There's never a good time for injuries.
But it sure does feel like there are bad times, and this sure does feel like one of them.
Minus a torn meniscus for utility defenseman Brendan Smith, there were no season-ending injuries for the Columbus Blue Jackets this time a week ago. In fact, the club had just 186 man-games lost to an injury, amongst the lowest in the NHL.
Over the last week, though? Snakebitten.
In each of the last three games, the Blue Jackets have lost a player to injury.
First was Damon Severson. He left Thursday's game against the Montreal Canadiens with 8:21 left in the third period after taking a hard hit from the Habs' Zachary Bolduc.
Damon Severson had to leave the game after some contact with Zachary Bolduc. pic.twitter.com/MkHC8vMaDf
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) March 27, 2026
Severson is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, but with just two weeks left in the regular season, that likely means that his season is over if the Blue Jackets can't get into a playoff spot.
Even worse, Severson was having a resurgent season. Following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, the 31-year-old was averaging over 21 minutes a game, was proving his to be one of the more reliable defensemen for the team, and his 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) was already his highest in his three seasons with the Blue Jackets.
Severson was hot too, picking up five points in his last five games prior to the injury.
It was Dmitri Voronkov's turn Saturday. He played just 4:03 before leaving the game against the San Jose Sharks with a hand injury.
His status, like Severson's, is week-to-week.
Voronkov had struggled to get in the lineup lately, being a healthy scratch in nine of the last ten games before Saturday's insertion into the lineup. But the big winger's 17 goals this season still ranks in the top five on the team, and head coach Rick Bowness had stated on numerous occasions he was working to find a way to get him back into the lineup more regularly.
Sunday, it was Mathieu Olivier who exited early. After energizing the crowd with a fight late in the first period, Olivier played just one shift in the second before leaving.
4 NATIONS AINT GOT SH
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 29, 2026
Olivier takes down Kalestic in a battle reminiscent of the 2025 USA-Canada battle. #CBJpic.twitter.com/2NMt9NvDQj
Bowness said Tuesday morning that Olivier will be out "a couple of weeks", potentially ending his regular season, as well.
It is listed as an upper-body injury.
Olivier was without a point in his last three games but had seven goals in 17 games after the Olympic break. More important, he was part of the Blue Jackets most consistent line this season, being paired up with Charlie Coyle and Cole Sillinger for much of the season
The injuries have arrived at the worst possible time for the Blue Jackets, who must lean on their next-man-up mentality down the stretch.
Fascinating graph from @NHLInjuryViz detailing the cap hit of injured players on a season-by-season basis. #CBJ have been bit less-and-less each of the last four seasons.
— Ed Francis (@BlueJacketStats) March 30, 2026
Of course, now, Severson and Voronkov are week-to-week as we await Olivier news Tuesday. Tough timing. pic.twitter.com/H19iOrcXQV
Monday, the team recalled forward Luca Del Bel Belluz from the AHL's Cleveland monsters. The 22-year-old, second round pick in 2022 played 13 games with the Blue Jackets in November and December, picking up one point (an assist) in 13 games.
For his NHL career, Del Bel Belluz has three goals and seven assists (ten points) in 29 games.
With the Monsters this season, he was an AHL All-Star who led the team in goals (22), assists (35), points (57), and power play goals (9).
The Blue Jackets need a shot in the arm on offense, and are hoping Del Bel Belluz will be able to provide that.
With eight games left in the regular season entering Tuesday's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Blue Jackets hold a playoff spot by two points — but have one more game played than the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and Philadelphia Flyers, any of which could tie them with a win in their respective games Tuesday night.
The Blue Jackets are also just one point behind the New York Islanders for third in the Metropolitan division (with a game in hand), and two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for second.
