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.

Marchenko is battling an illness and will not be able to play in Montreal on Tuesday. Marchenko has four points (1G / 3A) in his last eight games while being a healthy scratch once in that stretch.

Marchenko is battling an illness and his status for Tuesday night is up in the air. Marchenko has four points (1G / 3A) in his last eight games while being a healthy scratch once in that stretch.

Merzlikins has not started since March 2nd, but he will return to the crease on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens. Merzlikins allowed three goals on 30 shots (.900 SV%) in his last outing against the Canadiens, a 4-2 loss in November. That said, he has allowed two or fewer goals in his last three starts (2-1-0), including saving 26 of 28 (.929 SV%) in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in his last contest.

Harris has appeared in nine straight for the Canadiens but will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Jonathan Kovacevic to draw back into the lineup. 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.

Fabbro played only 3:28 time-on-ice before exiting Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss two to three weeks. In 53 games this season, Fabbro has 12 points (2G / 10A), 59 shots, 43 hits, and 83 blocks.

The Blue Jackets played with only 11 forwards on Saturday as Danforth, originally believed to be out with an illness, is dealing with a concussion. The right-winger had two points (1G / 1A) in his last three games.

Merzlikins has not played the last four games but will likely return to the crease on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens. Despite his recent inactivity, Merzlikins has been solid lately, allowing only two goals in each of his last three outings (2-1-0), including saving 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%) in his last outing, a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.