COLUMBUS, Ohio — Captain Boone Jenner of the Columbus Blue Jackets is poised to make his return to the ice after undergoing shoulder surgery four months ago.
On Friday, the team’s president of hockey operations and general manager announced that Jenner, along with forward Kirill Marchenko, has been taken off injured reserve. Marchenko himself is coming back from surgery for a broken jaw that he underwent earlier this month.

Jenner’s timely comeback positions him to participate in the highly anticipated Stadium Series outdoor game against the Detroit Red Wings scheduled for March 1, which will take place at Ohio State’s stadium. The 31-year-old veteran sustained his injury during a training camp session on October 4, and following surgery shortly thereafter, there was optimism that he would return for the latter portion of the NHL regular season.

However, not all injury updates are favorable for the Blue Jackets. Key forwards Kevin Labanc and Owen Sillinger have both been ruled out for the remainder of the season. The team confirmed that Labanc underwent shoulder surgery earlier this week, while Sillinger is sidelined due to a knee issue.

Despite facing a wave of injuries and the prospect of finishing low in the standings, the Blue Jackets find themselves in a competitive position. They are currently just one point shy of securing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with 26 games left to play in the season.