Patrik Laine returned to practice Monday for the first time since he sustained an oblique strain Nov. 3 at the Colorado Avalanche.
The forward has missed 17 games after scoring 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in the first nine games this season. Columbus (14-11-1) is 8-8-1 without him.
There is no timetable for the return of Laine, whose father, Harri, died in November, according to the Blue Jackets website.
He skated on a line with recent scratches Emil Bemstrom and Yegor Chinakhov.
"These guys have been great supporting me and my family, so it's always nice to come back here with open arms," Laine said. "It's definitely fun being on the ice with them again."
He rejoined his teammates in Vancouver ahead of their game at the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
"He's been through a lot here, and a lot of times in these situations, [it's good] just to be back with your second family and get out there and have some normalcy in your life," coach Brad Larsen said. "It's great to see him out there smiling and having some fun and getting back at it."