Blue Jackets’ Mathieu Olivier out week-to-week with upper-body injury
More unwanted injury news this late in the regular season.
When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness revealed that forward Mathieu Olivier is expected to miss a couple of weeks due to an upper-body injury.
#CBJ head coach Rick Bowness said the Jackets will be without forward Mathieu Olivier for a couple of weeks after he was injured Sunday vs. Boston.
Olivier suffered the injury on Sunday in a game against the Boston Bruins. It hasn’t been reported exactly how he was hurt in the game. Late in the first period, he dropped the gloves with Bruins forward Mark Kastelic. However, Olivier took a shift early in the second period but exited the game shortly thereafter. The 29-year-old logged just 3:06 of ice time across six shifts, posing a shot on goal.
The Blue Jackets ended up losing to the Bruins, 4-3, in overtime.
In 61 games this season, Olivier has scored 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points.
Olivier’s injury was part of a rough few days for Columbus. Defenseman Damon Severson is considered week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury last Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens. Then, on Saturday, forward Dmitri Voronkov left a game against the San Jose Sharks with an upper-body injury.
With the timeline given by Bowness, the Blue Jackets are facing the possibility that Olivier might be out for the remainder of the regular season. For what the Mississippi native offers in the bottom six, his absence certainly won’t help Columbus’ chances as they battle for a playoff spot.
The Blue Jackets called up forward Luca Del Bel Belluz from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, on Monday. Del Bel Belluz leads the Monsters in goals (22), assists (35) and points (57). He has posted 10 points in 29 games with Columbus this season.
The Blue Jackets (38-24-12) sit fourth in the Metropolitan Division, one point back of the New York Islanders for third. Columbus is also hanging onto the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers.