The Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves in a place they may not have expected to be at the beginning of the season – squarely within the hunt for a playoff spot. Heavily aided by their group of young players seemingly all taking huge leaps forward in development, this team is going to be playing meaningful games late in the season. Because of the tragic way that the season began and since everyone loves an underdog story, there is going to be a lot of speculation as to how the Blue Jackets handle the March 7 trade deadline. Their general manager (GM) Don Waddell says they will be moderate buyers, and they can be because their big deadline acquisitions are already within the organization.
Injuries have been a major factor for Columbus over the last few seasons and they’ve again taken several key losses in that regard. Most players that are out right now are expected to come back at some point before the team’s 82nd game in April, so the Blue Jackets shouldn’t go too “hog wild” in an effort to replace them in the short term.
Blue Jackets’ Returning Forwards
At the top of the list of forwards soon to return is Blue Jackets’ captain Boone Jenner. He’s been out after having shoulder surgery just before the start of the season. The longest-tenured Blue Jacket is versatile enough to play anywhere in the lineup and can slot in beside anyone that might need a boost in energy. It’s been speculated that if all goes well Jenner could be back late this month after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. His return will provide a jolt to the lineup.
Sean Monahan was in the midst of the best season of his career. Resolidifying that he’s capable of playing as the number one center on an NHL team, flanked by Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov, he was part of one of the best lines in hockey. A wrist injury suffered against the Pittsburgh Penguins in January has had a setback and he’s expected to miss another five to seven weeks.
Yegor Chinakhov has been another subtraction from the Blue Jackets’ top-nine forwards. While there’s been no official word from the team as to what exactly his upper-body injury is, it’s become a far more significant issue than many initially expected. He’s currently sitting at 35 games missed and as someone who was building on a breakout last season, his loss has been felt. Despite the lack of a timeline for his return, he’s recently been reported as getting back out on the ice, so it could be expected before the season ends.
The recent loss of Marchenko will be a tough one to absorb. He’s been their best and most consistent forward throughout the season, but is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks. It’s due to a fluke incident where an errant puck hit him on the bench and broke his jaw. If it had to happen, at least it comes before the two-week break in the schedule which lessens the amount of games he’ll miss. By that timeline, he should return by the end of March to help his team push for the postseason.
Blue Jackets’ Returning Defensemen
While not hit quite as hard on the backend, the Blue Jackets have had one key subtraction. Erik Gudbranson‘s contract was criticized at the time of signing, but has looked better as the years have gone on. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he’s been a physical presence and grown to be a significant part of the team’s leadership group. His return is expected to be a couple of weeks behind Jenner, but he will solidify the Jackets’ third pair and make them a little harder to play against.
Related: Blue Jackets Find Friendly Competition & Team Bonding Through Fantasy Football
The Blue Jackets have already made their key defensive addition from outside the organization for the season. They plucked Dante Fabbro off of the waiver wire from the Nashville Predators late in 2024, and he’s been just what they needed. A steady defensive presence, who has allowed Zach Werenski to elevate his game to a Norris Trophy level. Fabbro has earned himself a new contract, we’ll see if he gets it.
Per GM Waddell, the Blue Jackets are planning on being moderate buyers at the NHL trade deadline. Expectations of some sort of grand trade will need to be tempered as most of their success this season has come with many players on the injured reserve. With Jenner, Chinakhov, Gudbranson and the rest all expected back by the end of the season, most of their reinforcements should come from within as they continue to push for their first playoff berth post-pandemic.
