Ranking the Blue Jackets on the Projected Opening Night Roster

The Columbus Blue Jackets are scheduled to open the season at home against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 1, and that night will be one of the most interesting nights in the franchise’s history because there is so much riding on this season.

However, looking at the projected roster for that opening night game, I will be ranking each player 1-20, starting with 20 and working backwards to the top player on the roster. The roster has some depth, but the lack of top-end talent is evident in the rankings, which depth will have to make up for.

Starting from the back, here is a full ranking from bottom to top of the current projected roster for opening night, with a discussion of why they are ranked there, and what a path upward could be.

20.) Pheonix Copley – G

As the backup goalie, who likely won’t get much playing time early on, Pheonix Copley is in a tougher spot than he originally was probably slated to be. He signed with Columbus likely expected to start the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Cleveland Monsters.

However, following the shoulder surgery of Elvis Merzlikins and no clear timetable for his return, the likely third goalie ends up at 20 here, with no real path towards overtaking Jet Greaves for the starter’s net.

19.) Dante Fabbro – D

The guy who will need to see a vast improvement coming off of last season is Dante Fabbro. In the 74 games he played last season, he saw action on each of the three defensive pairings, but settled in mostly on the third pairing.

He worked with a few different partners, but most commonly down the stretch it was either Jake Christiansen or Erik Gudbranson. He will likely open the season with Gudbranson as his partner on the third pair and has a path back to the top of the lineup through steady, shutdown defensive play. If he continues to play in the structure, he has a great ability to move up the lineup.

18.) Erik Gudbranson – D

Gudbranson is one of the other freshly signed Blue Jackets who need to make an impact off his one-year contract. He has to take a big step forward to be a steadying presence in the defensive zone and get back to his status as a shutdown defender.

At this point in his career, no one should expect him to be an offensive presence, but adding any sort of playmaking ability would be a big bonus for the team. If he can be a shutdown defender and playable on the ice late in games, that is essentially all the Blue Jackets are asking of him.

17.) Ryan Lomberg – RW

I don’t think this is any way throwing shade at someone like Ryan Lomberg; it is more or less saying he doesn’t have a super diverse skill set. From what we have seen of him in the league and in the AHL, he is primarily a fourth-line speed guy who plays super hard on the forecheck and with ultra-high intensity.

His finishing ability is not quite where it needs to be in order to be a dynamic playmaker on this offense, but he certainly gives them a burst of energy coming off the bench. The team will hope he doesn’t fizzle out late in games.

16.) Luca Del Bel Belluz – C

A guy who has earned his chance on the roster this season is Luca Del Bel Belluz. A consistent scorer in the AHL, over a point per game, and now looking for his first full season in the NHL and trying to be an offensive threat there as well.

NEW: It's time for Luca Del Bel Belluz to play his way up and into the NHL lineup. We believe he has the talent to do so.#CBJ https://t.co/3q1Wo11Qm5

— Union and Blue (@UnionAndBlue) August 25, 2026

If he indeed is centering the fourth line between Lomberg and Dmitri Voronkov, he will have plenty of high-flying skill to make it work. How he responds and how he plays with expectations is yet to be seen.

Everyone is cheering for him to figure it out; as an offensive standout, he could tremendously help Columbus in the way he creates offense all around himself. Voronkov led the NHL last season in tip-in goals, with 10, so with a net front presence like him, it gives Del Bel Belluz something to shoot at.

15.) Dmitri Voronkov – LW

The aforementioned Voronkov will be asked to play in various parts of the lineup again this season, and he will need to be better conditioned to handle it. For much of last season, he was stuck in the press box watching the game instead of impacting it like they need him to.

This season Voronkov has to live up to his billing and be a difference maker on the ice, but for right now, they just can’t depend on him enough, and for that, he ranks quite low on the list.

14.) Mathieu Olivier – RW

Another guy whose impact on the game goes beyond the stat sheet is Mathieu Olivier. If he can be a more consistent offensive threat, he would be much higher on this list, but for now he feels like a morale booster and a paid hitman.

