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Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson are ready to rejoin the Blue Jackets' lineup with 13 games left and a playoff spot within grasp despite a six-game losing skid.
After skating through a full practice Sunday, the veteran stalwarts will suit up Monday against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
More: Monahan, Gudbranson and Sillinger nearing return to Columbus Blue Jackets' lineup
Monahan, who’s been out since Jan. 7 with a wrist injury, will reunite with Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko on the top line. Gudbranson, who underwent shoulder surgery in October, skated with rookie Denton Mateychuk as the third defensive pairing in practice.
“We’ve had plenty of opportunities to win hockey games and we just believe that it’s going to turn around, and it has to do that (Monday) night, but to have those two guys in there will be great,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “If they’re ready to play, they’re ready to play. Otherwise, they’re not going to play. So, both are ready to go. No restrictions.”
Their returns couldn’t come at a better time for the Blue Jackets (31-29-9), who’ve stumbled to eight losses in their past nine games coming off a stirring outdoor victory over the Detroit Red Wings on March 1 at Ohio Stadium. They’ve dropped six in a row (0-5-1) and sit four points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild-card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
The Jackets also have the Islanders two points ahead of them and New York Rangers three points up, all vying for the East’s last playoff spot. They’re still in the race, though, which gives Monahan and Gudbranson another chance to rejoin the Blue Jackets’ effort to honor teammate Johnny Gaudreau’s memory.
“The range of emotions we’ve had this year, for sure, has been probably on the high end,” Gudbranson said. “At this point right now, you just feel overwhelmingly proud of what the guys have accomplished so far, and there’s a lot to accomplish still. There’s a lot of belief in this (locker) room and a lot of opportunity ahead of us. So, to be a part of it in a real way, I feel very fortunate to be back.”
This isn’t either player’s first time returning from a long-term injury midseason in the NHL, so the hope is that it won’t take long for either to contribute positively. Gudbranson could add defensive stability to a third pairing that’s been a rotating mix of defensemen since he left the lineup in the season’s third game. Monahan, meanwhile, adds another veteran to take key faceoffs and help the Blue Jackets’ top line gain more offensive possession time.
Monahan is also one of the NHL’s best at playing the “bumper” role on the power play, a vital position in the 1-3-1 system that’s deployed in variations across the league. Prior to his injury, the Blue Jackets ranked ninth in the NHL with a 23.9% success rate on power plays. They’ve since dropped to 24th overall at 18.8% and were dead last at 7.8% in the 29 games Monahan has missed.
“It’s not easy, for sure, but I worked on it quite a bit while I wasn’t playing, just kind of visualizing it and getting into spots that I’m going to need to get in,” Monahan said. “I’ve played enough games with those guys where we have some chemistry and I can make some reads, but it’s still going to take some communication and reading off each other.”
Monahan and Gudbranson are still on injured reserve, so lineup moves will be required Monday to create two open spots on the active 23-man roster. One option could be moving defenseman Jake Christiansen to the IR with an upper-body injury that has sidelined him the past four games, but a second transaction will be necessary.
Mateychuk and center Adam Fantilli are the only two players on NHL entry-level contracts that allow AHL assignments without needing to clear waivers, but Fantilli is cemented as a “top six” forward now centering the second line and Mateychuk also appears to have a regular lineup spot locked up.
Assuming neither is reassigned, the Blue Jackets will likely put a veteran on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Cleveland. Lineup spots also must be opened for Monahan and Gudbranson, and the two candidates most likely sit Monday are forward Yegor Chinakhov and defenseman Jack Johnson.
“Everybody wants to play, right?” Evason said. “It’s going to be tough, but we’ve got a lot of bodies, and thankfully now we’re healthy, so some guys are going to have to sit and we’ll explain why. They don’t have to be happy, but they have to be non-disruptive when they’re out of the lineup.”
[email protected]
@BrianHedger.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets add Sean Monahan, Erik Gudbranson to playoff bid
Continue reading...
