Columbus Blue Jackets trim training camp roster with four moves

The Columbus Blue Jackets trimmed their training camp roster by four players on Tuesday, marking the club’s first roster moves of the 2026-27 campaign.

What happened?

Columbus sent two players back to junior teams and released two others from amateur tryout contracts. Netminder Nolan Lalonde was loaned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, while defenseman Luca Marrelli returned to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. Forwards Pano Fimis and Jacob Oster were cut loose from their tryout deals.

The moves leave the Blue Jackets with 51 players in camp — 30 forwards, 15 defensemen and six goalies. The club sits 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 40-30 record and has lost two straight games.

Why it matters for Columbus Blue Jackets

Roster cuts are routine in camp, but every move carries weight as Columbus tries to build depth for a bounce-back season. The Blue Jackets sit 11th in the East with a 40-30 record and on a two-game losing streak heading into the preseason.

Lalonde and Marrelli head back to junior ranks, while Fimis and Oster leave the organization. The cuts free up cap space and roster spots as Columbus eyes its first preseason tilt on Monday.

What comes next?

Columbus opens the preseason Monday at 5 p.m. against the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo. The game streams live on BlueJackets.com and the club app, with radio coverage on Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan.

The roster shuffle continues as Don Waddell and his staff finalize the group for the exhibition slate. The Blue Jackets need to tighten their defensive play after dropping their last two games and sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 40-30 record.