Columbus Starts Season Missing Three Key Defensemen
Columbus will begin its 2026-27 campaign without Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson, and Dante Fabbro. Provorov was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body issue and is considered week-to-week, ending his consecutive games streak at 375. Severson is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, while Fabbro is working back from a broken hand.
Provorov blocked a shot in Columbus’s final preseason game at Detroit. Although he finished that contest, he did not practice during the week, with the team calling those absences maintenance while awaiting test results. He now lands on injured reserve, week-to-week, ending a 375-game consecutive-games run. It is the first non-COVID injury absence of his NHL career.
Severson remains on the mend from offseason shoulder surgery; he sat out preseason games but has resumed skating. Fabbro is also skating as he recovers from a broken hand, though he is not yet ready for stick work. Bowness praised Provorov’s toughness and said he is devastated.
The absences may affect Blue Jackets teammates, coaches, and fans, who could see early-season results and defensive roles shift. For Columbus supporters and the wider hockey community, the situation may highlight how quickly injury luck can alter a season’s trajectory. It could also create opportunities for replacement defensemen and younger players to earn larger roles, while reminding audiences of the physical toll professional athletes face.