The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed forward Sean Kuraly on Injured Reserve retroactive to December 23 and recalled defenseman Jake Christiansen from the Cleveland Monsters, the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. The club also announced that defenseman Zach Werenski, who was placed on Injured Reserve on Friday, is expected to be sidelined four-to-six weeks with an ankle injury suffered at New Jersey on December 27.
Kuraly, 30, is day-to-day with an abdominal injury suffered vs. Toronto on December 23. He has registered six goals and five assists for 11 points with 28 penalty minutes, 74 hits and 47 shots on goal in 35 contests with the Blue Jackets this season. He leads the team in hits and ranks second in penalty minutes. Born in Niagara Falls, New York, the 6-2, 215-pound forward has posted 55-74-129 and 291 penalty minutes in 453 career games with the Blue Jackets and Boston Bruins since making his NHL debut in 2016-17. Originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round, 133rd overall, at the 2011 NHL Draft, he was signed by Columbus as a free agent on July 28, 2021.
Christiansen, 24, has collected 1-4-5 and four penalty minutes and 29 shots on goal in 32 career appearances with the Blue Jackets since making his NHL debut in 2021-22. He posted 0-4-4 and four penalty minutes in 24 outings with the club in 2022-23. He was originally signed by Columbus to a three-year, entry level contract on Mar. 4, 2020.
The 6-0, 196-pound native of West Vancouver, British Columbia has added 32-84-116 and 120 penalty minutes in 177 career AHL games with the Monsters and Stockton Heat since making his professional debut at the beginning of the 2019-20 campaign. He was named to the 2021-22 AHL Second All-Star Team after leading league blueliners in goals with 13-32-45 in 62 games. This season, he ranks fourth-T among AHL defensemen in points and seventh-T in assists with 5-17-22 in 28 appearances with Cleveland.
The Blue Jackets return to action tonight when they visit the Buffalo Sabres. Game time from KeyBank Center is 5 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 4:30 p.m. The game may also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 105.7 FM in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
