COLUMBUS, Ohio — Don’t be alarmed. None of this is unexpected, the
Columbus Blue Jackets say. They knew patience would need to be in long supply when they drafted center
Cayden Lindstrom with the No. 4 overall pick in June.
Lindstrom, who missed a large chunk of last season with a back injury, has been limited most of the summer as he works his way back to what he and the club will be lasting health.
But Lindstrom has already been ruled out of participating next month (Sept. 13-16) when the club’s top prospects travel to Buffalo for the NHL Prospects Challenge.
And, as of Monday, Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell allowed that Lindstrom is likely to be “limited” when the team opens training camp on Sept. 19 in Nationwide Arena. (Actually, he’ll be a name to watch one day earlier, when players go through pre-camp physicals.)
“Before we drafted him, we had all of the MRIs, all the tests, and everything else from his agents and doctors,” Waddell said. “This is something he’s going to get better from, but we want to be really careful with it. I’ve said all along, we’re going to slow-play this one.
“We’ve had great communication on this, not just with Cayden and his agent, but with our training staff and our doctors. This is an important player for us, obviously, and the focus is on the future. I’ve told everybody involved that I’m not worried about today. I’m looking at the future.
“It’s not like we’re trying to rush him back to play on opening night.”