Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Seth Jones will be out of the lineup for four to six weeks with an MCL sprain in his right knee, the club announced on Wednesday.

Jones, 23, incurred the knee injury during the Blue Jackets' preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said an MRI on the Second Team All-Star revealed a second-degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament.

In 78 games last season with the Jackets, Jones scored 16 goals and added 41 assists for a career-high 57 points.

Jones was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the Nashville Predators in January 2016 in exchange for Ryan Johansen.

Taken with the fourth overall pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft out of the United States National Team Development Program, Jones has 45 goals and 137 assists in 393 career games with the Preds and Jackets over five seasons.