Ryan Murray’s NHL debut has been put on hold.
That’s the news out of Ohio today as the Blue Jackets announced they sent Murray -- the second overall pick at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft -- back to his WHL team in Everett.
The move is clearly lockout-related as Murray had a strong shot of making the NHL club out of training camp.
In May, the talented blueliner played with Team Canada at the 2012 World Hockey Championships, averaging nearly eight minutes a game, finishing the tournament plus-1 while playing with the likes of Duncan Keith, Dion Phaneuf and Jay Bouwmeester.
At 18, Murray was the youngest player on the Canadian roster.
The Jackets also announced they sent Boone Jenner, the 37th overall pick in 2011, back to his junior team in OHL Oshawa.
Jenner got his first taste of pro hockey last season with a five-game cameo for AHL Springfield, scoring once.
