The Columbus Blue Jackets' playoff hopes took a hit this Sunday as forward Kirill Marchenko suffered a broken jaw, putting him out of action indefinitely. According to The Columbus Dispatch, Marchenko, who leads the team with 21 goals, underwent surgery yesterday in Dallas to repair the fracture. The injury occurred during the second period when Marchenko was hit in the face by an errant puck while sitting on the bench.
With this injury, the Blue Jackets' scoring depth takes a significant blow, trailing only defenseman Zach Werenski in team points. Placed on injured reserve, missing Marchenko represents another setback for the team, which is chasing its first playoff appearance since 2019-20. As reported by NBC4i, the Blue Jackets currently hold onto the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 59 points, merely a point ahead of rivals such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins.
The injury plague continues for Columbus, as defenseman Dante Fabbro is also sidelined with an upper-body injury suspected to be a concussion. If that wasn't enough, Zach Werenski played through pain as well. "We lost our top pairing [defenseman] and our leading scorer, our top right winger," Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli said after the game. Adding to Columbus' challenges, forward Dylan Gambrell has been recalled on an emergency basis from the American Hockey League's Cleveland team to fill the roster gap, as stated by NHL.com.
The Blue Jackets will likely adjust their lineups in response to these setbacks. With an impressive tally of 15 goals and 19 assists for the season, Kent Johnson is the next man up and could potentially take the top right-wing spot next to center Fantilli on the lines. As of Sunday's game, Columbus has reached 214 man-games lost due to injuries this season, a trend that has been hampering the team consistently over the years, per The Columbus Dispatch.
As Columbus heads into Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, the team is desperate for a fully healthy roster to stay in the playoff chase. For now, they are treading water, hoping to reach the NHL’s mid-February pause for the 4 Nations Tournament without any more crushing injuries. With Marchenko out and other key players nursing injuries, the team's depth and resilience will surely be tested in the coming games.
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