Hunt will return to the lineup for the Wild on Saturday after being a healthy scratch on Thursday. The 65th overall pick of the Wild in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft has been held without a point in two games this season, averaging only 4:53 time-on-ice.
Merzlikins will get the start on Thursday as he is desperate to snap his current three-game losing streak but will be hard-pressed to do so against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After posting a.920 SV% in his first three games (2-1-0), Merzlikins has struggled since, failing to record a victory (0-1-2) while posting a .875 SV%. The Blue Jackets are +139 home underdogs as the Lightning will be looking to rebound from a 4-3 overtime loss on Monday against the Seattle Kraken.
Hunt has been recalled from Iowa (AHL) for a second time this season after failing to put up a point in four games but has seven PIMs and a -3 plus/minus. He returns to Minnesota, where he made his NHL debut earlier this season in two games, playing only 4:52 TOI/GP.
Gudbranson didn't practice on Sunday because of a lower-body injury but has been deemed fit to play on Monday against the Dallas Stars. Gudbranson has played in all eight games for the Blue Jackets this season, tallying 26 blocked shots, seventh most in the league.
Merzlikins will start for the Blue Jackets on Monday as they take on the Dallas Stars, who are sizeable -281 home favourites. After starting the season with an impressive .950 SV% in his first two games (1-1-0), Merzlikins has returned to the unattractive figures the Blue Jackets became accustomed to last season, posting a .869 SV% in his three games since. Odds certainly aren't in favour of Merzlikins on Monday but the Latvian goaltender has historically been excellent against the Stars, who have the 24th-ranked offence (2.67 GF / GP), boasting a 2.29 GAA and .924 SV% in five career appearances (2-1-0).
Hunt appeared in two games after making his NHL debut on October 27th and picked up a SOG while averaging a minuscule 4:52 TOI which has led to him being reassigned to Iowa (AHL) on Monday. The 21-year-old defenseman returns to the AHL where he has yet to pick up a point, but has seven PIMs and is a -3 plus/minus in four games played so far in 2023-24.
It appears Marchenko will sit for the first time this season on Saturday against the New York Islanders to make room for Kent Johnson. Marchenko has three points (0G / 3A) in seven games this season but zero points in his last five.
Johnson has been in and out of the lineup as a healthy scratch to start the season but appears that he will draw back in on Saturday against the New York Islanders. Johnson has two points (1G / 1A) while averaging 13:13 time-on-ice through five games. He will likely play on a line with Cole Sillinger and Justin Danforth.
Hunt was the Wild's 2020 third-round pick (65th overall) and will make his NHL debut Friday vs. Washington as he takes the spot of Jujhar Khaira in Minnesota's lineup The 21-year-old defensemen had yet to pick up a point with Iowa (AHL) prior to his NHL promotion but had seven PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through four games.
Merzlinkins will man the crease for the third consecutive game, his fifth start of the season, on Thursday in Montreal. Merzlinkins has been reliable to start the season, donning a 2.69 GAA and .913 SV% in four games (2-1-1), but is coming off his weakest performance where he allowed three goals on 27 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The Blue Jackets are slight +102 road underdogs against a Canadiens team that is off to a 3-2-1 start this season.
Chinakhov had yet to appear this season for Columbus after missing most of training camp with a back injury but has been activated off the injured/Non-roster list and was loaned to Cleveland (AHL). The 22-year-old was Columbus' 2020 first-round pick (21st overall) and had four goals, nine assists, 44 SOG, 10 PIMs, and a -6 plus/minus.
Johnson has been in and out of the lineup to start the season and is expected to be a healthy scratch again on Thursday. The 21-year-old has two points (1G / 1A) in five games this season.
Voronkov had an assist, two PIMs, and a -1 plus/minus in four games with Cleveland (AHL) and has been recalled to Columbus amidst the news of Patrik Laine's injury. The 23-year-old forward was the Blue Jackets' 2019 fourth-round pick (114th overall) and is expected to make his NHL debut Thursday vs. Montreal.
Despite allowing four goals on 28 shots, Merzlinkins recorded his second win of the season on Saturday and will return to the crease on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. Merzlinkins and the Blue Jackets are -146 home favourites against a Ducks team that is averaging a lowly 2.20 goals per game. The Blue Jackets will, however, be without their star forward Patrik Laine (upper-body).
Hunt was the Wild's 2020 third-round pick (65th overall) and has been recalled to Minnesota Monday for the first time in his career. The 21-year-old defensemen had yet to pick up a point with Iowa (AHL) but had seven PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through four games. Hunt has a shot to make his NHL debut if John Merrill is held out of the lineup due to injury Tuesday.
Voronkov had an assist, two PIMs, and a -1 plus/minus in four games with Cleveland (AHL) and has been recalled to Columbus amidst the news of Patrik Laine's injury. The 23-year-old forward was the Blue Jackets' 2019 fourth-round pick (114th overall) and is expected to make his NHL debut Tuesday vs. Anaheim.
Merzlikins was expected to start Friday vs. Calgary but was pulled late as he was still dealing with an illness and is expected to start Saturday vs. Minnesota. The 29-year-old has had an incredible two starts so far in 2023-24, with his 1-1-0 record, .950 SV% and 1.84 GAA. He takes on the Minnesota Wild, who have lost two of their last three games but are eighth in the NHL in goals per game (3.5).
