Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena brings the kind of game that gets circled early: Kirill Marchenko back in Columbus, now wearing a Toronto sweater, skating into the building where he once connected so well with the Blue Jackets’ fan base.
That return has been on the radar since September 28, and the reaction figures to be loud. Marchenko had become a favorite with the most dedicated Columbus supporters thanks to his easygoing personality and upbeat presence, but that relationship changed quickly after the summer whispers that he wanted out.
The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline wrote yesterday about notable returns to Columbus and noted that Marchenko’s handling of his early training camp interview with local media upset several players, who pushed management to move on from him. Even with the fallout, there’s no denying the production he brought here - he was often the guy driving offense almost by himself.
Now he arrives with Toronto riding him on the top line alongside Auston Matthews, and he already has 10 points this season, including a hat trick. The crowd should have plenty to say every time he gets the puck, and the real question is whether he absorbs it or turns it into fuel.
Toronto’s lineup is also dealing with a shakeup after John Tavares went down injured, which has forced some shuffling up front. One name to keep an eye on is Gavin McKenna, the 18-year-old first overall pick who has already made the roster and spent time on the second line with Tavares and Nylander when the coach has remembered to use him.
His calling card is simple: a dynamic playmaker who can create in space, and the power play may be where he has the best chance to do damage against a more physical Columbus group. He also scored the game-winner for Toronto last night on a third-period power-play chance against San Jose.
Columbus has its own familiar faces coming back through the door, too. Jack Roslovic is in the top six, Nick Blankenburg has even played a game at wing this year, and longtime standout Sergei Bobrovsky is back in the fold.
Bobrovsky has posted a .902 save percentage and saved 4.5 goals above expected by MoneyPuck so far. Anthony Stolarz is expected in net for Toronto.
There’s also an edge to this one for Matthew Knies, who faces his former club. He wasn’t the one causing a mess, but Toronto had been dangling him as trade bait for months, including a near deal to Montreal at the deadline.
Knies has said he was sad to leave the group he came up with, but also called the trade chatter around him crappy. Columbus would love to see him channel that into something useful against his old organization.
On the Blue Jackets’ side, there’s some hope that defenseman Fabbro is getting close to returning, though there was no practice yesterday after the weekend back-to-back and the lines will need to be updated after the morning skate. The Jackets will also have to stay disciplined; Toronto has been sharp on special teams, and the emotion of the night could easily send Columbus into the penalty box if it isn’t careful.
The numbers underline the challenge. Toronto has averaged 3.20 goals per game, good for 11th, while Columbus sits at 2.43, 26th.
The Leafs own a 28.6 percent power play, fifth-best, and a 96.9 percent penalty kill that leads the league. Columbus, by contrast, is at 11.8 percent on the power play and 68 percent on the penalty kill.
At five-on-five, the two teams are nearly even in shot attempt share, but Toronto’s 5v5 save percentage is .884, while Columbus sits at .929.
Auston Matthews leads Toronto with 7 goals, 9 assists and 16 points. For Columbus, Kent Johnson leads the way with 4 goals, while Coyle and Werenski are tied for the assist lead with 6 apiece and Werenski and Coyle share the team lead in points. OEL leads Toronto in penalty minutes with 14, while Matthieu Olivier has 27 for the Jackets.
The projected Columbus lineup has Matthew Knies with Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson on the first line, followed by Valeri Nichushkin, Sean Monahan and Conor Garland; Cole Sillinger, Charlie Coyle and Matthieu Olivier; and Ryan Lomberg, LDBB and Danton Heinen. The defense pairs Zach Werenski with Damon Severson, Jake Christiansen with Denton Mateychuk, and Carson Soucy with Erik Gudbranson, with Jet Greaves listed first and Cam Talbot behind him.
Toronto’s projected group has Easton Cowan with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic up top, Marchenko with Nick Paul and Willy Nylander, Gavin McKenna with Colton Sissons and Vnni Lettieri, and Brandon Duhaime with Teddy Blueger and Zack MacEwen. The blue line shows Jake McCabe with Darren Raddysh, Morgan Reilly with Troy Stetcher, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson with Nick Blankenburg, with Anthony Stolarz in goal.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Reunion With Marchenko Turns Into Another Ugly Night
Kirill Marchenkos return to Nationwide Arena gave Columbus one more familiar face to track in a game that already had enough firepower to keep the building on edge. The Blue Jackets got goals from Jake Christiansen and Charlie Coyle, but Toronto matched them with a steady stream of offense, turning the night into another one of those games where every push seemed to invite an answer.
Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Easton Cowan and Jack Roslovic all found the net for the Maple Leafs, adding to a scoreboard that kept changing and kept the home side chasing. The late-stage frustration only grew as Toronto picked up another milestone moment in the process, leaving Columbus with little comfort beyond a few bright spots in a game that never settled down. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Suddenly Have A Blue-Line Problem Blue Jackets Fans Will Notice
The Maple Leafs blue line took a hit during their game against Columbus when veteran defenseman Jake McCabe left with a facial injury in the first period. McCabe, who has been skating on Torontos top pairing, was ruled out for the rest of the night, adding to a defensive group that is already working around injuries and shuffling roles.
Toronto has been leaning on depth more than it would like, with Chris Tanev out on a week-to-week basis and Troy Stecher stepping into the second pairing. For Blue Jackets fans, it is the kind of early-season roster wrinkle worth watching because any more strain on Torontos defense could change how the Leafs manage matchups and minutes the next time these teams meet. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Fans Should Watch This Penguins Trade Twist Closely
The Penguins are again weighing whether to move Rickard Rakell as they keep reshaping their roster around younger pieces, and that is the sort of development Blue Jackets fans should keep an eye on. Rakell has not met expectations this season, but Pittsburgh still has to balance that with the fact that he has produced solid scoring before and remains under contract beyond this year, which gives the situation a little more layers than a simple deadline dump.
For Columbus, the intrigue is less about the Penguins direction and more about where a name like Rakell could surface if Pittsburgh decides to shop him before the deadline. Previous trade talks around him went nowhere, and the Penguins are said to be looking for a sensible return rather than simply taking the first offer, so this may not move quickly. Still, with Pittsburgh open to changing course and a veteran scorer on the block, it is the kind of storyline that can ripple beyond one division and into conversations the Blue Jackets have to watch closely. [Read more 🡒]