Blue Jackets’ Miles Wood out at least a week with eye injury
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Miles Wood will reportedly miss at least the next week while recovering from an eye injury sustained during Monday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.
Wood, 30, took a high stick near his left eye from Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton early in the first period of Monday’s game in Columbus. Hamilton was assessed a double-minor penalty on the play; Wood left the game and did not return.
Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason provided an update on Wood’s status in a media availability on Wednesday, indicating that the forward’s absence is mainly precautionary and adding that his injury has not impacted his ability to see. With Wood out of the lineup, winger Yegor Chinakhov is expected to make his season debut on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche.
#CBJ coach Dean Evason says Miles Wood out at least a week but he’s okay. Just waiting for things to settle down a little bit and most importantly he can see. With Wood out Yegor Chinakhov will draw in tomorrow night v. #GoAvsGo
— Dave Maetzold (@DMaetzMedia) October 15, 2025Miles Wood leaves with a cut near his eye after a high stick from Dougie Hamilton pic.twitter.com/SPGnLK7xta
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 13, 2025A fourth-round pick of the Devils in 2013, Wood played for Boston College before making his NHL debut with New Jersey late in the 2015-16 season. The Buffalo, New York product spent parts of eight seasons with the Devils to begin his NHL career, establishing himself as one of the league’s fastest bottom-six forwards.
Wood became an unrestricted free agent in 2023 and signed a six-year contract with the Avalanche worth $2.5 million per season. But after a difficult second year in Colorado, Wood was traded alongside Charlie Coyle to the Blue Jackets in exchange for Gavin Brindley, a 2025 third-round pick (used to select Francesco Dell’Elce), and a conditional 2027 second-round pick.
Through 516 career NHL games over parts of 11 seasons with New Jersey, Colorado, and Columbus, Wood has collected 92 goals, 183 points, and 552 penalty minutes. The 6’2″ winger also has five points (all goals) in 25 career playoff contests with the Devils and Avalanche.
The Blue Jackets currently rank seventh in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division with a 1-2-0 record through three games. Wood has one point (a goal) through his first three appearances with the club.