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Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week. 

From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered. 

Trey Fix-Wolansky - TFW is generally considered the greatest player in Monsters' history. He leads the Monsters franchise with 112 goals, 147 assists, and 259 points. Defenseman Jake Christiansen is the only active player close enough to catch TFW, but he was in Columbus last season, and most likely this season, so Fix-Wolansky's records are safe. 

64 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide ArenaThere have only been two players wear the #64 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately for Columbus, neither one of them made a significant impact for Columbus. Cleveland is a different story, however. 

The duo’s swift rise brought envy from the entire league. And yet it was in each other that Jones and Werenski found their biggest fan. Jones couldn’t help himself during one game last season, late in the third period against Washington, when he watched Werenski skate down the left side from the point and rip a puck through traffic to tie the score. “That,” Jones said, “was eye-opening. It couldn’t have been a much more perfect shot.”

From The Archive: Blood Brothers The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Joonas Korpisalo - But for CBJ fans, it was watching Joonas Korpisalo that made it the most exciting. The young Finnish goalie would take the loss, but would set an NHL playoff record for most saves in a game with 85 saves. That record still stands today. 

The Lightning pumped 88 shots at Korpisalo, which included 12 or more shots in 6 of the periods, and 14 shots in four of the periods. The Lightning were trying their hardest to bury the Blue Jackets all game, but Korpisalo just wouldn't let it happen. 

On This Date In 2020: Joonas Korpisalo Makes HistoryOn August 11, 2020 the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning started their first round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans of the CBJ were hoping that the Jackets could pull off another huge upset against the Lightning. 

While it would be hard to move his contract, he has shown that he can be a very good goalie. However, it seems that his time is quickly running out with the Blue Jackets. With the emergence of Jet Greaves as the future starter for the organization, it could be wise for general manager Don Waddell to move on from Merzlikins.

Blue Jackets' Biggest Trade Chips: Elvis MerzlikinsWelcome to another edition of Columbus Blue Jackets' Biggest Trade Chips. In the first two editions, we looked at Yegor Chinakhov and Dmitri Voronkov, and now we are going to look at goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who very well could be their last big trade target on the roster.

Johnson spent last season with the Jackets and played 41 games. He had a total of six points, all of which were assists. 

He has played in 1,228 games and posted 342 points, including 486 games for Columbus, where he had 160 points. 

Former Jackets Defenseman Signs PTO With Minnesota WildFormer CBJ defenseman Jack Johnson has signed a PTO with the Minnesota Wild, the club announced. 

With 62 days left before the Jackets take the ice again at Nationwide Arena, there is a lot of positivity surrounding the team. Don Waddell signed who he had to sign in the offseason to put the team in a good position going forward. People wanted a few things, including huge free agents and big trades, but many forget that he has to sign some very important players soon, including Adam Fantilli and Jet Greaves. Not to mention Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, and Dmitri Voronkov may need new deals in 2027. 

62 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #62The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had four players wear #62 in their history, and in a weird twist, three of them have been since 2023. They haven't had any real impact players where the number in their short 25-year history, but that could change one day. 

Yes, that's right, comedian Matt Rife hosted a show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Saturday and was seen sporting a Rick Nash #61 jersey. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering he is an Ohio native who grew up a big fan of the team.

Matt Rife Wears Blue Jackets Jersey At Hometown Comedy ShowWe are so deep in the dog days of the NHL off-season that the only real news regarding the Columbus Blue Jackets is that a celebrity was spotted proudly wearing a Blue Jackets jersey.

Johnson played for Cleveland the 2021-22 season. He played in 20 games and had a 6-9-4 record with a SV% of .882. Johnson, from Flint, Michigan was undrafted and has yet to make his NHL Debut. 

Former Monsters Goalie Signs With Springfield Of AHLPer Tony Andockitis, former Monsters goalie Cam Johnson is signing with the AHLs Springfield Thunderbirds. 

I remember watching Rick Nash get drafted 1st overall in 2002. GM Doug MacLean made a bold move and traded up to get the big winger from the London Knights of the OHL. I was young and ecstatic about this trade.

61 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: Rick NashThe Jackets have only had one player wear the #61. No one else will wear it. 

Gallant, 61, has spent time with the Blue Jackets as both an assistant coach and head coach, as well as with the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens as an assistant. He served as the bench boss for the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and New York Rangers, up until 2022-23 when he was fired and his time in the NHL appeared to be over.

Former Blue Jackets' Bench Boss Lands New Gig Overseas Columbus Blue Jackets' former head coach Gerard Gallant has landed a new coaching job. It was announced earlier today that he will be heading overseas to Russia to coach the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL.

