Jackets to Go On Without Bobrovsky

One of the show pieces to the Columbus Blue Jackets franchise was set to help push the game in Ohio with an appearance at the All-Star Game over the weekend, but in the last game before the break, away to the Winnipeg Jets, Sergei Bobrovsky left the game with a lower-body injury and was thus, counted out of any of the extra curricular activities.

Tests over the weekend had concluded that Bobrovsky has indeed suffered a serious groin injury and that the 26-year old keeper will now miss the next 4-to-6 weeks with the injury.

There is no question that the Blue Jackets have leaned heavily upon their number one goalie and with the team already 14 points out of the Wild Card spots in the playoffs, there is a thought that their hopes for the playoffs are all but over.

A finger injury and an illness had already limited Bobrovsky's appearances down to 33 games this season and some inconsistent lineups have limited his wins to only 16 on the year, add up a shutout and an assist and that will only make up 35 points this season and where he'll stall in the scoring race for the next four weeks or so.

35 points still has the Russian keeper in at 69th overall in pool scoring, to date, but he's in the middle of the pack, where some scoring around him will knock him down the rankings a ways, before he makes his return.

No question, it has been a disappointing year for Wilton, who took Bobrovsky in the 2nd round, 26th overall, not getting anywhere near the sort of production you'd expect from your leading goalie, especially one taken that high in the draft.  Nevertheless, injury has hurt his season, not to mention his body and those are the breaks.

An updated list of injuries can be found here.