The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a heck of a run this season. While many expected them to be in the hunt for a lottery pick at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, they instead made a push in the standings and are still in the wild card race. They have been in a tailspin as of late having only gotten one standings point in their last six games (0-5-1). This is a team that’s been decimated by injuries since before the campaign began, and as such we still haven’t seen this roster at full strength. With the return of Sean Monahan from injury, we’re getting closer to finally seeing what this roster will look like at full strength.
Blue Jackets’ Injury Recap
The team has been crushed by injuries this season. Not quite as bad as the last two, but it certainly hasn’t been great. Right off the hop, captain Boone Jenner was sidelined with a shoulder injury that required surgery. He was finally reactivated from injured reserve (IR) after four months, just in time for the Stadium Series game at the beginning of March. Jenner had been a massive part of the team’s top-six serving as the de facto top-line center for the past three seasons.
Fortunately, they’d brought in Monahan in free agency, who was more than capable of taking that first-line role and running with it. He formed one of the best lines in the NHL, flanked by Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov, who’ve really broken out. Then, of course, right when the team was gaining traction with success and getting to the top of their game, Monahan was knocked out with a wrist injury and missed the next 28 games. He was reactivated on March 24 before playing the New York Islanders.
Erik Gudbranson missed 66 games with a shoulder injury and surgery – very similar to Jenner. He’s been a valuable veteran addition to the team’s blue line and leadership structure, on a contract that was heavily criticized when it was signed in the summer of 2022. He was reactivated at the same time as Monahan.
Cole Sillinger, Kevin Labanc, Jake Christiansen, and Daniil Tarasov are all dealing with lingering issues. My colleague Mark Scheig wrote a piece mentioning Sillinger said he isn’t going to rush back, and he wants to ensure he is fully ready before lacing up the skates again.
Blue Jackets Lineup at Full Strength
When Sillinger finally makes his return to the Blue Jackets lineup, barring any other unexpected injuries, it should look pretty good. Especially in comparison to the roster they’ve been icing for the last two months. Let’s take a dive into each skater position to see exactly what the team should look like once everyone is back in the lineup. For the basis of line combinations, I’m looking at the most recent trios and pairings that the team has been running.
Blue Jackets’ Forwards at Full Strength
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| Dmitri Voronkov | Sean Monahan | Kirill Marchenko |
| Boone Jenner | Adam Fantilli | Kent Johnson |
| Zach Aston-Reese | Cole Sillinger | Mathieu Olivier |
| James van Riemsdyk | Sean Kuraly | Justin Danforth |
| Luke Kunin | Yegor Chinakhov |
What really stands out looking at the Blue Jackets’ forwards is their center depth. Monahan has done well in the top-line role and is definitely a top-six center. For the second line, Fantilli is able to learn the role, but being flanked by Jenner allows them to trade roles should the stakes be raised at the end of a game when a key faceoff needs to be won. Sillinger is really growing in that third center slot, and Sean Kuraly has been a perfect fit in that fourth-line center slot during his Blue Jackets’ tenure.
Related: Blue Jackets Should Prioritize Fabbro Extension Over Provorov’s
Where I would have some concerns is their bottom-six wingers. Ideally, Yegor Chinakhov finds favor in head coach Dean Evason’s system and can slide into the third-line right-wing slot beside Sillinger and James van Riemsdyk is elevated beside him. As good as Mathieu Olivier and Zach Aston-Reese have been this season, if you’re playing those guys on your third line, you’re going to have a tough time generating enough offense to make the playoffs.
Blue Jackets’ Defense at Full Strength
| Left Defense | Right Defense |
| Zach Werenski | Dante Fabbro |
| Ivan Provorov | Damon Severson |
| Denton Mateychuk | Erik Gudbranson |
| Jack Johnson |
With the return of Gudbranson, all three of Columbus’ defense pairings look stronger. There has been some criticism of Damon Severson’s play this season, mostly earned, but having him beside Ivan Provorov consistently should help improve his game. Young Denton Mateychuk slotted in beside defensive stalwart and the always physical Gudbranson should really balance his game and allow him to mitigate some mistakes, not that he makes many. It also pushes Jack Johnson and Jake Christiansen into roles that are more fitting to their current abilities – one on the downswing and one on the upswing.
With Monahan back from injury, the Blue Jackets’ top-six forward corps is finally at full strength. With 13 games remaining in the schedule and currently four points out of the second wild card playoff spot, we’ll have to see if his return is too late to help propel the team into their first postseason berth in a post-pandemic world. The team has just over half of those games at home, which could benefit them since they’re significantly better at Nationwide Arena than on the road. Every game is going to matter down the homestretch to game number 82.
