Columbus has been ruled out as an NHL hub city, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen confirmed to The Athletic on Monday.

“They had a lot of positives about our presentation, but they’ve gone in a different direction,” Kekalainen said. “It’s disappointing, but we were also among the last few cities to be considered. You take the positives along with the disappointment and you move on.

“There are only two cities that can get the nod.”

The decision comes after TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported Saturday that the NHL had cut its list down to six potential hub cities from the previously announced 10.

LeBrun reported that Vancouver, Toronto and Edmonton were all still in the mix as of that point, adding that Vancouver and Edmonton likely rank ahead of Toronto with Las Vegas still being a possibility too.

Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Pittsburgh were also listed as options by the league on May 26.