Blue Jackets’ Kirill Marchenko to return after four-game absence

Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Kirill Marchenko will return to the lineup Thursday night as the Blue Jackets host the Detroit Red Wings.

Marchenko has missed the last four games after leaving a Nov. 24 practice early with an upper-body injury.

Marchenko has eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points through 22 games this season, second on the team in points. Last season, the Russian winger was second on the team in points with 74, finishing with 31 goals and 43 assists. He was tied with Adam Fantilli for the team lead in goals.

In four NHL seasons, the 25-year-old Marchenko has 83 goals and 80 assists for 163 points in 238 regular-season games. He also appeared in 16 AHL regular-season games with the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, where he scored eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points.

Marchenko, taken in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, spent parts of five seasons in the KHL, where he scored 34 goals and 30 assists for 64 points in 114 regular-season games with St. Petersburg SKA and Khanty-Mansiysk Yugra.

The Blue Jackets are 12-9-5 with 29 points, last in the Metropolitan Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference. They are two points back of a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

After Columbus hosts the Red Wings Thursday night, they head to the Sunshine State to face the Florida Panthers Saturday night, then they take on the Washington Capitals on Sunday.

Defenseman Zach Werenski leads the team in assists and points with 17 and 26, respectively. Forwards Dmitri Voronkov and Charlie Coyle are tied for third in points with 18 each.