Top Columbus Blue Jackets forward to miss significant time: another setback for the organization

This has been a very tough off-season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and although they've added veterans James Van Riemsdyk and Sean Monahan, they still don't appear to be a Stanley Cup Playoff team on paper. Unfortunately, they're now dealing with a brand new injury issue, as it appears forward Dmitri Voronkov will be out for a 'long-time', according to a report that reveals he is dealing with an upper body injury.

This is a brutal blow for the 24-year old after a stellar first season in the NHL with Columbus where he tallied a solid 18 goals and 34 points in 75 games played, as he was shaping up to be a key middle-six forward of the future. The former fourth-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets back in 2019 made an impact on both ends of the ice, and while names like Adam Fantili and Kent Johnson still dominate the talk around Columbus, Voronkov also has a very bright future.

It's unclear exactly what the injury is that he's dealing with, but after such a promising debut campaign, the excitement around him was growing for the future of this Blue Jackets team. The report comes from The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, who wasn't able to provide many details on the length or the exact injury that occurred during their pre-season clash with the Penguins, but for now, one of Columbus' most talented young names will be out for an extended time.