The Blue Jackets dodged one injury scare out of Friday night’s loss in Buffalo, but they didn’t get out clean. Dmitri Voronkov and Sean Monahan both left that game early, then returned to practice as usual. Conor Garland, though, is headed the other direction and will miss time with an undisclosed upper body injury.
That absence is already forcing a reshuffle, and it starts tomorrow night against the Florida Panthers. Columbus is going to need every bit of help it can get against one of the league’s best teams, especially after Florida handled the Jackets 7-3 in their first meeting a few weeks ago.
At practice this morning, the lines looked like this:
#CBJ Dmitri Voronkov will play on a line w center Adam Fantilli and winger Val Nichushkin vs #FlaPanthers, per Bowness.
Top line is center Sean Monahan w winger Matthew Knies and Kent Johnson.
Third line intact. Fourth line will be Jack Williams, Steven Lorentz and Ryan Lomberg.
- Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) November 9, 2026
Rick Bowness appears ready to keep Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson apart for now, and that makes sense. Fantilli’s offensive struggles have been a talking point, and while Sean Monahan on the top line isn’t exactly the cleanest-looking fix, the Jackets need to try something to spark No. 19.
The Fantilli-Voronkov-Nichushkin combination has some real appeal. Nichushkin has been effective, using his size and speed to push play, but he’s often been left waiting for support once the puck is on his stick. Fantilli should help with that by giving him another option and another layer of support.
Voronkov on the other wing adds even more bulk and gives the line a natural net-front presence. On paper, it’s a heavy, hard-to-handle trio.
The third line stays together, while the fourth line looks built to make life miserable for opponents. Jack Williams will have a chance to settle in with Steven Lorentz and Ryan Lomberg beside him, both experienced players who should make that unit tough to deal with.
That setup leaves Luca Del Bel Belluz as the odd man out, and it raises the obvious question of how long this franchise will keep him in that spot before either giving him a real top-six look or finding him a change of scenery.
As for Garland, the team hasn’t made anything official yet, but Bowness said he’s out indefinitely. Garland didn’t miss any part of the Buffalo game and was still on the ice at the end, which makes the setback sting a little more.
He has only one point, an assist, so far this season, but Columbus will feel the loss of his speed and skill. For now, the hope is that the time off helps him recover and maybe reset his game.
In the meantime, the Jackets will see what this bigger, heavier lineup can do.
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 🡒]