Blue Jackets' Erik Gudbranson's wife Sarah pens heartfelt note as beau makes long-awaited return to the ice against Islanders

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson's wife, Sarah, expressed excitement about his upcoming return to the ice. On Sunday, she shared her reaction on Instagram, posting a photo from the fan account @cbjcenter.

The post announced that both Gudbranson and center Sean Monahan would return for Monday's game against the New York Islanders.

"Emotional with excitement for this one and the patience and hard work it took to get here. So PROUD of you," Sarah wrote.

(Credit: IG/@sarahsweetnam)

The post caption read:

"Monny and Guddy will return tomorrow with 13 games remaining in the season. All to play for. Forget the past 6 games, the time is now. #CBJ."

The Blue Jackets are four points adrift of the final wild-card playoff spot. They hope that Gudbranson and Monahan's return will boost their performance.

Gudbranson missed 66 games this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October. Monahan suffered a wrist injury in January and further complications kept him away from the ice for 28 games.

After team practice on Sunday, Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason confirmed that both players would return to the lineup for Monday's game.

"Both are ready to go. No restrictions," Evason said (via Mark Scheig on X).

The Blue Jackets have lost six straight games and only won two of their last 10 in March. They lost 6-3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. They were also shutout 4-0 against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 13.

Erik Gudbranson focused on off-field activities during injury break

Erik Gudbranson chose to focus on his family life and charitable activities off the field during his lengthy recovery period. In February, he and Sarah attended the annual Blue Jackets Cannon Ball. Sarah shared a picture of the couple dressed in their finest disco outfits on Instagram.

“Always a great night for an even more amazing cause. CBJ Cannonball 2025 @cbjgivesback,” Sarah wrote.

Gudbranson has also reached out to support late Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau's family.