Predators' Nick Blankenburg: Waived for reassignment
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Blankenburg was waived by the Predators on Thursday, per PuckPedia.
Blankenburg played in 12 regular-season games for the Blue Jackets last year, notching one goal, 10 shots and 21 hits while averaging 16:13 of ice time. The 26-year-old blueliner figures to spend the majority of the upcoming season in the minors with AHL Milwaukee, though an injury or two could see him called up later in the year.
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Predators' Nick Blankenburg: Gets two-year contract
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Blankenburg signed a two-year contract with the Predators on Monday. The agreement is a two-way deal in 2024-25 and becomes one-way in 2025-26.
Blankenburg had a goal in 12 contests with Columbus in 2023-24. He also provided three goals and 13 points in 24 regular-season outings with AHL Cleveland. Blankenburg will probably start the campaign in the minors, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him get an opportunity with Nashville as an injury replacement during the season.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Drops to AHL
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Blankenburg was reassigned to AHL Cleveland on Tuesday.
Blankenburg played versus the Hurricanes on Tuesday in the Blue Jackets' season finale. He'll now bolster the Monsters' defense corps. Blankenburg had one goal and no assists over 12 NHL appearances this season.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Recalled Friday
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Blankenburg was called up from AHL Cleveland on Friday.
Blankenburg has three goals and 13 points in 21 contests with Cleveland this season. He's also provided five goals and 17 points in 49 career NHL games. Blankenburg might spend the rest of the campaign with the Blue Jackets because Jake Bean is done for the season after suffering a broken hand during Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Islanders.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Ascends to top level
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Blankenburg was recalled from AHL Cleveland on Saturday, per the NHL media site.
Blankenburg had an assist in his lone game with the Monsters after being sent down to the minors last Sunday. He has 11 hits and 12 blocked shots in six games at the NHL level this season. In a corresponding move, Columbus placed Adam Boqvist (upper body) on injured reserve.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Taken off IR, sent to AHL
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Blankenburg (upper body) was activated from injured reserve and loaned to AHL Cleveland on Sunday.
Blankenburg will get some playing time in the minors after missing the past 12 games. He has been credited with three shots on goal, 12 blocked shots and 11 hits in six NHL outings this season. In a corresponding move, David Jiricek was recalled from the AHL.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Sitting out Thursday
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Blankenburg (upper body) won't play Thursday versus the Capitals, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports.
Blankenburg has played six games since his recall earlier in December. He's logged three shots on goal, 11 hits and 12 blocked shots while failing to record a point. His absence Thursday will allow rookie David Jiricek to rejoin the lineup.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Ready for training camp
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Blankenburg (ankle) was on the ice for Thursday's practice at Blue Jackets camp, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.
Blankenburg was considered week-to-week with an ankle injury at the end of last season. He also missed time with a broken ankle previously in the campaign. It'll be something to monitor with the 25-year-old blueliner, who could be left out of the Opening Night lineup after the Blue Jackets added Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov via trade in the offseason.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Labeled week-to-week
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Blankenburg is considered week-to-week after suffering an ankle injury, the team announced Monday.
Blankenburg has generated four goals and 10 assists in 36 games this season following a previous extended stint on the shelf due to a broken ankle. It's not immediately clear if this latest ailment is related or not. With Erik Gudbranson (upper body) also out of action for six weeks, the Jackets will need to call up a player from the minors, with Marcus Bjork being the most likely candidate.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Collects marker vs. Anaheim
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Blankenburg supplied a goal in Friday's 7-4 loss to Anaheim.
Blankenburg scored midway through the first period to tie the game at 1-1. It was his first goal and third point over his last four outings. Overall in 2022-23, Blankenburg has contributed four goals and 13 points in 32 contests.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Sends assist
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Blankenburg notched an assist and two hits in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime win over the Sharks.
