MARCH 28, 2021
COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled defenseman Mikko Lehtonen from the team’s taxi squad and assigned forward Stefan Matteau to the taxi squad, club General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. In addition, the club has recalled forward Liam Foudy to the taxi squad from the Cleveland Monsters, the team’s American Hockey League affiliate.
Lehtonen, 27, who was acquired in a trade by the Blue Jackets from the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 12, made his NHL debut with Toronto this season and collected three assists with four penalty minutes and a +1 plus/minus rating in nine games. He skated in his first NHL game on January 18 vs. Winnipeg and registered his first career assist and point on January 30 at Edmonton. The Turku, Finland native recorded 25-41-66, 26 penalty minutes and a cumulative +30 plus/minus rating in 77 contests with Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League from 2019-21. He started the 2020-21 campaign on loan with the club and recorded 8-9-17 in 17 games. The 6-0, 196-pound blueliner led KHL defensemen in goals, assists and points with 17-32-49 in 60 appearances in 2019-20.
Matteau, 27, made his Blue Jackets 2020-21 season debut on February 15 at Carolina and has recorded two penalty minutes in six games with the club. He has registered 5-5-10 with 34 penalty minutes in 79 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils since making his League debut in 2012-13. The 6-2, 208-pound forward was signed by Columbus to a two-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract on Feb. 19, 2020 and tallied 2-1-3 and five penalty minutes in nine outings with the club in 2019-20. The Chicago, Illinois native was selected by New Jersey in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft.
Foudy, 21, has collected 0-3-3, two penalty minutes and an “even” plus/minus rating in 12 games with the Blue Jackets this season. He has recorded 0-4-4, two penalty minutes and is +1 in 14 career games with the club since making his NHL debut in 2019-20. The 6-2, 193-pound forward has added 1-3-4 and a +2 plus/minus rating in four games with the Monsters in 2020-21. The Scarborough, Ontario native was selected by the Blue Jackets in the first round, 18th overall, at the 2018 NHL Draft.
The Blue Jackets return to action today when they visit the Detroit Red Wings. Puck drop from Little Caesars Arena is set for 3 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live nationally on NBCSN. It may also be heard on the Eldorado Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 FM in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
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