Blue Jackets Place Huselius on IR; Recall Alexandre Picard

[Thrillhouse]

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed forward Kristian Huselius on Injured Reserve retroactive to November 3 and added forward Alexandre Picard to the roster on emergency recall from the Syracuse Crunch, Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate, General Manager Scott Howson announced today.

Huselius was injured in practice on Tuesday and will be sidelined at least one week. In 13 games this season, he has tallied five goals and four assists for nine points with four penalty minutes and an even plus/minus rating. Last year, he ranked second on the club in scoring with 21-35-56, 44 penalty minutes and was +1 in 74 games.

Picard, 24, has tallied 5-4-9 with 22 penalty minutes and a +2 plus/minus rating in 11 games with Syracuse this season, leading the club in goals and tying for the top spot in points. Columbus’ first pick, eighth overall, in the 2004 Entry Draft, he has registered 0-2-2 and 48 penalty minutes in 58 career NHL games.

The 6-foot-2, 206-pound native of Les Saules, Quebec has notched 60-60-120 and 370 penalty minutes in 203 career AHL games with the Crunch, including a career-high 22-10-32 with 107 penalty minutes in 49 games in 2008-09. He added 0-1-1 and 26 penalty minutes in 15 games with the Blue Jackets a season ago.