Blue Jackets activate Seth Jones off IR

The Columbus Blue Jackets activated star defenseman Seth Jones off injured reserve, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Thursday.

Jones missed the club's final 14 regular-season games before the pause in mid-March due to an ankle injury, which came with an 8-10 week recovery timeline. He'll be able to join the club when training camps open July 10 and is expected to suit up for Columbus' play-in best-of-five series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Blue Jackets sorely missed Jones while he was injured, winning just three of 14 contests without their defensive leader. The 25-year-old rearguard was putting together another terrific campaign before he was hurt, registering 30 points in 56 games while averaging over 25 minutes per night against opponents' top offensive threats.

Columbus also activated defenseman Dean Kukan off the IR on Thursday. He missed 29 games before the pause due to a knee injury.