The Blue Jackets made an unusual move last Thursday when they released defenseman Tim Berni from his Professional Tryout contract (PTO). Berni, 23, remains a restricted free agent as the club did give him a qualifying offer in June. As a result, the Blue Jackets will retain his rights through the 2026-27 season. It is quite uncommon for restricted free agents to receive PTOs from their clubs which makes this situation a little bit awkward.
As a result, Berni is now considering going back to Switzerland to play hockey this year. Doing so could be seen as a step back for the defender as he did get into 59 games last year with Columbus, albeit on a blueline decimated by injuries.
The 23-year-old defenseman showed some potential last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although he was only able to find the score sheet three times with one goal and two assists, he put up an admirable effort and gave the team valuable minutes on a patchwork blueline.
