The following players were assigned to their respective major junior clubs - right wing Vitaly Abramov (Gatineau/QMJHL), defenseman Sam Ruopp (Prince George/WHL), right wing Kole Sherwood (London/OHL) and center Calvin Thurkauf (Kelowna/WHL). In addition, center Francis Beauvillier, goaltender Jeremy Brodeur and defenseman Stephen Gibson were released from their amateur tryout contracts.

The club also announced that defenseman Dillon Heatherington will be sidelined approximately six weeks after suffering a fractured wrist during practice on Tuesday, while right wing Keegan Kolesar is expected to miss six to eight weeks due to a supra-umbilical hernia.

The Blue Jackets, who are 1-2-0 in the preseason, return to action Thursday when they host the Nashville Predators. Game time at Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. The game group will practice at 10 a.m, while the non-playing groups will participate in on and off-ice workouts from 9 to 11 a.m.