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Columbus Blue Jackets News
Chinakhov (upper body) will be out Tuesday in Ottawa but hopes to return for the weekend.

Chinakhov played only 8:40 time-on-ice before exiting Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury. He will not play on Tuesday but could return on Saturday against the San Jose Sharks. The 23-year-old Chinakhov is enjoying his best season, scoring 24 points (14G / 10A) in 40 games thus far.

Yegor Chinakhov
Monahan will make his Winnipeg debut on Tuesday.

Monahan will center a second line for the Jets with Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers and is expected to be on the top powerplay unit as well. The 29-year-old centre had 13 goals and 22 assists (35 points) in 49 games with the Montreal Canadiens before being traded to Winnipeg last week.

Sean Monahan
The Jets have acquired Sean Monahan from the Canadiens for a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2027 third-round pick.

The Canadiens will receive a 2027 third-round pick if the Winnipeg Jets win the Stanley Cup. Monahan has a $1.985M cap-hit and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2023-24. The 29-year-old centre had 13 goals and 22 assists (35 points) in 49 games with Montreal prior to the trade. He should settle in as the Jets' No.2 centre.

Sean Monahan
Fantilli is expected to miss eight weeks with a calf laceration.

Fantilli was limited to only 7:30 time-on-ice on Monday before exiting the game with a calf laceration. The 19-year-old rookie will miss approximately eight weeks, a devastating blow for a Blue Jackets team that has struggled all season. In 49 games this season, Fantilli had 27 points (12G / 15A), 115 shots, and 46 hits, one of the few bright spots on the Blue Jackets' season.

Adam Fantilli
Merzlikins will start Tuesday in St. Louis.

Columbus will continue to swap their goalies game by game as Merzlikins takes the crease for the second time in three games Tuesday in St. Louis. The 29-year-old made it public knowledge earlier in the season that he would like to be traded but has remained with Columbus and carries a 8-10-7 record, 3.35 GAA and .901 SV%. He takes on the red-hot St. Louis Blues, who have surprisingly won four straight games by the score of 4-3 and are currently on a five game winning streak.

Elvis Merzlikins
Fantilli suffered a cut to his left leg from a skate blade and will not play Tuesday vs. St. Louis.

The Blue Jackets have confirmed that Fantilli suffered a cut to his left leg from a skate blade Sunday and will not play Tuesday vs. St. Louis. He is expected to head back to Columbus for further evaluation. The 19-year-old was the 2023 third overall pick and has been excelling in his first NHL season with Columbus, picking up 12 goals, 27 points, 115 SOG, 16 PIMs and -21 plus/minus.

Adam Fantilli
Fantilli (lower body) is questionable Tuesday vs. St. Louis after leaving the arena in a walking boot.

Fantilli was caught in a walking boot Sunday after the Blue Jackets' game after leaving early in the game after just 7:30 TOI and is not questionable to play Tuesday vs. St. Louis. The 19-year-old was the 2023 third overall pick and has been excelling in his first NHL season with Columbus, picking up 12 goals, 27 points, 115 SOG, 16 PIMs and -21 plus/minus.

Adam Fantilli
Werenski (ankle) has been activated off the Injured Reserve and is expected to return Thursday.

Werenski has been out of the lineup since December 27th, missing 10 straight games, but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Calgary Flames. He has been a solid contributor for the Blue Jackets on the blueline this season, scoring 19 points, all assists, in his last 23 games before his injury. Expect Werenski to regain his position as the quarterback on the Blue Jackets' top powerplay unit. David Jiricek was reassigned to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL in a corresponding move.

Zach Werenski
Weresnki (ankle) appears set to return to Columbus' lineup Thursday vs. Calgary.

Werenski has been out of the lineup since December 27th, missing 10 straight games, but is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday against the Calgary Flames. He has been a solid contributor for the Blue Jackets on the blueline this season, scoring 19 points, all assists, in his last 23 games before his injury. Expect Werenski to regain his position as the quarterback on the Blue Jackets' top powerplay unit.

Zach Werenski
Elvis Merzlikins will start Tuesday in Edmonton.

After serving as the backup for six straight games, Merzlikins will start for the third straight time on Tuesday evening. Merzlikins allowed four goals on 32 shots (.875 SV%) in his last outing, a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils, his first regulation loss since the beginning of December. Before that, Merzlikins was sporting a respectable .905 SV% in his last seven appearances (3-0-3). That said, Merzlikins and the Blue Jackets are overwhelming +298 road underdogs against a scorching Edmonton Oilers club searching for their 14th straight victory.

Elvis Merzlikins
Hunt will be a healthy scratch Friday in Florida.

Hunt returns to the press box Friday as Minnesota's defensive carousel continues with Alex Goligoski drawing back into the lineup. The 21-year-old Hunt is in his first NHL season and has yet to score but has a goal, seven SOG, and a -1 plus/minus in 12 games played.

Daemon Hunt
Merzlikins will start Friday vs. New Jersey.

After not playing for six straight games, a strong outing in the Blue Jackets last contest on Tuesday has prompted them to turn to Merzlikins again on Friday. The Latvian netminder saved 27 of 30 shots (.900 SV%) in a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, his first win since December 14th. Merzlikins and the Blue Jackets are +134 home underdogs against a struggling and injury-depleted New Jersey Devils squad that has lost two straight, being outscored 6-2.

Elvis Merzlikins
Jenner (jaw) is expected to return to the Blue Jackets' lineup Friday vs. New Jersey.

Jenner has not played since December 8th, missing the last 15 games, but is slated to make his return to the Blue Jackets lineup on Friday against the New Jersey Devils. Before his injury, Jenner was one of a few bright spots in a miserable season for the Blue Jackets, scoring 18 points (13G / 5A), firing 80 shots on goals, and registering 44 hits in 29 games.

Boone Jenner
Wood (illness) will return to the Avalanche lineup on Tuesday.

Wood will make his first appearance since January 4th after missing Colorado's last five games as he battled the flu. Wood was very effective in a top-six role in his last outing, scoring one point (0G / 1A) and firing three shots on goal in 15:31 time-on-ice.

Miles Wood