2 Defensemen Out For Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without two of their defensemen, as both Adam Boqvist and Vladislav Gavrikov have entered COVID-19 protocol. 

Boqvist was acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks during the offseason as a part of the Seth Jones trade. So far, the 21-year-old has been playing well, as he has seven goals and seven assists in 26 contests. The 2018 eighth overall pick is viewed as possessing a high degree of potential, and he's displaying that effectively this season. 

Gavrikov has also been having a very good season, too. In 36 games, the 6-foot-3 defenseman has two goals, 17 points, and a plus-4 rating. He not only has been performing well offensively but has been quite reliable on the back end, too. He also has been a force physically, as his 61 hits already this season show perfectly. 

This is bad timing for the Blue Jackets, as they are desperately trying to get back into the playoff picture. At this time, they have a 17-18-1 record and are 11 points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card spot. Now, they are set to be very shorthanded on the blueline.

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