Labanc will take a seat on Tuesday in order to make way for the return of Jan Rutta (lower-body). Jacob MacDonald will slide up to forward in order to make room for Rutta on the back-end.
Tarasov has been excellent lately but has served as the backup in two of the last three games. He will return to the crease on Tuesday and look to continue his streak of allowing three or fewer goals in eight straight games, including saving 39 of 41 shots (.951 SV%) in his last outing, a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Blue Jackets enter action as +150 road underdogs against a Detroit Red Wings club with only one win in their last nine games (1-8-0).
Van Riemsdyk will be a healthy scratch for the second time in the last three games. The veteran winger has been semi-productive this season with 38 points (11G / 27A) in 64 games but only has one point (0G / 1A) in his last 13 games.
Christiansen played three games with the Blue Jackets earlier this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL. He has 40 points (13G / 27A) in 54 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) and could slot into the Blue Jackets lineup after being recalled due to Adam Boqvist suffering an upper-body injury.
Labanc will draw into the lineup as the Sharks are going to be forced to dress 13 forwards and just five defensemen as Jacob MacDonald (undisclosed) is unable to go. Labanc has two goals and five assists in 38 games this season.
John Beecher will replace van Riemsdyk on Thursday as he is out of the lineup with an illness. The 34-year-old van Riemsdyk has been snake-bit lately, tallying only one point (0G / 1A) in his last 12 games.
Chinakhov exited Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens after playing only 4:57 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old forward has struggled lately, scoring only one point (1G / 0A) in his last eight games.
With Yegor Chinakhov out of the lineup battling an upper-body injury, Pyyhtia will make his season debut on Thursday. Pyyhtia was the fourth-round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and has 27 points (7G / 20A) in 57 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season.
Marchenko did not play on Tuesday due to an illness but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, providing a sizeable boost for a team already without Sean Kuraly and Yegor Chinakhov. Marchenko has four points (1G / 3A) in his last eight games while being a healthy scratch once in that stretch.
The Blue Jackets will return to Merzlikins between the pipes after a forgettable performance in his last outing. On Tuesday, Merzlikins allowed three goals on four shots (.250 SV%) before being pulled in the first period en route to a disappointing 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Before that, Merzlikins had been playing well, allowing two or fewer goals in three straight starts (2-1-0). The Blue Jackets enter action as +109 home underdogs against the Ottawa Senators.
Jayden Struble will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Harris to return to the lineup after a one-game absence. Harris has been held off the scoresheet in all but one of his last 13 games, a two-point effort (1G / 1A) on February 27th.
Pyyhtia has earned his first call-up of the season on an emergency basis after putting up seven goals and 27 points in 57 games with Cleveland (AHL). The 22-year-old left-winger made a brief appearance with the Blue Jackets' in 2022-23 and had an assist and two PIMs in two games played.
Marchenko did not play on Tuesday due to an illness but could return to the lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, providing a sizeable boost for a team already without Sean Kuraly and Yegor Chinakhov. Marchenko has four points (1G / 3A) in his last eight games while being a healthy scratch once in that stretch.
Chinakhov exited Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens after playing only 4:57 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old forward has struggled lately, scoring only one point (1G / 0A) in his last eight games.
Kuraly exited Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens after playing only 9:21 time-on-ice due to a lower-body injury. The 31-year-old Kuraly already missed an extended period of the season with an abdominal injury. He has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 51 games this season.
Van Riemsdyk is battling an illness and his status is up in the air for Thursday's game against the Montreal Canadiens. The 34-year-old van Riemsdyk has been snake-bit lately, tallying only one point (0G / 1A) in his last 12 games.
