The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed forward Emil Bemstrom on Injured Reserve and recalled forwards Mikhail Grigorenko, Stefan Matteau and Ryan MacInnis from the club's taxi squad, Blue Jackets General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. In addition, the team has been granted a roster exemption with center Alexandre Texier on the COVID-19 protocols list.
Bemstrom, 21, suffered a lower body injury in practice on Wednesday and is expected to miss a week. He has registered two assists and a +1 plus/minus rating in 15 games with the Blue Jackets this season. The Nykoping, Sweden native has notched 10-12-22 and eight penalty minutes in 71 career games with the club since making his NHL debut last season. He led club rookies in goals, points, power play goals, game-winning goals and shots in 2019-20 with 10-10-20, five PPG, four GWG and 97 shots in 56 games. The 6-0, 193-pound winger was Columbus' fourth round selection, 117th overall, at the 2017 NHL Draft.
Grigorenko, 26, has posted 2-5-7 with two penalty minutes in 18 games with the Blue Jackets this season. Signed by Columbus to a one-year contract as a free agent on July 16, 2020, he made his team debut in the season opener on January 14 at Nashville and scored his first goal on January 23 vs. Tampa Bay. The Khabarovsk, Russia native has recorded 24-47-71 and 32 penalty minutes in 235 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres. The 6-3, 206-pound forward was originally selected by Buffalo in the first round, 12th overall, at the 2012 NHL Draft.
MacInnis, 25, made his NHL debut in 2019-20, recording an assist and a +1 plus/minus rating in 10 games with the Blue Jackets. He has added 26-61-87 and 133 penalty minutes in 250 career American Hockey League contests, including 1-1-2 in five appearances with the Cleveland Monsters in 2020-21. The St. Louis, Missouri native collected 7-23-30 in 45 outings with Cleveland in 2019-20, finishing second on the club in assists and points. The 6-4, 201-pound forward, was acquired in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes on July 18, 2018. He was originally selected by the Coyotes in the second round, 43rd overall, at the 2014 NHL Draft.
Matteau, 27, made his Blue Jackets 2020-21 season debut on February 15 at Carolina. He has registered 5-5-10 with 32 penalty minutes in 75 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils since making his League debut in 2012-13. He was signed by Columbus to a two-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract on Feb. 19, 2020 and tallied 2-1-3 and five penalty minutes in nine outings with the club in 2019-20. The Chicago, Illinois native added 12-16-28 and 41 penalty minutes in 50 AHL games with the Monsters that season. New Jersey's first pick, 29th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft, the 6-2, 208-pound forward has collected 69-77-146 and 408 penalty minutes in 361 career AHL games since the 2013-14 campaign.
CBJ announce roster moves
