The Columbus Blue Jackets are looking to avoid their fifth consecutive regulation loss as the Jackets host the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers for the second time at Nationwide Arena this season.

Florida has outscored Columbus 7-3, including a shutout in their last meeting in Sunrise on March 6.

Florida added Bruins’ captain Brad Marchand via trade on March 7, Deadline Day, for a conditional first round draft pick in 2028, depending on the result of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Projected Lineups

Florida Panthers

Evan Rodrigues -- Aleksander Barkov -- Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe -- Sam Bennett -- Mackie Samoskevich

Eetu Luostarinen -- Anton Lundell -- Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer -- Nico Sturm -- Jonah Gadjovich

Gustav Forsling -- Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola -- Nate Schmidt

Uvis Balinskis -- Tobias Bjornfot

Sergei Bobrovsky

Vitek Vanecek

Scratched: Tomas Nosek

Injured: Brad Marchand (upper body), Matthew Tkachuk (lower body), Dmitry Kulikov (upper body)

Suspended: Aaron Ekblad

Columbus Blue Jackets

Dmitri Voronkov -- Adam Fantilli -- Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson -- Boone Jenner -- Yegor Chinakhov
James van Riemsdyk -- Justin Danforth -- Mathieu Olivier
Zach Aston-Reese -- Sean Kuraly -- Luke Kunin

Zach Werenski -- Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk -- Ivan Provorov
Jack Johnson -- Damon Severson

Daniil Tarasov
Jet Greaves

Scratched: Jordan Harris, Christian Fischer, Elvis Merzlikins

Injured: Cole Sillinger (upper body), Erik Gudbranson (upper body), Sean Monahan (wrist), Jake Christensen (upper body)


Players to Watch

Florida — Sam Bennett — Team Canada champion and pending unrestricted free agent has three goals and two helpers in his last five games skates.

Columbus — Mathieu Olivier — a point per game in his previous five, the career year continues for the too tough guy

Predicted Final Score

FLA — 2

CBJ — 1

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Rumor Update

Bryan Rust has been linked to Columbus and Detroit.


After Ek promoted my post to the top slot over the weekend, this will be posted daily with my Twitter promotion of who may join and depart Columbus

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Zac-MacMillan-with-Rumors-from-around-the-NHL-media-this-morning/1/127467