The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t get defenseman Ryan Murray back against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, but there’s a possibility he might make the team’s road trip against all three California teams, according to the Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline.
Murray, 21, is awaiting results from a procedure on his knee, as Portzline notes:
#CBJ D Ryan Murray appears out tonight. Saw docs this morning regarding his knee, which was scoped four months ago. Awaiting update.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) October 17, 2014
Here’s the Blue Jackets’ California trip (all away games):
Thursday: at Sharks
Friday: at Ducks
Sunday: at Kings
That’s a rough stretch of three games in four nights, even if travel shouldn’t be much of a headache. It’s unclear how likely Murray is to really play there, but perhaps getting him in on Friday - when another defenseman might be a little fatigued - would serve Columbus best.
#CBJ D Ryan Murray (knee) did not travel with team to Ottawa. F Marko Dano is here.
— Shawn Mitchell (@shecky218) October 18, 2014
It’s been a frustrating run of injuries for Murray, who was the second overall pick of the 2012 NHL Draft. The Blue Jackets memorably passed on the New York Islanders’ entire 2012 draft package to grab the offensively gifted blueliner, but so far the grade on that non-deal is an “incomplete.” In case you’re wondering, Griffin Reinhart has appeared in three Islanders games so far in 2014-15, although he hasn’t been particularly effective just yet.