If you can’t beat them, join them, right? After losing twice to the Columbus Blue Jackets last week, including the Stadium Series on Saturday, Christian Fischer has now joined the Blue Jackets. General manager Don Waddell made a waiver claim early Thursday, picking up Fischer from the Detroit Red Wings. He played 45 games for the Red Wings this season, with just one goal and six assists before being placed on waivers the day before.
The 27-year-old forward had been scratched in 12 of Detroit’s last 26 games since Dec. 29 or playing on the fourth line as a speedy “energy” forward.
Where Will Fischer Slot In?
Fischer is expected to fill a bottom-six depth role in Columbus, likely on the fourth line, hopefully bringing some physical value to the team. With 29-year-old winger Kevin Labanc out for the season, this move makes a lot of sense, especially since it’s always good to have extra bodies down the stretch in a tight playoff race. Centermen Sean Monahan and Cole Sillinger also remain out, allowing Fischer to occasionally slot in, filling some gaps in the forward group. Another physical depth forward, Joseph LaBate, was sent down to the Cleveland Monsters early on Friday for American Hockey League (AHL) playoff eligibility purposes.
This was a smart little deadline move. Although it likely won’t be a team-changing addition like claiming Dante Fabbro from the Nashville Predators in November, having someone like Fischer can only help. I’ve got a lot of faith in Waddell’s decisions, especially given how much he values the current roster. With the trade deadline closing at 3 PM EST today, I don’t expect many more moves.
Here are Waddell’s thoughts on claiming Fischer:
“Christian Fischer brings additional size, versatility, and energy to our forward group. He’s played in over 500 NHL games, possesses great character, and will fit in very well with our team and how we play.”
Fischer’s Confusing Career
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound forward’s offensive output has dipped since his early NHL days, and he hasn’t made many big contributions lately. His most productive season was in 2017-18 with the Arizona Coyotes, where he scored 15 goals and 18 assists after being drafted 32nd overall in 2015.
Born in Chicago, Fischer made his mark in the AHL with 22 goals and 28 assists over 63 games with the Tucson Roadrunners and Springfield Falcons from 2015 to 2017. His junior hockey career with the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) was impressive, too, racking up 40 goals and 50 assists in 66 games during the 2015-16 season. He also represented the U.S. National Development Team from 2013 to 2015 and played an important role in helping Team USA secure gold at the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship.
More recently, his role shifted to a defensive forward, mainly logging his minutes in penalty-killing situations while offering more of a hard forechecking presence five-on-five for the Red Wings.
Pyyhtiä Heads Up I-71
Adding Fischer resulted in Mikael Pyyhtiä heading back to the Monsters, where he can continue his development following the return of 24-year-old winger Yegor Chinakhov from injured reserve. Pyyhtiä, a 23-year-old left winger/center, has put up four goals and three assists in 47 games this season with the Blue Jackets. Drafted by Columbus in the fourth round (114th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, he has registered four goals and six assists across 66 career NHL games since making his debut in the 2022-23 season. The 6-foot, 176-pound Finnish forward has also added one goal and five assists in ten games with the Monsters this season.
Now, Pyyhtiä will focus on developing with a solid Cleveland team that stands at 28-16-5-5, placing them third in the AHL’s North Division. He’s expected to slot back into the top-six forward group as the Monsters also push for a playoff spot in the final five weeks of the regular season.
The Blue Jackets and their new addition will now take their four-game road trip from South Florida to the Northeast, starting with a game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden this Sunday at 6:00 PM EST. Following that, they will face the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday at 7:00 PM EST, a game with major implications for the Metropolitan Division standings.
As of Thursday night, the Blue Jackets hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-24-8. This makes Sunday’s game against the Rangers, who are just outside the playoff picture, that much more important.
