Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

Columbus Blue Jackets News

Merzlikins will start vs. San Jose on Thursday.

The red-hot Blue Jackets have won five straight and will turn to Merzlikins between the pipes on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. Merzlikins was excellent in his previous outing, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. He has a 3.12 GAA and .889 SV% in 28 games this season (15-10-3). The Blue Jackets enter Thursday's contest as -163 home favorites against a Sharks team that snapped the Detroit Red Wings' seven-game winning streak with a 6-3 win on Tuesday.

Elvis Merzlikins
Fedotov will start vs. Columbus on Tuesday.

On the tail end of a back-to-back, the Flyers will turn to Fedotov between the pipes on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 28-year-old Fedotov allowed three goals on 17 shots (.824 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has a 3.40 GAA and .874 SV% in 12 appearances this season (4-5-2). The Flyers enter Tuesday's contest as -112 road favorites against a Blue Jackets club they defeated 5-4 on December 21st.

Ivan Fedotov
Aston-Reese (upper-body) is expected to play on Tuesday vs. Philadelphia.

Aston-Reese has impressed in his first season with the Blue Jackets, recording 11 points (4G / 7A), 32 blocks, and 94 hits in 42 games. The 30-year-old Aston-Reese spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL but has solidified himself a spot with the Blue Jackets. He signed a one-year, $775,000 contract extension with the club on Monday.

Zach Aston-Reese
Columbus has signed Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year, $775,000 contract extension.

Aston-Reese has impressed in his first season with the Blue Jackets, recording 11 points (4G / 7A), 32 blocks, and 94 hits in 42 games. The 30-year-old Aston-Reese spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL but has solidified himself a spot with the Blue Jackets.

Zach Aston-Reese
Monahan has a sprained wrist and is expected to miss at least the next 7-10 days.

It's unclear when Monahan suffered his wrist injury in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he did not appear in the third period, finishing the game with only 12:26 time-on-ice. Thankfully for Monahan and the Blue Jackets, he will not require surgery and should not be out for a significant amount of time. Monahan, in his age-30 season, was producing at a point-per-game pace for only the second time in his career, with 41 points (14G / 27A) in 41 games.

Sean Monahan
Greaves has been recalled from Cleveland (AHL).

Daniil Tarasov has only played on game in the last month has been assigned to Cleveland (AHL) for a conditioning stint, swapping places with Greaves. The 23-year-old Greaves has spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL but has seen some NHL action as well, posting a 3.48 GAA and .890 SV% in four outings (1-1-2).

Jet Greaves
Merzlikins will start vs. Seattle on Thursday.

The Blue Jackets are riding a two-game winning streak and will roll with Merzlikins between the pipes for a fifth straight outing. Merzlikins allowed three goals on 23 shots (.870 SV%) in his most recent contest but was strong enough for a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 30-year-old Merzlikins has a 3.17 GAA and .887 SV% in 27 games this season (14-10-3). He has not finished a season with a winning record since the 2021-22 campaign. The Blue Jackets enter Thursday's contest as +109 home underdogs against a Seattle Kraken squad amid a three-game losing skid (0-2-1).

Elvis Merzlikins