Columbus Blue Jackets News

Kukan played 13:49 TOI and was a minus-3 in the Blue Jackets' loss in Carolina on Monday. Kukan will be a healthy scratch for the third time in four games and Scott Harrington will replace him on the blueline.

Werenski returned to the lineup on Saturday but is not 100 percent, so he'll come out of the lineup Monday in Carolina. With Werenski sidelined, Dean Kukan will draw back in. Consider Werenski day-to-day.

Werenski has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury but will be back on the top pair with Seth Jones and top PP unit on Saturday. Werenski has had a slow start to the season, scoring one goal with three assists in his first 12 games.

Merzlikins has missed the last three games but has been activated ahead of Thursday's game in Chicago. It's unclear whether or not he will start tonight after Korpisalo posted a 22-save win on Monday.

Aston-Reese missed the 11 games of the season while rehabbing offseason shoulder surgery but appears set to join the Penguins' lineup on Thursday. With Jared McCann out week-to-week, Aston-Reese will replace him and skate with familiar linemates in Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev.

According to John Tortorella, Werenksi is "banged up" and will not play on Sunday. In Saturday's practice Dean Kukan took Werenski's spot next to Seth Jones and it looks as if Scott Harrington will draw in as the sixth defenseman.

Johnson has not been in the lineup for the last two games and was absent from practice on Sunday. The Rangers called him day-to-day and Tony DeAngelo was placed on waivers, so look for Anthony Bitetto to be in the lineup on Monday.

Merzlikins allowed two goals on 32 shots in the Blue Jackets' win over the Lightning last Saturday. With Joonas Korpisalo on the losing end of Tuesday's game, Merzlikins will start Thursday's rematch vs. the Panthers. Through three starts, the 26-year-old netminder is 1-1-1 with a 3.34 GAA and .891 SV%.

Gambrell was a healthy scratch in the first three games of the season but will centre the Sharks third line as head coach Bob Boughner searches for more production from his bottom-6. It's unclear who Gambrell will replace but he enters the lineup after having 11 points (5G / 6A) in 50 games a season ago.