Blue Jackets' Patrik Laine activated, to return vs. Red Wings

The Columbus Blue Jackets activated forward Patrik Laine off injured reserve Saturday morning, making him available for the team's afternoon game against the host Detroit Red Wings.

Laine, 25, had been sidelined since absorbing a high hit from Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson as the final horn sounded in the Blue Jackets' 3-1 win on Oct. 20 in Columbus. Andersson lowered the boom on Laine as the latter was attempting to score into an empty net.

Andersson received a four-game suspension from the NHL for charging.

Laine's return will be a welcome sight for the Blue Jackets, who have lost seven of their past eight games (1-4-3).

He has two points (one goal, one assist) in four games this season and 381 points (199 goals, 182 assists) in 466 career games since being selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He was acquired by the Blue Jackets on Jan. 23, 2001, with Columbus native Jack Roslovic in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Also on Saturday, the Blue Jackets assigned defenseman David Jiricek to Cleveland of the American Hockey League.

Jiricek, who turns 20 later this month, has three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games this season with Columbus.

—Field Level Media