Blankenburg helped out on a Liam Foudy tally in the third period. With four helpers over his last six outings, Blankenburg is holding his own in a top-four role. The 24-year-old defenseman is up to three goals, nine assists, 41 shots on net, 55 hits, 43 blocked shots and a minus-8 rating through 30 contests this season.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Two helpers in Tuesday's win
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Blankenburg notched two assists, one on the power play, in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Sabres.
He saw only 16 seconds of time with the man advantage on the night, but Blankenburg made them count. The 24-year-old had only one point, a helper, over his prior 11 games, but his role on the Columbus blue line could grow down the stretch with Vladislav Gavrikov getting sent to the Kings on Wednesday.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Playing Friday
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Per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers, Blankenburg (upper body) will return to the lineup Friday versus Toronto, according to coach Brad Larsen.
Blankenburg has played only 15 games this season due to injuries. The defenseman has been fairly strong offensively, with three goals and four assists. He has 25 hits and blocked shots as well as 24 shots on goal this season.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Still sidelined against Washington
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Blankenburg (upper body) will be unavailable versus the Capitals on Tuesday, Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reports.
Blankenburg has been plagued by injuries this season, playing in just 15 games so far this year. In limited action, the blueliner has notched three goals and four assists while averaging 18:20 of ice time. With Adam Boqvist (upper body) also on the shelf, Gavin Bayreuther and Marcus Bjork figure to see significant upticks in ice time.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Missing Friday's contest
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Blankenburg is dealing with an upper-body injury and will miss Friday's game against Vancouver, according to Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch.
Blankenburg is regarded as being day-to-day beyond Friday's contest. He has three goals and seven points in 15 games in 2022-23. Gavin Bayreuther, who has spent Columbus' last seven games as a healthy scratch, is projected to draw back into the lineup.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Collects two helpers Saturday
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Blankenburg notched two assists, one on the power play, in Saturday's win over the Sharks.
Filling the secondary point role on Columbus' power play, the young defenseman whiffed on a one-timer from the blue line but fortunately had the puck trickle over to Patrik Laine, who found Johnny Gaudreau with a cross-ice pass for the Jackets' first goal of the game. Blankenburg's second helper was only a little more deliberate, as he disrupted a Sharks entry attempt behind his own net late in the third period and saw the puck wind up on Sean Kuraly's stick, who fired it the length of the ice for an empty-netter. Blankenburg has three goals and seven points through 13 NHL games this season in between injuries, and while Adam Boqvist is the team's top blueliner with the man advantage for now, his spot is far from secure.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Scores in defeat
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Blankenburg scored a goal on five shots in Thursday' 5-2 loss to the Ducks.
Blankenburg beat Anthony Stolarz with a wrist shot from the circle, extending Columbus' lead to 3-0 at the end of the first period. It's Blankenburg's first goal since he returned from a 27-game stint on the IR with a broken ankle. The 24-year-old blueliner offers some long-term offensive upside, but it's hard to count on him to produce consistently while playing on Columbus' third pairing. He now has three goals and two assists in 12 games this season.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: At practice Friday
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Blankenburg (lower body) is at practice Friday, Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reports.
Blankenburg left Thursday's game late in the third period with an apparent injury, but is fine and back at practice. It was his first game back in just over two months as Blankenburg suffered a broken ankle Nov. 10. He has two goals and an assist in eight games this season.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Leaves late in game
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Blankenburg (lower body) exited Thursday's game versus the Hurricanes late in the third period, but head coach Brad Larsen believes the defenseman will be fine, Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reports.
It looks like it's just an injury scare for Blankenburg, who played in his first game in two months after suffering a broken ankle in November. The Michigan native's status should be confirmed ahead of Saturday's game versus the Red Wings.
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Blue Jackets' Nick Blankenburg: Resumes skating
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Blankenburg (broken ankle) has resumed skating, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports.
Blankenburg suffered the injury Nov. 10 and was expected to be out of action 6-8 weeks. It has already been seven-plus weeks since then, but there is still no timetable for his return. Blankenburg was playing on the top pairing at the time of his injury. He had two goals and three points in seven games before he was sidelined.
