The Columbus Blue Jackets begin preparations for their 24th National Hockey League season with the opening of training camp, presented by OhioHealth, on Wednesday, September 18. Players will report for physicals at OhioHealth McConnell Spine, Sport and Joint Center beginning at 7 a.m. on Wednesday with fitness testing to follow at Ohio State University. The club will also hold its annual Media Day Luncheon at Nationwide Arena that day followed by a press conference with President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell, Head Coach Dean Evason and select players from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Columbus will conduct the first team on-ice practices from Thursday, September 19 through Saturday, September 21 in the OhioHealth Ice Haus. The Blue Jackets will also hold an intersquad scrimmage on Sunday, September 22 at 12:15 p.m. in the club’s practice facility. All practice sessions in the OhioHealth Ice Haus (see full schedule below) are open to the public.
The training camp roster consists of 55 players (31 forwards, 16 defensemen, eight goaltenders) with the players divided into two groups for sessions from September 21-27. The Blue Jackets open their eight-game preseason schedule on Monday, September 23 when the club visits the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Columbus begins the home slate of the preseason two days later against St. Louis at Nationwide Arena. The team opens the 2024-25 regular season on Thursday, October 10 against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center and kicks off its home slate of games with a 7 p.m. ET matchup against the 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday, October 15 at Nationwide Arena.
