Columbus Blue Jackets defensive prospect banned from playing with his national team

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According to a report out of Norway and Finland, Columbus Blue Jackets defensive prospect Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm was not chosen by Norway to participate in the 2024 IIHF World Championships due to a team violation.

Fellow Norwegian Philip Granath interviewed with TV2 out of Norway, saying that he and Bjorgvik-Holm were being held out because of the same violation. Apparently, both were in the stands of a hockey game last year and had a couple beers. According to reports, the players had been scratched during a World Cup game and were in the stands watching. They decided to have a couple beers while their team was playing.

Norway’s Coach, Tobias Johansson said about the incident, “We keep them out this season and stand by it. It is to stop that culture and build the standards we want in the national team. Certain transgressions come with consequences, but when the season is over, we are also done with it from our side.” He also says about Holm and Granath, “There are two wonderful people and good players, who I believe and hope will be an important part of the national team in the years to come.”

THN Columbus has reached out to Holm’s agent for comment and clarification without a response. Currently, Holm is with the Cleveland Monsters during their Calder Cup playoff run.

He played the majority of this past season with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones due to the log jam on the blue line for the Monsters. In 57 games for the Cyclones, he had 33 points, including 5 goals. He only played in a pair of games for Cleveland this season but played in 25 games in 22-23, and 16 games during the COVID-shortened season of 21-22, where even though he was a junior player, he was allowed to play in the AHL. In 43 career games with the Monsters, he has 1 goal and 7 points.

Holm signed his ELC with Columbus on Aug. 16, 2021. The 21-year-old has one year left on that contract and then will be an RFA. So far, due to the many defensive prospects in the Columbus system, the big Norwegian hasn’t had a lot of opportunity to play in the AHL, but he is getting valuable experience in the ECHL and doing well when he plays in Cincinnati.

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