Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov had to exit Thursday’s preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins due to a lower-body injury.
INJURY UPDATE: #CBJ forward Dmitri Voronkov suffered an upper body injury and will not return to tonight's game against the Penguins.
— CBJ Public Relations (@BlueJacketsPR) October 4, 2024
Blue Jackets Head Coach Dean Evason shared that there’s no new info on Dmitri Voronkov’s condition just yet. He’s still undergoing evaluations, as reported
by team insider Jeff Svoboda.
#CBJ head coach Dean Evason did not have a further update postgame. Voronkov is still being evaluated. https://t.co/kClA8Kj0yf
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) October 4, 2024
The 24-year-old Russian winger exited the game in the first period, but the specifics of his injury remain unclear. In five preseason appearances, Voronkov has notched three assists.
Selected by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, this season marks Voronkov’s NHL debut. He played 75 regular-season games, netting 18 goals and 16 assists for a total of 34 points, while averaging 13:27 on the ice. He also suited up for four games with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, where he recorded one assist.
Before making the leap to North America, Voronkov shined in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Kazan Ak-Bars over five seasons, contributing 37 goals and 37 assists in 182 regular-season games. His standout season came in 2022-23, where he racked up 18 goals and 13 assists in just 54 games.
As for the Blue Jackets, last season was a tough one, finishing with a 27-43-12 record for a total of 66 points. They ended up at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and had the fourth-worst record in the league, which earned them the No. 4 pick in the draft. They selected center Cayden Lindstrom from the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Although Lindstrom missed half of the 2023-24 season due to injury, he still managed to make an impact with 27 goals and 19 assists in 32 games.
For More Great Hockey Content
Follow me on Twitter at @Entertainm64891 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional hockey!!