GM Don Waddell said in a press release: "Mikael Pyyhtiä is a highly competitive player that brings high-end speed, reliable two-way play and a strong work ethic to a lineup," said Waddell. "We look forward to see his continued growth with the Blue Jackets organization.”

Blue Jackets Sign Mikael Pyyhtia To An ExtensionColumbus has announced the signing of forward Mikael Pyyhtiä to a one-year, two-way contract today. The contract is for $775,000 on the NHL side, and $100,000 on the AHL level. 

You’re probably in no mood to read this right now, but this is as good a time as any. It’s your 32-year-old self here, and in case your head is too scrambled to figure out, it’s 2015. Hey, and guess what, you’re playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets these days. They’re the guys who came into the league as an expansion team a couple months ago.

From The THN Archive: Scott Hartnell - Letter To My Rookie SelfThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Hunt, 23, is a left-handed defenceman that Columbus acquired from the Minnesota Wild as part of the David Jiricek trade last season. His previous salary from last year was $828,333 over a three-year term. If he does sign with the Blue Jackets, his salary will likely be similar to Pyyhtiä’s, which is $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.

Blue Jackets’ Last Remaining RFA: Daemon HuntWith the Columbus Blue Jackets reaching an agreement with Mikael Pyyhtiä on a one-year, two-way contract yesterday, there is just one remaining restricted free agent (RFA) they need to re-sign, and that is Daemon Hunt.

Later in 2023, there were rumors that he was "unhappy" in Columbus and may want out. His agent, Shumi Babaev, told THN Columbus that, "At the moment, there are no conversations about a trade on our part. He likes Columbus, both the team and the city." He went to tell us that "We are in touch with the General Manager (Jarmo), the only thing Yegor wants is to have more ice time, feel the coach's trust, and help the team win more games. He's very happy after yesterday's game. Felt great on the new line."

59 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The Yegor Chinakhov SagaThe Columbus Blue Jackets have 59 days until the home opener at Nationwide Arena. Today, we talk about Yegor Chinakhov and the drama that surrounds him. 

“Daemon Hunt is a good, young two-way defenseman that plays a smart and controlled game,” said Waddell in a press release. “His signing provides us important additional organizational depth on our blue line.”

The Blue Jackets Sign Final RFAThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced the signing of Daemon Hunt, the final RFA the Blue Jackets had to sign.  Blue Jackets Announce Theme Nights For 25th Anniversary SeasonThe Columbus Blue Jackets are heading into their 25th anniversary season, and the organization is ready to roll out a full slate of events to celebrate with fans. 58 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: Lumber Jacket David SavardThe former Lumber Jacket was fun to watch. Blue Jackets Should Look To Extend Captain Boone Jenner As Soon As PossibleThe Columbus Blue Jackets have a big decision on their hands. Their captain, Boone Jenner, is entering the last year of his contract and can sign an extension as soon as possible.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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This is part of a countdown series with the Golden Knights, highlighting the roster with brief tidbits on the players as their uniform numbers align with the countdown day. Today, we meet Dylan Coghlan.

Dylan Coghlan returns to the Vegas Golden Knights after signing a one-year contract on July 1, 2025.

Undrafted in 2018, Coghlan signed with the Golden Knights before their inaugural season in 2017, and made his NHL debut on Feb. 5, 2021.

He was traded to Carolina by Vegas with Max Pacioretty for future considerations on July 13, 2022, and was then traded to Winnipeg by Carolina for future considerations, July 6, 2024.

After playing 18 games over two seasons for the Hurricanes, he joined the Jets but spent most of his time with Manitoba of the American Hockey League.

During his career, the 27-year-old has scored six goals and assisted on 16 others in 112 games.

FUN FACT: Coghlan was the first defenseman in Golden Knights history to get a hat trick, while being the youngest at 23 years old during a 4-3 loss at the Minnesota Wild on March 10, 2021.

Before the start of last season, the Montreal Canadiens had won five consecutive games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they kept that streak going with a couple of wins over the Ohio outfit early in the season. Montreal won the first two games, one in each venue, and outscored the opponent 13-9 in the three-game season series.

Though the Canadiens were lucky to face Columbus early in the season, as the Jackets were reeling from the unexpected loss of star player Johnny Gaudreau and struggled to make up for his absence, the speedy winger was a huge part of their attack and had always had success against Montreal, scoring six goals and adding 17 assists for 23 points in 25 games. Besides the offensive output, though, Gaudreau was a dynamo for the Jackets, and his loss had a significant impact on their whole team, but especially for former Canadiens’ Sean Monahan, who had signed with the team to get to play with his close friend again.

