Darcy Kuemper (lower body) is out day-to-day, resulting in Copley's first call-up to the Kings this season. Copley played eight games with the Kings last season (4-1-2), posting a 3.16 GAA and .870 SV%, and has a 3.04 GAA and .864 SV% after one game with the Ontario Reign (1-0-0) this season. Copley will serve as the backup to David Rittich on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
McCue will begin the season with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) after being activated from Injured Reserve. The 21-year-old McCue was a fifth-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and is making his professional debut this season after tallying 61 points (27G / 34A) in 62 games with the London Knights (OHL) in 2023-24.
The Blue Jackets have alternated netminder in their first two games but will turn back to Merzlikins between the pipes on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. In his previous two seasons combined, Merzlikins has a horrid 3.77 GAA and .889 SV% in 71 appearances (20-35-10). That said, he played reasonably in his first outing this season, saving 23 of 26 shots (.885 SV%) in a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Columbus enters action on Tuesday as a +134 home underdog.
Lundestrom collided with Leo Carlsson at practice on Thursday and was down on the ice for several minutes before being assisted off. The 25-year-old Lundestrom is in his sixth season with the Ducks after scoring 11 points (5G / 6A) in 46 games last season.
The Blue Jackets will turn to Merzlikins in their season opener on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. After an outstanding rookie season in 2019-20, where he posted a 2.35 GAA, .923 SV%, and five shutouts in 33 games (13-9-8), Merzlikins' quality of play has tailed off significantly and has been borderline abysmal. In his last two seasons combined, Merzlikins has a horrid 3.77 GAA and .889 SV% in 71 appearances (20-35-10). The Blue Jackets enter action as +223 road underdogs against the Wild.
The Blue Jackets will turn to Merzlikins in their season opener on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. After an outstanding rookie season in 2019-20, where he posted a 2.35 GAA, .923 SV%, and five shutouts in 33 games (13-9-8), Merzlikins' quality of play has tailed off significantly and has been borderline abysmal. In his last two seasons combined, Merzlikins has a horrid 3.77 GAA and .889 SV% in 71 appearances (20-35-10). The Blue Jackets enter action as +223 road underdogs against the Wild.
Garland missed the Canucks' pre-season finale on Saturday but told reporters he will be good to go when the Canucks kick off their regular season on Wednesday. The 28-year-old winger will be looking to build off a successful 2023-24 campaign that saw him rack up 20 goals and 27 assists across a full 82 regular season games.
Voronkov will be out indefinitely with an upper-body injury after it was announced Friday that Columbus had placed him on injured reserve. The 24-year-old winger will have to delay his sophomore season debut with this latest news after putting up 18 goals, 34 points and 52 PIMs as a rookie in 75 games played in 2023-24.
Gudbranson has missed the last two preseason games with a lower-body injury but skated on Friday. Gudbranson is in the mix for playing time on the Blue Jackets' blueline but is questionable to be available for the season opener next Thursday.
Head coach Dean Evason did not have an update on Voronkov post-game, so for now consider him day-to-day until the Blue Jackets release more information in the coming days. Columbus opened their season next Thursday in Minnesota.
Weeks after signing fellow 2021 1st-round pick (5th overall) Kent Johnson, Columbus has also agreed to signed Cole Sillinger to a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension ($2,250,000 AAV). The 21-year-old was drafted 12th overall by the Blue Jackets in 2021 and has faced his share of up-and downs since joining the NHL as an 18-year-old in 2021-22. In 77 games in 2023-24 he had 13 goals, 32 points, 46 PIMs and 157 SOG while averaging 16:07 TOI/GP.
Marchenko built on a successful first season in Columbus by scoring 23 goals with 19 assists (42 points) in 78 games in 2023-24. The Blue Jackets were not busy in the offseason, so Marchenko will be a prominent part of their top-6 again in 2024-25. He saw a small bump in ice time down the stretch last season, and that will need to remain if he's going to be a 30-plus goal scorer this season.
Johnson's up-and-down tenure in Columbus will continue after the 21-year-old former top prospect signed a three-year, $5.4 million contract ($1,800,000 AAV). The ex-Michigan superstar was Columbus' 2021 1st round pick (5th overall) and took a noticable step backwards in 2023-24 only picking up six goals and 16 points in 42 games after amassing 40 points (16G/24A) in 79 games played the season before.
Greaves spent most of the 2024 season in the AHL, going 30-12-4 with a. 2.93 GAA and .910 SV%. He also impressed during a nine-game stint with the Blue Jackets, where he was 3-6-0 with a 3.49 GAA and .908 SV%. Greaves should open the 2024-25 season in the AHL.
Christiansen spent most of the 2024 season in the AHL, but did appear in 12 games with the Blue Jackets, tallying two assists. During his time in Cleveland (AHL), the 24-year-old blueliner had 13 goals and 33 assists (46 points) in 62 games. He'll likely start 2024-25 in Cleveland.
Utica gained a strong defensive piece on Tuesday after New Jersey signed Colin White to a two-year, two-way deal. The 27-year-old defenseman has 10 points in 84 career NHL games but failed to make it to the big leagues in 2023-24 after collecting eight points in 53 games with San Diego (AHL).
Cleveland (AHL) kept some of its depth on Monday as Columbus re-signed Owen Sillenger to a one-year, two-way contract. The 26-year-old son of Mike Sillinger has yet to make his NHL debut in any of his three AHL seasons but had 11 goals and 40 points in 69 games played with Cleveland in 2023-24.
Despite missing the majority of the 2023-24 season with a Knee injury, Pheonix Copley re-signed for a one-year contract worth $825,000 on Monday. The 32-year-old Alaska native was only able to appear in eight games in 2023-24 prior to his injury, posting a 4-1-2 record, 3.16 GAA and .870 SV%.
Fresh off of a Stanley Cup victory, role-player Ryan Lomberg has earned himself a two-year contract worth $4.0 million ($2.0M AAV) with the Calgary Flames. The undrafted 29-year-old has never surpassed more than 20 points in a season and closed out 2023-24 with five goals, seven points, 80 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in 75 games played.
Columbus made their big splash on Monday by signing 29-year-old Sean Monahan to a five-year deal worth $27.5 million ($5.5M AAV). The 11-year-old veteran is joining his fourth NHL team in Columbus after putting up his highest point production (59 Pts) since 2018-19 with both Montreal and Winnipeg in 2023-24.
