The Columbus Blue Jackets have added defenseman Nick Blankenburg and goaltender Malcolm Subban to the roster on emergency recall from the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters and assigned forward Trey Fix-Wolansky to Cleveland, the club announced today.
Blankenburg, 25, has tallied five goals and 12 assists for 17 points with 20 penalty minutes in 49 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets over the past three seasons. He appeared in six games earlier this season and notched 4-10-14 and 16 penalty minutes in 36 outings in 2022-23. He made his NHL debut following his senior season at the University of Michigan in 2021-22 and chipped in 1-2-3 and four penalty minutes in seven games.
The Washington, Michigan native has collected 3-10-13, 20 penalty minutes and a +5 plus/minus rating in 21 games during his first AHL season in 2023-24. He signed with Columbus as a free agent in April 2022 after registering 25-43-68, 62 penalty minutes and a cumulative +50 plus/minus rating in 133 games at Michigan from 2018-22. He served as the team’s captain in 2021-22 and helped U-M win the Big Ten Tournament title and earn a spot in the Frozen Four.
Subban, 30, has posted a 36-33-9 record with a 3.10 goals-against average (GAA), .898 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts in 86 career NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins over eight seasons from 2014-22. He made his NHL debut with Boston in 2014-15 and posted single-season career bests with Vegas in 2017-18, finishing with a 13-4-2 record, 2.68 GAA and a .910 SV% in 22 outings.
The Toronto, Ontario native has gone 89-78-29 with a 2.65 GAA, .911 SV% and eight shutouts in 206 career AHL games with Cleveland, Springfield, Rochester, Rockford and Providence since 2013-14. He has gone 11-17-4 with a 3.12 GAA and .901 SV% in 35 appearances split between Springfield and Cleveland this season. The 6-2, 215-pound netminder was originally drafted by the Bruins in the first round, 24th overall, at the 2012 NHL Draft.
Fix-Wolansky, 24, has recorded 2-2-4 with two penalty minutes and 38 shots on goal in 25 career appearances with the Blue Jackets since making his NHL debut in 2021-22. He has collected 0-1-1 with two penalty minutes and 14 shots on goal in 10 games with the team in 2023-24. The native of Edmonton, Alberta has added 84-113-197 with 175 penalty minutes in 220 career AHL contests with the Monsters since making his pro debut during the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs. He is among AHL scoring leaders in 2023-24 with 24-34-58 in 54 games. The 5-7, 191-pound forward was selected by Columbus in the seventh round, 204th overall, at the 2017 NHL Draft.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Saturday when they host the Philadelphia Flyers. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports + and the Bally Sports app begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
