The Columbus Blue Jackets will start the 2024-25 NHL season without Dmitri Voronkov, who is injured. He hurt his upper body during a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Penguins and is now on injured reserve. Originally picked 114th in the 2019 NHL Draft, he joined from the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan after an impressive season where he scored 18 goals and earned 31 points in just 54 games.
Last year, Voronkov shone brightly for Columbus, netting 18 goals and collecting 34 points over 75 games. His performance was so good that he finished fifth in team scoring as a rookie and even got some attention for the Calder Memorial Trophy, landing at eleventh place in voting. Fans were excited to see what he’d do next.
Unfortunately, it seems we’ll have to wait before seeing more of Voronkov’s magic on ice . According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, he’s expected to be out for quite some time. This is tough news for a team still coping with Johnny Gaudreau’s passing last August. Voronkov was supposed to step up as a key scorer this season, especially after they signed James van Riemsdyk for one year.
Challenges Ahead:
Without Voronkov and Gaudreau, Columbus faces big challenges this season. They need other players to step up if they want to keep or improve their average of 2.85 goals per game from last year. Fans might wonder if their favorite team can overcome these obstacles and shine again.
Injuries are part of sports but losing two important players makes things harder than ever before! What do you think? Can Columbus bounce back despite these setbacks?