After skating through a full practice Sunday, the veteran stalwarts will suit up Monday against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
More: Monahan, Gudbranson and Sillinger nearing return to Columbus Blue Jackets' lineup
Monahan, who’s been out since Jan. 7 with a wrist injury, will reunite with Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko on the top line. Gudbranson, who underwent shoulder surgery in October, skated with rookie Denton Mateychuk as the third defensive pairing in practice.
“We’ve had plenty of opportunities to win hockey games and we just believe that it’s going to turn around, and it has to do that (Monday) night, but to have those two guys in there will be great,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “If they’re ready to play, they’re ready to play. Otherwise, they’re not going to play. So, both are ready to go. No restrictions.”
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Their returns couldn’t come at a better time for the Blue Jackets (31-29-9), who’ve stumbled to eight losses in their past nine games coming off a stirring outdoor victory over the Detroit Red Wings on March 1 at Ohio Stadium. They’ve dropped six in a row (0-5-1) and sit four points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild-card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
The Jackets also have the Islanders two points ahead of them and New York Rangers three points up, all vying for the East’s last playoff spot. They’re still in the race, though, which gives Monahan and Gudbranson another chance to rejoin the Blue Jackets’ effort to honor teammate Johnny Gaudreau’s memory.
“The range of emotions we’ve had this year, for sure, has been probably on the high end,” Gudbranson said. “At this point right now, you just feel overwhelmingly proud of what the guys have accomplished so far, and there’s a lot to accomplish still. There’s a lot of belief in this (locker) room and a lot of opportunity ahead of us. So, to be a part of it in a real way, I feel very fortunate to be back.”
You must be registered for see images attach
This isn’t either player’s first time returning from a long-term injury midseason in the NHL, so the hope is that it won’t take long for either to contribute positively. Gudbranson could add defensive stability to a third pairing that’s been a rotating mix of defensemen since he left the lineup in the season’s third game. Monahan, meanwhile, adds another veteran to take key faceoffs and help the Blue Jackets’ top line gain more offensive possession time.
Monahan is also one of the NHL’s best at playing the “bumper” role on the power play, a vital position in the 1-3-1 system that’s deployed in variations across the league. Prior to his injury, the Blue Jackets ranked ninth in the NHL with a 23.9% success rate on power plays. They’ve since dropped to 24th overall at 18.8% and were dead last at 7.8% in the 29 games Monahan has missed.
“It’s not easy, for sure, but I worked on it quite a bit while I wasn’t playing, just kind of visualizing it and getting into spots that I’m going to need to get in,” Monahan said. “I’ve played enough games with those guys where we have some chemistry and I can make some reads, but it’s still going to take some communication and reading off each other.”
Monahan and Gudbranson are still on injured reserve, so lineup moves will be required Monday to create two open spots on the active 23-man roster. One option could be moving defenseman Jake Christiansen to the IR with an upper-body injury that has sidelined him the past four games, but a second transaction will be necessary.
You must be registered for see images attach
Mateychuk and center Adam Fantilli are the only two players on NHL entry-level contracts that allow AHL assignments without needing to clear waivers, but Fantilli is cemented as a “top six” forward now centering the second line and Mateychuk also appears to have a regular lineup spot locked up.
Assuming neither is reassigned, the Blue Jackets will likely put a veteran on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Cleveland. Lineup spots also must be opened for Monahan and Gudbranson, and the two candidates most likely sit Monday are forward Yegor Chinakhov and defenseman Jack Johnson.
“Everybody wants to play, right?” Evason said. “It’s going to be tough, but we’ve got a lot of bodies, and thankfully now we’re healthy, so some guys are going to have to sit and we’ll explain why. They don’t have to be happy, but they have to be non-disruptive when they’re out of the lineup.”
[email protected]
@BrianHedger.bsky.social
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets add Sean Monahan, Erik Gudbranson to playoff bid
Continue reading...