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A month into the season, the two teams met for the first time, and the Canadiens were dominant at the Bell Center. Montreal had a 30-26 edge in shots and scored a 5-1 win on the back of a pair of assists from Cole Caufield, who had changed his number to 13 to honour his fallen idol before the start of the season. The visitors did shoot themselves in the foot, however, with 18 giveaways. Mike Matheson and Joel Armia also had a pair of points in the win.

Less than two weeks later, the two sides met again, this time in Columbus, and the hosts played much better in a 4-3 OT loss. That time, it was Juraj Slafkovsky who led the charge with two points, but Caufield did have a goal while Nick Suzuki scored the overtime winner less than a minute into the extra frame. Emil Heineman also had a lamplighter in the win.

The final duel came on December 23, and the Jackets were finally able to beat the Canadiens in Columbus, with the cannon firing five times thanks to a 5-4 win. Monahan, Kiril Marchenko, and Zach Werenski all had three points. It was another good night for Caufield as he recorded two points once again. The Canadiens had a 4-3 lead 20 seconds into the final frame, but they were unable to hang on for the win, with Dimitri Voronkov and Kiril Marchenko scoring in the third.

The Canadiens' top players against Columbus were Caufield with five points, Jake Evans with four, and Suzuki with three points, which also included two game-winning goals. Meanwhile, for the Jackets, it was offensive defenseman Zach Werenski who led the team with six points, followed by Monahan and Marchenko, who both had three.

This offseason, the Jackets’ most significant move was a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in which they acquired Miles Wood and Charlie Coyle in return for Gavin Brinley and a couple of draft picks. While they won’t be top-six players, they do give the Jackets enviable depth up front. They also signed Isac Lundestrom as a free agent and re-signed Dante Fabro and Ivan Provorov.

The Jackets failed to make the playoffs last season, but they were only eliminated when the Canadiens won the last game of their season. Columbus' near-successful push to the playoffs was led by goaltender Jet Greaves, who was simply outstanding in the sequence, outplaying Elvis Merzlikins. If the youngster comes back in that kind of form, the Jackets could be much tougher to take on and beat. He was on duty when the Jackets finally beat Montreal in their final head-to-head meeting.

The big story between the two teams, however, was Patrik Laine speaking to the media ahead of the December 23rd tilt and explaining why he had requested a trade away from Columbus. Needless to say, his former teammates did not appreciate what he had to say and used his declaration as motivation. The big Finn was chased all around the ice and mercilessly hit by his former teammates and booed by the crowd, exiting the game after the first period. The physical punishment he received might have taught him a few things about what should and shouldn’t be shared with the media, but chances are he’ll be highly motivated when he takes on his former team this season.

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ST. LOUIS -- It was Aug. 17, 1983 when the St. Louis Blues named the 13th coach in franchise history when they hired Jacques Demers.

Demers was a gamble at the time for the Blues, with just one year of coaching experience with the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80, going 25-44 with 11 ties.

Demers replaced the co-coaching duo of Emile Francis and Barclay Plager, who coached the Blues with Francis for five seasons starting in 1978; Francis began in 1977.

Demers would go on to coach the Blues for three seasons and take them to the playoffs each season from 1983-1986. He was 106-106 with 28 ties in the regular season and 16-17 in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with a best run in 1985-86 when the Blues reached the Campbell Conference Final before losing to the Calgary Flames in seven games.

It was believed there was a building block with Demers and the franchise, but he ultimately left to join the Detroit Red Wings in the same capacity and the Blues accused the Red Wings of tampering after then-owner Harry Ornest believed he had a "binding agreement ' of a three-year contract but one was never signed.

The Blues would try to sue Demers from coaching the Red Wings but the NHL would rule in favor of the coach and he would be behind the Red Wings bench for the ensuing four seasons. He would then be hired and win a Stanley Cup his first season with the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93 and coach the Habs for four seasons, then the Tampa Bay Lightning from 1997-99.

Eventually, Jacques Martin would replace Demers in St. Louis and coach the Blues for two seasons from 1986-88.

For those that remember that far back and that Blues era, where does Demers, who is now 80, rank among the 28 coaches in Blues history? Comment below and let The Hockey News know what you think.

Meeting the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs was a tall order for the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs struggled against a Washington team that was chasing the goal record for Alexander Ovechkin. In the three-game season series, the Caps outscored the Habs 12-8, and Montreal finished with a 1-2-0 record on the season against their playoff rival.

