The Blue Jackets will roll into tonight’s matchup against the Florida Panthers with a projected lineup that mixes familiar names up front, a steady top pair on defense, and a couple of notable absences.
Columbus is listed at 14 points for the game preview, while Florida comes in at 20. The Blue Jackets are 27-22-8 overall, and they’ve gone 17-8-4 at Nationwide Arena against Florida.
Up front, the first line is projected to feature Matthew Knies with Sean Monahan and Kent Johnson. The second unit has Val Nichushlin alongside Adam Fantilli and Dmitri Voronkov. Cole Sillinger, Charlie Coyle, and Mathieu Olivier are slotted together on the third line, while Jack Williams, Steven Lorentz, and Ryan Lomberg round out the forward group.
On the blue line, Zach Werenski and Damon Severson are paired together, with Ivan Provorov and Denton Mateychuk on the second pair. Dante Fabbro and Erik Gudbranson are listed as the third duo.
Cam Talbot is projected to start in goal.
Among the scratches, Columbus has Luca Del Bel Belluz, Jake Christiansen, and Conor Garland. Garland is also listed on injured reserve with an upper body injury and no timeline for return. Isac Lundestrom remains on LTIR after Achilles surgery and has missed 15 games, though he is lightly skating and could return soon.
The Blue Jackets’ total man games lost is listed at 39.
Tonight’s game will be simulcast on ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+, and it will also air on 97.1 The Fan with John Buccigross on play-by-play.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets May Finally Be Seeing The Lindstrom They Drafted
Cayden Lindstroms sophomore season at Michigan State is starting to look a lot more like the kind of development the Blue Jackets had in mind when they made him their 2024 first-round pick. After a difficult freshman year and a long road back from back surgery in late 2024, the big forward has opened this season with noticeably better offensive touch, showing more efficiency around the net and a steadier impact on the Spartans attack.
For Columbus, the encouraging part is not just the scoring, but the trend behind it. Lindstrom has found the scoresheet in three straight games and already looks more comfortable driving play than he did a year ago, a meaningful sign for a prospect whose progress was slowed by injury and recovery. The Blue Jackets have been waiting to see whether the player they drafted would emerge, and early this season, he is beginning to answer. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Lose Conor Garland At A Brutal Time
The Blue Jackets are heading into their matchup with the Florida Panthers without Conor Garland, a notable absence for a group that could use every healthy forward it can get. Head coach Rick Bowness said Garland will miss the game because of an upper-body injury, and the timing is less than ideal for a team trying to keep its lineup intact while navigating a tough stretch.
Garland has been in the lineup this season, even if his offense has not matched the level he reached in previous years, so Columbus loses a player who still brings value beyond the scoresheet. Ryan Lomberg is expected to slide back into the mix, but the bigger question now is how long the Blue Jackets will have to manage without Garland and what the lineup will look like once they do. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Send A Clear Lineup Signal Before A Tough Winnipeg Test
The Blue Jackets are dealing with another lineup wrinkle as Conor Garland has been ruled out with an upper-body injury, adding to the uncertainty around a player who had been in line to help provide some stability up front. The injury leaves Columbus shorthanded at a time when every available body matters, especially with the schedule tightening and the team trying to keep its forward group intact.
There is still no clear return timeline for Garland, which makes the situation more than a one-game absence and leaves the Blue Jackets waiting for more clarity as they move through the week. Around the league, the injury ripple is already forcing other clubs to shuffle, with the Rangers and Devils making their own roster moves ahead of upcoming games, a reminder of how quickly one setback can change the look of a lineup. [Read more 🡒]