After a fantastic rookie season in 2019-20, where he posted a 2.35 GAA and .923 SV% in 33 games (13-9-8), Merzlinkins has performed progressively worse each year. In 30 games last season (7-18-2), Merzlinkins had a horrendous 4.23 GAA and a .876 SV%. His league-worst GAA (minimum 10 starts) will need to be improved significantly or he will likely find himself battling for starts with backup goalie Spencer Martin. The Blue Jackets go into their season-opener listed as -113 home favourites against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Danforth suited up in six games for the Blue Jackets last season, recording three points (2G / 1A). He is projected to start the 2023-24 season on the third line, playing alongside Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli. The undrafted 30-year-old winger has played 51 games in his NHL career, all with Columbus.

Fabbro had two goals, nine assists, 50 PIMs, 101 SOG, and a -4 plus/minus through 79 games with Nashville in 2022-23 but will be a healthy scratch for their first game of the season vs. Tampa Bay. The 25-year-old defenseman is entering his sixth NHL season and should find himself in the Predators' lineup more often than not this season.

Chinakhov had four goals, nine assists, 44 SOG, 10 PIMs, and a -6 plus/minus through 30 games with Columbus in 2022-23 but will begin the season on the injured reserve as he deals with a back strain. The 22-year-old right-winger is out indefinitely as he enters his third NHL season. The former 1st round pick (21st overall) is expected to be a key depth piece for the young Blue Jackets in 2023-24.

Olivier will be forced to miss the beginning of the 2023-24 season as he was placed on the injured reserve Monday with a leg injury and will be out indefinitely. The 26-year-old forward is entering his fifth NHL season and second as a Blue Jacket after putting up five goals, 10 assists, 75 SOG, 81 PIMs, and a -20 plus/minus in 66 games in 2022-23.

Aston-Reese was released on a PTO earlier in the week by Carolina and has now found himself a spot on Detroit's roster after signing a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. The 29-year-old forward had 10 goals, four assists, 89 SOG, 25 PIMs, and a -6 plus/minus through 77 games with Toronto in 2022-23. The Red Wings will make his fourth NHL team in seven seasons.

Tarasov was injured in practice before training camp started and has yet to make an appearance. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen said the team does not have a timeline on Tarasov's return, which is why they claimed Spencer Martin on waivers last Friday.

Gambrell had four goals, six assists, 46 SOG, 35 PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through 60 games with Ottawa in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old centre has 17 goals, 23 assists, and a -28 plus/minus through 233 NHL games played and will make a solid depth piece for Toronto.

Johnson had two goals, six assists, 92 SOG, 28 PIMs and a -15 plus/minus through 83 games in 2022-23 with both Chicago and Colorado and has signed a one-year, $775,000 extension with the Avalanche. The 36-year-old defenseman was a key piece of Colorado's 2021-22 Stanley Cup wining roster and will be entering his 18th NHL season. He has 74 goals, 320 points and 599 PIMs across 1107 career NHL games played.

Fischer had 13 goals, 14 assists, 122 SOG, 20 PIMs and a -7 plus/minus through 80 games with Arizona in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1,125,000 contact. The 26-year-old right-winger joins Detroit after seven seasons in Arizona where he had 56 goals, 111 points, 97 PIMs and 608 SOG through 398 career NHL games.

Pressed up against the cap, the Bruins needed some forwards on a reasonable cap-hit and get van Riemsdyk on a very team-friendly, $1.0M AAV deal. van Riemsdyk has spent the last five seasons in Philadelphia, where he had 99 goals and 99 assists (198 points) in 331 games. At age 34, he's probably not the 30-30 threat he was earlier in his career, but he's a solid middle-6 winger who will be a great net-front presence on the power play and should have no problem banging home 20-plus goals on a talented Bruins' roster.

Columbus selected Fantilli with the No.3 overall pick in this year's draft. Fantilli had an outstanding season at the University of Michigan, scoring 30 goals with 35 assists (65 points) in 36 games. He also added five points (2G / 3A) in seven games while representing Canada at the World Juniors. Fantilli is a candidate to make the Blue Jackets out of training camp and could play a huge role in his rookie campaign.

Olivier had five goals, 10 assists, 75 SOG, 81 PIMs and a -20 plus/minus through 65 games played in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract extension worth $1.1 Million AAV through the 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old right-winger is about to enter his fifth NHL season and has 22 points (8G/14A) across 114 NHL career games played.

Monahan was only able to play in 25 games in his first season in Montreal in 2022-23 due to a season-ending groin surgery but managed to pick up six goals, 11 assists, 55 SOG, 16 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus and has earned himself a one-year contract extension worth $1.985 million. The 28-year-old centre is entering his 11th NHL season after being the sixth overall draft pick in 2013.

Voronkov was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL draft and has spent the last four seasons in the KHL. During the 2023 season, he registered 31 points (18G / 13A) in 54 games with Kazan Ak-Bars (KHL).

The Devils signed Severson to an eight-year deal worth $50.0 million ($6.25M AAV) and traded him to Columbus for the Flames' third-round pick (No.80 overall) in this year's draft. Severson was set to become a UFA on July 1st and is coming off of a 33-point season (7G / 26A) in 81 games with New Jersey. Over the last two seasons, Severson is tied for 32nd among defensemen in goals (18) and tied for 37th in points (79).

The Devils signed Severson to an eight-year deal and traded him to the Blue Jackets for a 2023 third-round pick. Severson was set to become a UFA on July 1st.

Provorov was dealt to Columbus as part of a three-team blockbuster trade involving Los Angeles and five players and three draft picks. The 26-year-old defensemen had six goals, 21 assists, 115 SOG, 24 PIMs and a -17 plus/minus through 82 games played with Philadelphia in 2022-23. He has 532 career NHL games played, racking up a career high of 41 points (17G/24A) in 2017-18.

Christiansen had four assists, 25 SOG, a -7 plus/minus and four PIMs through 24 games during the 2022-23 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and has signed a one-way, two year contract through the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old has 32 career NHL games played and was originally signed as a free agent by the Blue Jackets after he finished junior hockey in Everett (WHL) in 2019-20.