spoke to the media on Wednesday morning at Nationwide Area. Often when the workforce requires a press convention on quick discover, it’s for a major replace.
Waddell didn’t waste any time and jumped proper into issues. He had a major harm replace to share.
Lindstrom Replace
Cayden Lindstrom, the Blue Jackets fourth-overall choose on the 2024 NHL Draft, underwent what known as a discectomy process. In line with the Cleveland Clinic, a discectomy is a surgical procedure to take away half or all of a disk in your backbone. It’s for herniated disks that don’t reply to nonsurgical therapy.
Lindstrom has been in Columbus rehabbing for the reason that begin of coaching camp. The hope was for him to get 100% earlier than being assigned again to his junior workforce the Medication Hat Tigers.
Nonetheless in line with Waddell, Lindstrom may solely get to 90%. They determined that surgical procedure could be one of the best plan of action to recover from the hump and get to 100%. The workforce believes there will probably be a full restoration. Additionally they consider he’ll play hockey this season.
Right here is a few of what Waddell needed to say in regards to the choice to have Lindstrom undergo surgical procedure.
“He’s been working, doing all the pieces that we’ve requested for him,” Waddell stated. “However he’s bought to some extent the place he can’t get to 100%. It’s been 90% or so. Our medical doctors really useful him to do a process referred to as a discectomy. They carried out that yesterday. Every thing went quick, the process and all the pieces went properly.”
“They felt what they noticed is strictly what they thought they might see. His restoration will probably be again to 100% and hopefully, play hockey once more this season.”
With this surgical procedure, Lindstrom “gained’t do a complete lot” for the following 30 days. After that, he can begin to get again right into a routine centered round rehab.
Waddell stated they knew this was a risk. The medical doctors have been good with making an attempt a non-surgical strategy first. As soon as they decided that they went so far as they might go, they opted for the surgical procedure.
To present you a way of what Lindstrom’s scenario appeared like, Waddell provided up some extra data as greatest he may figuring out he’s not a health care provider.
“From what I perceive, there was strain on the backbone from the nerve,” Waddell stated. “So there’s a tiny little fragment that they noticed on the MRI that they only needed to shave off.”
The medical doctors consider it is a one-time process that shouldn’t have any lasting results shifting ahead. Waddell did say that the harm didn’t happen with the Blue Jackets. “I consider as a result of he wasn’t right here, it was lifting weights when he did it when he was getting back from a rehab project.”
Assuming all goes properly, Lindstrom would be part of Medication Hat for his or her stretch run to the playoffs. The Blue Jackets all the time took the lengthy strategy with him. Whereas dropping improvement time is rarely preferrred, ensuring he’s 100% was their prime precedence. They hope with this surgical procedure, he’ll lastly get to that threshold.
Jiricek Replace
Earlier on Wednesday, the Blue Jackets despatched each Mikael Pyyhtia and David Jiricek to the Cleveland Monsters. With Kent Johnson on track to play Thursday evening, the workforce wanted roster house.
By sending each Pyyhtia and Jiricek down, the Blue Jackets’ roster stands at 21. As soon as Johnson is formally activated from injured reserve, that may make 22. All of the sudden, the workforce has some flexibility on roster house that might go quite a lot of methods within the close to future.
Waddell spoke in regards to the choice to ship Jiricek to the Monsters. His current performances advised the workforce this was one of the best plan of action right now.
“I watched him final yr once I bought the chance to come back right here for the playoffs in Cleveland and thought he performed very, very properly not simply defensively, however offensively. And for no matter cause, it hasn’t gone as easily, the transition to the NHL…However his confidence, we are able to inform simply watching the opposite evening, he’s fearful about making that mistake. So we simply decided. Let him go play video games in Cleveland and we’ll see the way it goes.”
Waddell stated that there was a gathering with Jiricek to clarify what he wanted to work on. Head coach Dean Evason was in that assembly additionally. Evason believes there are not any points by any means after that assembly. Waddell stated that he hopes Jiricek goes on the market with an excellent perspective and continues to develop in his profession.
In the meantime, commerce hypothesis has picked up within the Jiricek scenario. Waddell stated groups have referred to as him. Whereas the value of any commerce involving Jiricek could be excessive, the GM didn’t rule it out both.
“I’ve to pay attention to each commerce provide,” Waddell stated. “It doesn’t matter what the participant’s identify is. We may make our workforce higher. We all the time gotta take a look at these choices. Definitely, we’ve gotten calls and we’ll proceed to speak to whoever is occupied with whichever participant, if one thing is smart for this group.”
“I’ve by no means made a private choice ever in my profession. It’s all the time what’s greatest for the group. If there’s one thing that is smart, definitely we’ll take a look at it.”
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Jiricek now has an opportunity to play with Denton Mateychuk on the Monsters’ prime defensive pair in what could be among the best younger pairs within the AHL.
Jiricek remains to be simply 20 years outdated. His upside stays excessive. Evason stated on Wednesday that Jiricek must work on his sport away from the puck. It is a case by which there are clear areas of focus that the participant must work on to be prepared for a full-time NHL function.
Whereas there’ll all the time be commerce hypothesis when a prime prospect goes via a scenario like this, Jiricek shouldn’t be alone find his sport. Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils is on an analogous course.
The Blue Jackets definitely haven’t given up on Jiricek. However they’re open to listening to affords if a possibility presents itself. For now, Jiricek has an opportunity to play rather a lot and work on his sport. It’s now on him to profit from this chance.
