The Offseason Is Essentially Done. Lundestrom Is Still a Question Mark.

Columbus wrapped up a busy summer with a clear purpose: fix the forward depth that cratered in April, stabilize the net, and add a veteran voice to the coaching staff. By most measures, they did it. Nichushkin is here, Tuch is signed, Sillinger is locked up for three years, Jet Greaves has a contract through 2028–29. The pieces are in place.

Except Isac Lundestrom is still out, with no timeline attached. I noted this two weeks ago and nothing has changed — which is itself the story at this point. The Blue Jackets spent the summer adding forward depth precisely because their middle-six collapsed when it mattered most, and now one of those middle-six pieces is unavailable as training camp approaches with no clarity on when that changes.

The rest of the roster picture is reasonably solid. Werenski anchors the blue line, Mateychuk and Provorov give the defense real depth, and Fantilli — who put up zero goals on 27 shots in those final 10 games last spring — has a full offseason to reset. The goaltending situation is more defined than it's been in years. Granato is on staff. The structural work is done.

Lundestrom's situation is a small cloud over an otherwise tidy offseason, but small clouds have a way of growing once the schedule starts. Worth watching in the next two weeks before camp opens.