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Columbus Blue Jackets injury update: Sean Monahan to miss 'some time' with wrist injury
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- Columbus Blue Jackets injury update: Sean Monahan to miss 'some time' with wrist injury
Sean Monahan has a wrist injury after taking a hit from behind in the Blue Jackets' 4-3 shootout win Tuesday in Pittsburgh , but it's unknown how much time he'll miss.
Don Waddell, the team's president of hockey operations/general manager , provided a medical update on Monahan to NHL insider Jeff Marek during a Wednesday podcast appearance, saying he's hopeful the team's top center won't be out long-term.
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"We're waiting," Waddell said. "He's getting a bone scan today. We don't have that back yet, but I think either way, his wrist is pretty swollen, and we'll miss him for some time. Hopefully not a long time."
Waddell was unavailable to speak with The Dispatch on Wednesday night.
Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason spoke with reporters Wednesday after an optional practice and didn't provide any new details on Monahan, who left the game Tuesday with an upper-body injury after one shift in the third period. Monahan was driven headfirst into the boards in the second period by Penguins defenseman Kris Letang , whose rough cross-check didn't draw a penalty.
It looked like Monahan's face hit the dasher board, which could've caused an injury, but he was spotted wearing a brace on his right wrist after the game. Evason said Monahan was questionable to return during the second intermission, when he and the Jackets' staff discussed replacement options at center that included moving Dmitri Voronkov or Kent Johnson to the middle.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (23) shoots the puck against Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) in the third period at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Monahan started the third, but exited after losing a draw against Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and watching it turn into a rush that Rickard Rakell finished with a goal to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead. Adam Fantilli stepped into Monahan's role centering Kirill Marchenko and Voronkov on the top line and at the "bumper" spot with the top power-play unit.
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Cole Sillinger and Sean Kuraly rounded out Evason's center rotation the rest of the game.
On Wednesday night, the Blue Jackets recalled rookie center Luca Del Bel Belluz , 21, from AHL Cleveland to add depth at center ice. Del Bel Belluz, who scored his first NHL goal on his first career shot in the Jackets' final game last season, returns to Columbus on the same day he was named to the AHL North's All-Star roster along with Cleveland Monsters teammates Trey Fix-Wolansky and defenseman Denton Mateychuk — who's also on the Blue Jackets' NHL roster.
Del Bel Belluz is leading the AHL in scoring while helping the Monsters compete for a division title and playoff spot.
Apr 16, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Luca Del Bel Belluz (65) celebrates his first career goal on his first ever shift during the first period of the NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena.
As for Fantilli, the second-year center and third overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft sparked the Blue Jackets' late comeback from down 3-1 in Pittsburgh by assisting on Voronkov's second goal of the game and forcing overtime with his own power-play tally that tied it 3-3. Evason said Fantilli will retain Monahan's roles if the veteran pivot doesn't play against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.
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"He's done all the right things," Evason said. "We've talked about 'earning' (roles). He's earned the right. Obviously, it's situational that 'Monny' left the game, but he earned the right to (play) there."
Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli has seven points off three goals and four assists in the month of January.
Fantilli said he's learned a lot about succeeding as an NHL center this season just from watching Monahan, who's dependable defensively while acting as an elite catalyst offensively. In his first season with the Blue Jackets, he's their third-leading scorer with 41 points on 14 goals and 27 assists.
"Obviously, we're hoping Monny's OK, and we're hoping everything comes back positive there because he's a huge part of our team and everything we've been doing lately," Fantilli said. "I've been able to watch him quite a bit recently, and (Tuesday) night, stepping in between (Voronkov) and (Marchenko), I thought I was able to help those guys out, fill in, and just do my best job there."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets injury update: Monahan to miss time with wrist injury