While every fan loves him, and his game and attitude are infectious all throughout Nationwide Arena, he has to impact the game in more ways this season to earn a higher spot on this list. Hits, hands, and heart will give you a slight edge in my personal tally, though.

13.) Ivan Provorov – D

While there is certainly something to be said for availability, Ivan Provorov‘s production on the ice will need to take another jump to give Columbus an edge this season.

He appeared in every game last season, as he has in his past four seasons, but they are paying him to be a shutdown defenseman, and a difference-maker in the defensive zone.

If he can take another step like he did last season, it bodes well for the Blue Jackets’ top four defensemen to be squared away as solid pieces moving forward. They feel confident in this group, but now they have to take that next step.

12.) Conor Garland – RW

Another piece the Blue Jackets invested draft capital into, and are banking on a noticeable improvement this season to see those dividends, is Conor Garland. He will be surrounded by more talent than he has been in a few years, and now he needs to capitalize by being more of an offensive weapon.

He is a reliable pest, hogging puck carriers, taking away time and space, putting on consistent pressure in the neutral zone, and on the forecheck, but his offensive impact was not felt enough last season in Columbus. That was one of the primary reasons he was brought in: a reset and what was hoped to be a springboard to more production.

11.) Kent Johnson – LW

Similar to Voronkov, Kent Johnson has to again take a major leap in his on-ice development, or else the Blue Jackets will have to make a tough decision with him moving forward. He was the highlight of a lot of trade discussions this offseason, as he enters his final year under contract before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

General manager Don Waddell was adamant he had no intention of trading Johnson, and wants to see him continue to develop in Columbus. If he has another season like last season, it will be a hard decision for Waddell to keep him or to move on and let him have a fresh start elsewhere. The skill is undeniable, but it has to be more consistent.

10.) Cole Sillinger – LW

Another guy who will be tasked with taking another developmental step, after almost dragging the Blue Jackets into arbitration, is Cole Sillinger. He just signed a nice three-year extension, worth over $4.5 million per year, and now he needs to perform up to that contract.

NEW: Cole Sillinger Excited To Play With Coyle & Olivier For Years, But Know They Have To Take It To Another Level. #cbj

"We just learn from each other, and learned how to make each other better."

Check it out @thehockeynews https://t.co/v9oSA9YU3A

— The Hockey News-Columbus (@F1RETHECANNON) July 30, 2026

A season ago, he went rather dormant offensively, scoring only eight goals and 25 assists in 81 games. He will need to lead the charge offensively while bringing that spark physically as well. He still has to be a pest, which makes his line with Olivier and Charlie Coyle so hard to play against.

If he and his linemates can continue to be one of the best matchup lines for the Blue Jackets against every other team’s top lines, it would be a huge swing of momentum for Columbus.

9.) Sean Monahan – C

Injuries derailed Sean Monahan‘s season in 2025-26, but he is in year three of a five-year deal he signed with Columbus, and it needs to be a success for both sides. In 2024-25, he was a point-per-game player, with 57 points in 54 games, and they will likely need that side of Monahan again this season.

As a team, they went rather quietly into the offseason, struggling to put goals on the board specifically late in the season, and his health was a big factor for that second line’s struggles. If they are able to get a healthy version of the former multiple 30-goal scorer, this season could be a defining point that his career is not done yet.

8.) Valeri Nichushkin – LW

An early offseason move that will help more than one phase of the game was the acquisition of Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for picks. He will be a major factor for this squad on the penalty kill, and likely on the power play as well, and he will also be the epitome of a two-way player for the top line to feed off of.

Health will be the biggest roadblock for him, and if he can consistently stay on the ice, he will produce at an extremely high rate. He is surrounded by less talent than he was in Colorado, but will have much more of an impact in Columbus than he got a chance to be in Denver.

7.) Charlie Coyle – C

A surprise receiver of votes for the Selke Trophy for the first time in Coyle’s long career landed him a nice extension to stay with the team this offseason. Six years and $6 million per year was the term that extended his contract, and now he has to live up to it.

