
Columbus Blue Jackets News

Sillinger will return to the lineup after a one-game absence due to an upper-body injury. The 21-year-old Sillinger already has 240 NHL games to his name and has been productive this season, scoring 12 points (3G / 9A) in 20 contests while averaging a career-high 18:06 time-on-ice.

The Blue Jackets will roll with Merzlikins between the pipes for a fifth straight game. Despite allowing four or more goals in three of his last four, Merzlikins has salvaged a 3-1-0 record. The 30-year-old Latvian netminder has a 3.15 GAA and .890 SV% in 13 games this season (6-5-2). The Blue Jackets enter the action on Friday as slight -108 home favorites against a Calgary Flames club riding a two-game losing skid.

With Daniil Tarsov under the weather, the Blue Jackets have recalled Greaves from the AHL. The 23-year-old Greaves has a 3.23 GAA and .908 SV% in 11 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season (7-3-1).


The Blue Jackets have been a part of some rollercoaster outings lately, most recently a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, and are riding a three-game winning streak. Despite an up-and-down 2024-25 campaign, Merzlikins has been serviceable between the pipes, including posting a .890 SV% during a four-game winning streak. The Blue Jackets enter Wednesday's contest as -167 home favorites against a Montreal Canadiens club that was defeated 3-2 in overtime last night by the Utah Hockey Club.

The 21-year-old Sillinger already has 240 NHL games to his name and has been productive this season, scoring 12 points (3G / 9A) in 20 contests while averaging a career-high 18:06 time-on-ice. He will not play on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury.


Merzlikins surrendered six goals on 30 shots in the Blue Jackets 7-6 win over the Lightning on Thursday. It wasn't his best performance, but he did enough to earn his third-straight victory. Since returning from a personal leave, Merzlikins has gone 5-3-1 with a 2.88 GAA, .902 SV% and one shutout in nine appearances. He draws a tough assignment vs. a Hurricanes team with the third-most goals per game (3.9) in the NHL this season.

Merzlikins surrendered six goals on 30 shots in the Blue Jackets 7-6 win over the Lightning on Thursday. It wasn't his best performance but he did enough to earn his third-straight victory. Since returning from a personal leave, Merzlikins has gone 5-3-1 with a 2.88 GAA, .902 SV% and one shutout in nine appearances. He draws a tough assignment vs. a Hurricanes team with the third-most goals per game (3.9) in the NHL this season.

The Blue Jackets have had an up-and-down season, mirrored by the play of Merzlikins, who will return to the crease on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 30-year-old Merzlikins has a 2.72 GAA and .905 SV% in 10 games (4-5-1) and has been extra impressive lately, winning two straight and posting a .942 SV%. The Blue Jackets enter the action on Thursday as +146 home underdogs against a Lightning club riding a three-game winning streak.

Johnson has not played since October 17th due to an upper-body injury but is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 22-year-old Johnson showed signs of a true breakout campaign before his injury, with two goals and three assists in his first four games. The Blue Jackets loaned Mikael Pyyhtia to the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) to accommodate Johnson's return.

Johnson has not played since October 17th due to an upper-body injury but is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 22-year-old Johnson showed signs of a true breakout campaign before his injury, with two goals and three assists in his first four games. The Blue Jackets loaned Mikael Pyyhtia to the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) to accommodate Johnson's return.

Pyyhtia has played 17 games with the Blue Jackets this season, averaging 13:57 time-on-ice and scoring one point (1G / 0A). The 22-year-old has been sent down to the Cleveland Monsters (AHL), likely making room for Kent Johnson (upper body) to return to the Blue Jackets lineup.

Garland was not at the morning skate on Tuesday, with his wife expecting a baby, and was a game-time decision against the New York Rangers. Garland is up to four goals and nine assists in 17 games this season.

Garland was not at the morning skate on Tuesday, with his wife expecting a baby, and will be a game-time decision against the New York Rangers. The Canucks are already without J.T. Miller (personal), and their offense will have trouble adapting if Garland's 13 points (4G / 9A) in 17 games are also absent.

James van Riemsdyk will draw back into the lineup on Monday, sending Pyyhtia to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Pyyhtia has one point (1G / 0A) and a -6 plus/minus in 17 games this season.

Merzlikins helped the Blue Jackets snap a six-game losing skid in his previous outing, saving 21 of 23 shots (.913 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they returned to the losing column in the following game. The 30-year-old Merzlikins has a 2.92 GAA and .898 SV% in nine games this season (3-5-1). The Blue Jackets enter the action as +165 road underdogs against the Boston Bruins.

Wood has not played since October 28th but, after being activated from Injured Reserve, will return to the lineup on Friday against the Washington Capitals. In 10 games this season, Wood has one goal, a -2 plus/minus, and is averaging 13:40 time-on-ice. Wood joins Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) as players making long-awaited returns to the lineup.

Nichushkin was suspended for six months in May and will make his season debut on Friday, his first day of eligibility. Off-ice issues aside, Nichushkin has been dynamite in his last three seasons with the Avalanche, scoring 152 points (70G / 82A) in 169 games, and he will provide an offensive boost to an injury-depleted team upon his return to the lineup. Nichushkin is expected to play on a line with Jonathan Drouin and Casey Mittelstadt.
