As the NHL calendar inches toward the Olympic break, the Chicago Blackhawks are set to close out this stretch with a rematch against a surging Columbus Blue Jackets squad. It’s the second meeting between these two in less than a week, and while Monday’s win over the San Jose Sharks gave Chicago a brief reprieve, they’ll need to bring their best to cool off one of the hottest teams in the league.
Columbus is Rolling - and They’re Not Slowing Down
Since bringing in Rick Bowness behind the bench, the Blue Jackets have looked like a different team. They’ve rattled off six straight wins and are 9-1-1 in their last 11, pushing their record to 28-20-7 and climbing within four points of a playoff spot.
That’s a serious turnaround, and it’s being driven by a heavy, structured style of hockey. Columbus is forechecking with purpose, defending with discipline, and-maybe most importantly-getting timely saves.
Elvis Merzlikins pitched a shutout against the Devils on Tuesday, so expect Jet Greaves to get the nod in net against Chicago. The rest of the lineup likely stays intact-when you’re winning like this, there’s no need to tinker too much.
The only question mark is Kirill Marchenko, who missed the last game due to illness. If he’s good to go, he’ll slot back in.
Charlie Coyle is a name to watch. He lit up the United Center last week with a hat trick and is clearly feeling confident. With Sean Monahan and Adam Fantilli also centering lines, Columbus has a formidable trio down the middle that’s giving opponents fits.
Projected Blue Jackets Lineup:
- Forwards: Marchment-Fantilli-Lundestrom | Voronkov-Monahan-Johnson | Sillinger-Coyle-Olivier | Heinen-Jenner-Wood
- Defense: Werenski-Severson | Provorov-Mateychuk | Fabbro-Gudbranson
- Goalie: Greaves (projected starter)
Blackhawks Mixing It Up Before the Break
Chicago is making a few lineup tweaks of their own. Ryan Greene, who’s played in all 56 games this season as a rookie, will sit this one out.
Nick Foligno returns from injury and will take his spot in the lineup. Sam Lafferty and Artyom Levshunov are also scratches-Lafferty has been in and out of the lineup, while Levshunov is currently following a development program that includes scheduled absences.
One of the more interesting adjustments comes at center. Oliver Moore is moving up to the second line, filling the role Greene had been occupying. Moore’s shown flashes of upside in a top-six role, and this is another chance to prove he can handle more responsibility.
Connor Bedard will once again skate with Frank Nazar, but that pairing might be short-lived. If Bedard is ready to resume faceoff duties after the break, Nazar could shift back to center, adding depth and flexibility to the offense.
Defensively, the Hawks look to be reverting to their more familiar pairings after some experimentation against San Jose. The top and third pairs were shuffled in that game, but Tuesday’s practice lines suggest a return to the usual structure.
In net, it’s still unclear whether Arvid Soderblom or Spencer Knight will start. Knight missed Tuesday’s practice for maintenance, so warmups will likely give us the answer.
Projected Blackhawks Lineup:
- Forwards: Nazar-Bedard-Bertuzzi | Teräväinen-Moore-Burakovsky | Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev | Dach-Foligno-Slaggert
- Defense: Vlasic-Crevier | Kaiser-Rinzel | Grzelcyk-Murphy
- Goalie: TBD (Soderblom or Knight)
What’s at Stake
For Columbus, this is about keeping the heat on in the playoff chase. Every point matters, and with the way they’re playing, they’re not just hoping to sneak in-they’re pushing hard to make a statement.
For Chicago, the stakes are different. This is a young team in transition, but there’s value in heading into the break on a high note. It’s also another chance to evaluate how pieces like Moore, Nazar, and Bedard are developing in real-time against playoff-caliber competition.
How to Watch
Puck drops shortly after 6:00 PM CT. Fans in the Chicagoland area can tune in on AM 720 WGN or watch locally on CHSN. Nationally, the game is available for streaming on ESPN+.
With both teams looking to build momentum heading into the Olympic break, expect this one to have a little extra edge.