He missed the playoffs for the first time in his career last season, and doesn’t want to make that a regular occurrence. He will certainly be called upon to lead this team back into the mix after a career season in 2025-26.

6.) Denton Mateychuk – D

A surprise breakout season for Denton Mateychuk was not on most people’s books last season, but he was a major impact offensively, and his caliber of play will likely determine how impactful the defensemen in Columbus will be.

Mateychuk cruised to 13 goals last season, and also added 18 assists. He drove the play better than almost anyone else on the team, and was a big reason why the Blue Jackets went on a run after Rick Bowness took over as head coach.

Final #CBJ player stats from the Worlds:

Mathieu Olivier (United States): 8 GP, 2-3-5, 21 SOG, 14:56 TOI

Jet Greaves (Canada): 8 GP, 6-2-0, 1.88 GAA, .920 SV%

Denton Mateychuk (Canada): 10 GP, 2-3-5, 9 SOG, +7, 11:24 TOI

— Jackets Insider (@JacketsInsider) May 31, 2026

Mateychuk’s development is something all eyes will be on. If he can break through this season and break out, it gives the team depth on defense, and a tertiary defender who can handle the offense from the point if anything ever were to happen to the reigning Norris Trophy winner, Zach Werenski.

Mateychuk has always been right around, or above, a point-per-game player in his junior career and in the AHL, and if he can get close to that in Columbus, that will add a whole new layer to the fray.

5.) Damon Severson – D

By far the best shutdown defenseman the team had last season was Damon Severson, who found his way onto the top pairing with Werenski and never looked back. They created statistically the best pairing in the NHL last season, as they led the league in 5-on-5 expected goal share percentage.

If Severson can again be someone who allows Werenski to join plays offensively, cover for him while cycling the puck, and be efficient with it, he certainly becomes one of the most valuable players on this team.

4.) Kirill Marchenko – LW

Kirill Marchenko needs to find the score sheet much more this season in terms of goals on the board. He needs to be a well-over-30-goal machine and, realistically, at or near 40 goals.

For the first time in his career, Marchenko is going to play with two other linemates who should complement his speed very well and give him as many high-danger chances as possible. However, one sentiment from last season remains: Marchenko has to shoot the puck more!! He has to create on his own and be a force for this team.

3.) Jet Greaves – G

Greaves fully took over the net last season from Merzlikins, and now without Merzlikins to start the season, he will need to play in most games. He will be asked to start close to 60 games this season, and he has earned the right to play in them, but now he has to deliver.

He is being talked about as a dark horse Vezina Trophy candidate, and potentially the future backstop for Team Canada in international competition. He also just signed an extension, and now it is time to put that money on the table and go earn the crease he has. This needs to be a big season for Greaves.

2.) Adam Fantilli – C

The only offer sheet-eligible player left in Columbus is Adam Fantilli. While it seems highly unlikely he will end up anywhere else but Columbus, fans have to sit on edge waiting for the announcement of a contract extension.

He will likely get a number close to Connor Bedard: a five-year, $15 million-per-year extension. That would make him one of the highest paid players in the league, and frankly, he will need to earn that on the ice. He will have to be the best player on the ice every night, and so far he hasn’t fully proven he can be that guy yet.

1.) Zach Werenski – D

The reigning Norris Trophy winner and best defenseman in the NHL, Werenski needs to be the X-factor for the Blue Jackets again this season. If he is able to take another step defensively, as well as an even bigger factor offensively, he will likely gain some Hart Trophy votes as well.

He now has a target on his back as well; teams know what he is capable of, and he will also be a key for them to limit going into each game. He has to find a way to impact the game well beyond the stat sheet, which truthfully is something he can improve upon from last season.

Far too often, it felt as if Werenski didn’t score or have an assist, then he must have had a bad game. He has to shake that narrative this season by being a more complete player, and the defensive side of his game will be the biggest addition he can make.

If this season is going to be different from past seasons, the Blue Jackets will need contributions from unexpected sources, and, as detailed in this article, some lower-ranked players will have to make an impact. Anticipation will continue to grow as the season inches closer and closer, and we can’t wait to bring you all the latest.