Blue Jackets’ Cayden Lindstrom undergoes minor surgery, expected to return

Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Cayden Lindstrom has undergone a minor back surgery but is expected to play again this season after rehab, general manager Don Waddell said Wednesday.

According to Waddell, the team expects it to be a one-time procedure that will see Lindstrom fully recover. He’ll stay away from hockey activities and rest for 30 days, but the hope is that he’ll be able to return to play later this season.

Lindstrom has been dealing with nagging back injury dating back to the 2023-24 campaign in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He played his last regular-season game in mid-December due to injury but returned to the team for four post-season games.

“He got to a point where he couldn’t get to 100 per cent,” Waddell said about Lindstrom’s injury. “He’s been 90 per cent or so. Yesterday, our doctors recommended him to do a procedure called a microdiscectomy. They performed that yesterday (Tuesday).

“His recovery will be back to 100 per cent.”

The 20-year-old was selected by the Blue Jackets with the fourth-overall pick in the 2024 Draft after he impressed with 27 goals and 19 assists in 32 games for the Tigers.

He did not participate in the Blue Jackets rookie camp or pre-season as the team has prioritized his recovery.

The Blue Jackets are currently last place in the Metropolitan division with a 7-9-2 record and have lost seven of their last 10 games.