The first duel was on October 31, and the Canadiens were in the second game of a six-game losing streak. Taking on the Capitals at Capital One Arena, Montreal only took 16 shots on goal while Washington tested Cayden Primeau 34 times. Each team scored three goals in the middle frame, but the Capitals scored three unanswered goals in the final frame to skate away with the 6-3 win.

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On December 7, this time at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens were once again outplayed as the Caps had a 35-24 edge in shots on goal in the 4-2 win. Montreal took a 2-0 lead in the first frame, but they were unable to prevent the comeback as Washington stormed to a 4-2 win with four unanswered goals.

The Habs bounced back on January 10, however, and with Jakub Dobes in the net, they dominated in shots 30-17 and were able to come back from behind after Jakob Chychrun had scored the first goal less than three minutes into the game. Cole Caufield tied up the score while Josh Anderson gave Montreal the lead with a shorthanded marker. Lars Eller tied up the game at the start of the third, but Nick Suzuki gave the Habs the win in the extra frame with helpers from Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson.

Tom Wilson and Aleksei Protas led the charge for the Caps in the season series with four points each, while Ovechkin had three. As for the Habs, it was the captain who stood out with five points, followed by Caufield and Hutson, who had four points each. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Suzuki was unable to have a similar offensive output in the playoffs as he was limited to two points in the postseason.

Speaking of the postseason, the Caps made short work of the Canadiens, eliminating them in just five games and outscoring them 18-12 in the process. Washington’s dominance wasn’t just on the scoreboard, however, since their physical play made life tough for the Habs’ skills player, making Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton realize that their team needed to get tougher and bigger.

The Caps lost some good pieces this offseason as Andrew Mangiapane signed a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, Taylor Raddysh joined the New York Rangers on a two-year contract, and Lars Eller, who returned to Washington in November, won’t have stayed for long as he joined the Ottawa Senators on a one-year pact. T.J. Oshie, who sat out last season, officially retired as well.

Washington resigned Anthony Beauvillier and acquired Justin Sourdif and Declan Chisholm, and it doesn’t look like there will be many more additions this offseason. The young Habs will no doubt be looking to avenge their early playoff exit when they meet the Caps for the first time of the season on November 20. While the Capitals are no longer the powerhouse that they once were, they remain a strong team with plenty of experience and are tough to play.

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Two former New Jersey Devils left the 3ICE Summer Tournament with honors.

Former player-turned-coach Ken Daneyko earned the Eddie Johnston Coach of the Year award after leading the 3ICE NY/NJ team to the Patrick Cup Championship.

Mr. Devil on the Bench: Ken Daneyko Leads NJ/NY 3ICE Team to Final FourFormer New Jersey Devil Ken Daneyko has taken on a new role this summer, coaching the 3ICE NJ/NY team.

Meanwhile, former Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who played with 3ICE Buffalo, was named the Bryan Trottier League MVPawarded to the tournament’s most valuable player.

Keith Kinkaid Eyes NHL Return After Strong 3ICE PerformanceFormer New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid is aiming for an NHL comeback this season.

🏆 Congratulations to our 3ICE Season 3 Award Winners! 🏆

Now it all comes down to THIS…
🏒 The Patrick Cup Championship
📍 Baptist Health IcePlex – Fort Lauderdale, FL
🕖 Tonight at 7 PM ET#3ICE#PatrickCup#Hockey#3ICEAwards#HockeyLife#3ICEHockey#PatrickCup2025pic.twitter.com/nGkM4TAMdi

— 3ICE (@3IceHockey) August 14, 2025

The 3ICE tournament is held every summer at the Florida Panthers’ training facility. It serves as a showcase for current NHL players, as well as those aiming to break into the league, with games played in a fast-paced three-on-three format.

Both Daneyko and Kinkaid have strong ties to the Devils.

Daneyko, better known as “Mr. Devil”,  played his entire career in New Jersey. He was on the roster for all three Stanley Cup championships, leading the franchise in both games played and penalty minutes. His jersey now hangs in the rafters at the Prudential Center, cementing his legacy as a franchise icon. Though his team did not win the Patrick Cup, his transition to coaching earned him high recognition.

Kinkaid also left his mark on the Devils. Joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2012, he spent six seasons in New Jersey before moving on to stints with five other NHL teams. Over 169 NHL games, he recorded a .905 save percentage.

Now 36, the six-foot-two netminder has spent recent years in the AHL and ECHL, but his MVP performance at 3ICE proved he still has plenty left in the tank. While his Buffalo squad didn’t win the tournament, his individual honor may boost his chances of earning another NHL opportunity.

Although neither Daneyko nor Kinkaid are likely to return to the Devils organization, their performances at the 3ICE tournament show they still have plenty to offer, whether behind the bench or between the pipes.