Blue Jackets Place Rick Nash, Duvie Westcott on IR

[VodkaFish]

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed left wing Rick Nash on Injured Reserve retroactive to January 5 and defenseman Duvie Westcott on Injured Reserve retroactive to January 6, club President and General Manager Doug MacLean announced today. Nash suffered a back injury at Anaheim on January 5 and is day-to-day, while Westcott suffered a concussion at San Jose on January 6 and will be sidelined indefinitely.

The club has also recalled left wing Alexandre Picard and defenseman Derrick Walser from the Syracuse Crunch, Columbus' American Hockey League affiliate. Both players are expected to join the team for tomorrow night's game at Nashville.

Nash has appeared in 39 games this season and is tied for the club lead with 13 goals and ranks second with 17 assists and 30 points. The 2004 "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner has tallied 102-78-180 and 244 penalty minutes in 247 career NHL games. Westcott has collected 4-6-10 and 18 penalty minutes in 23 games this season. In 178 career NHL games, all with the Blue Jackets, he has registered 10-42-52 and 269 penalty minutes during his five-year career.

Picard, 21, has appeared in seven games with the Blue Jackets this season and has collected 14 penalty minutes in 24 career NHL games with the club. In 28 games with Syracuse, he has 7-6-13 and 32 penalty minutes. ColumbusÆs top pick in the 2004 Entry Draft, he has registered 22-21-43 and 84 penalty minutes in 73 career AHL games.

Walser was acquired by Columbus from Carolina in exchange for defenseman Mark Flood on November 29. He has tallied 3-10-13 and 27 penalty minutes in 23 AHL games with the Crunch and Albany River Rats this season. He spent parts of three seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2001-04 and collected 6-21-27 and 56 penalty minutes in 82 career NHL games. Walser spent the past two seasons playing for Berlin in Germany.

[AVALANCHE FAN]

Great its bad enough they lost Nash now they lost Westcott as well he he just came off IR not to long ago,they should have called Hartigan up Motzko isnt going to put up any points and they need someone who can put up points to replace Nash.

What worries me the most is it was a back injury that put Nash out for a good part of his sophmore year in the league.


Man I sure hope Berard comes back soon!

[Captain Crunch28]

Yeah, Hartigan deserves to be in the NHL, I don't know why he isn't. He's better than Motzko!

Hope Nash isn't out too long.. Berard is expected to be in the lineup before the end of the month...

[The Wolf]

Too bad about Westcott , but this should give a couple of other defensemen more time on the ice, and then possibly more fights

[Isles4life]

That's a couple big hits to Columbus. They're really gonna need some help to get some points.

[AVALANCHE FAN]

No doubt about that,Berard is schedualed to be back at the end of the month but being that I havent even heard anything about him skating yet Im kinda thinking he wont be back for at least a nother month if he even comes back at all.

[Captain Crunch28]

Originally Posted by AVALANCHE FAN

No doubt about that,Berard is schedualed to be back at the end of the month but being that I havent even heard anything about him skating yet Im kinda thinking he wont be back for at least a nother month if he even comes back at all.

I did hear the he is skating with the team...

[AVALANCHE FAN]

Cool if he is skating thats a good sign may be back on time.