Blue Jackets’ Erik Gudbranson activated from IR, in line to return against Canucks

A veteran blueliner is set to make his long-awaited return to action.

The Columbus Blue Jackets activated defenseman Erik Gudbranson from injured reserve, with the 34-year-old expected to be in the lineup when the team hosts the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

It has been a while since we’ve seen Gudbranson in game action. The veteran rearguard has been sidelined since late October due to a hip injury. He has been on IR since Nov. 6, missing the Blue Jackets’ last 38 games. In his absence, the team has gone 16-15-7 but has struggled to avoid the Eastern Conference’s cellar.

Gudbranson has missed a total of 42 games so far this year. Other lower-body and upper-body injuries led to him missing a few more games earlier in October. He has yet to register a point, posting a plus/minus of -2 while averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time per game.

The rough start to the 2025-26 season comes after a 2024-25 campaign where Gudbranson spent most of the year recovering. A shoulder injury suffered in October of that season resulted in the Ottawa native undergoing surgery, placing him on the shelf until late March. He played in just 16 games, the fewest in a single season of his NHL career.

Gudbranson is in his fourth season with the Blue Jackets. He’s in the final season of his current contract, which he signed in July 2022. The deal carries a $4 million cap hit and includes a modified no-trade clause, under which the player has submitted a 10-team no-trade list.

In 809 regular-season games in the NHL, Gudbranson has scored 34 goals and 103 assists for 137 points. He also has two points in 31 postseason contests.

The Blue Jackets (20-19-7) are seventh in the Metropolitan Division, seven points back of the last Wild Card spot in the East.