Columbus Blue Jackets News

Monahan joins Nikolaj Ehlers, Mason Appleton, and Gabriel Vilardi as game-time decisions ahead of the matchup on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. All four of them played in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars with Monahan being held off the scoresheet for only the second time in the last six games.

McCue was the fifth-round pick (156 overall) of the San Jose Sharks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old McCue has 50 points (24G / 26A) in 52 games with the London Knights of the OHL.

Tarasov will get his first start in three games on Thursday after yielding the crease to Elvis Merzlikins for the Blue Jackets' previous two games. The 24-year-old has struggled for a second-straight season as his .887 SV% is the fourth worst among starters with nine or more games played which has resulted in his ugly 4-7-2 record and 3.65 GAA. He will take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, who have won five of their last seven games and are seventh in the NHL in shots per game (32.6).

Johnson has struggled offensively this season, highlighted by a 12-game stretch with only one point (0G / 1A) while averaging over 13 minutes of ice time. He will be out of the lineup indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

Merzlikins was terrific against the New York Rangers on Sunday, saving 38 of 40 shots (.950 SV%) in a 4-2 victory, and will return to the crease in a rematch on Wednesday night. The Latvian netminder has a 3-2-0 record and a .920 SV% in his last five starts (3-2-0) while allowing three or fewer goals in all but one contest. That said, Merzlikins and the Blue Jackets are significant +211 road underdogs heading into action on Wednesday night.

Tarasov will start for the second straight game after an impressive outing in his last contest. On Wednesday, Tarasov exited the game briefly at the end of the second period but returned in the third en route to saving 27 of 29 shots (.931 SV%) in a 7-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The Blue Jackets enter Friday's matchup against the Buffalo Sabres as +136 home underdogs.

The Blue Jackets will turn to Tarasov on Wednesday after Elvis Merzlikins got the nod against the Kings in the front-end of their back-to-back on Tuesday. Tarasov last start came on February 13th in Ottawa, where he struggled to the tune of an .828 SV% as Columbus fell to the Senators by a score of 6-3. Tarasov hasn't managed to find his footing this season, posting a 3-6-2 record and an .877 SV%. He does draw a decent matchup in Anaheim on Wednesday, with the Blue Jackets getting even odds to secure the victory.

Harris will return to the lineup from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury. He was limited to only 1:34 time-on-ice before exiting the Canadiens' February 11th matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Johnathan Kovacevic will be the odd man out of the lineup to make room for Harris.

Emil Bemstrom will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Olivier to re-enter the lineup. Over his last four games, Olivier has recorded zero points but is averaging four hits per contest.

Merzlikins will tend the twine for the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, his third start in their last four games. The Latvian netminder has won two of his last three outings (2-1-0) and saved 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) on Saturday in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. That said, the Blue Jackets are sizeable +215 road underdogs on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings.

Harris has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury but will likely return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. He was limited to only 1:34 time-on-ice before exiting the Canadiens' February 11th matchup against the St. Louis Blues.