Projected Lineups for Islanders vs Blue Jackets - 12/28/25 - The Hockey Writers - Projected Lineups

The New York Islanders take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena tonight. Here are the projected/expected lineups sourced from NHL.com staff writers, independent correspondents, and others.

ISLANDERS (21-13-4) at BLUE JACKETS (15-15-6)

5 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSGSN

Islanders projected lineup

Jonathan Drouin — Bo Horvat– Emil Heineman
Anders Lee — Mathew Barzal — Simon Holmstrom
Maxim Shabanov — Calum Ritchie — Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Kyle MacLean — Casey Cizikas — Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer — Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech — Tony DeAngelo
Marshall Warren — Scott Mayfield

David Rittich
Marcus Hogberg

Scratched: Maxim Tsyplakov, Anthony Duclair, Adam Boqvist

Injured: Ilya Sorokin (lower body), Kyle Palmieri (ACL), Alexander Romanov (upper body), Semyon Varlamov (knee), Ethan Bear (upper body)

Status report

Rittich will start again after he made 27 saves in a 2-0 win against the New York Rangers on Saturday.

Latest for THW:

Blue Jackets projected lineup

Mason Marchment — Adam Fantilli — Kirill Marchenko
Dimitri Voronkov — Sean Monahan — Kent Johnson
Boone Jenner — Charlie Coyle — Mathieu Olivier
Miles Wood — Brendan Gaunce — Cole Sillinger

Ivan Provorov — Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk — Damon Severson
Jake Christiansen — Brendan Smith

Jet Greaves
Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched: Zach Aston-Reese, Yegor Chinakhov

Injured: Zach Werenski (lower body), Erik Gudbranson (hip), Isac Lundestrom (lower body)

Status report

Olivier will return from an upper-body injury; he missed 13 games since Nov. 24. … Werenski, a defenseman, will miss his second straight game after taking a puck to his right skate at the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 20. … Lundestrom, a forward, was injured during practice on Saturday.