NAS
TOR
o5.5
-1.5
7:00PM • ESPN+
NYI
NYR
o5.5
-1.5
7:30PM • ESPN
UTA
NJ
o5.5
-1.5
7:00PM • ESPN+
CAR
MON
o6.5
+1.5
7:00PM • ESPN+
OTT
DET
o5.5
+1.5
7:00PM • ESPN+
STL
CHI
o5.5
+1.5
8:00PM • ESPN+
MIN
BUF
o6.5
+1.5
7:00PM • ESPN+
VEG
SEA
o5.5
+1.5
9:40PM • ESPN+
FLA
LA
o5.5
+1.5
10:00PM • ESPN
| G | AST | PTS | SOG | +/- | PIM | FSP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 8.62 |
| Compare to same point last season | ||||||
Valeri Nichushkin | Fantasy Outlook
Nichushkin aims to build on season debut in home clash with Utah
Valeri Nichushkin and the Blue Jackets host Utah tonight at Nationwide Arena in a matchup between two teams entering at 1-0. Operating as the third-line right wing alongside Sean Monahan and Dmitri Voronkov, Nichushkin also holds down a secondary power-play role. His fantasy start rate surged to 44% following an opening-night power-play assist in 15:45 of ice time against Buffalo. Columbus is a slight home underdog in what projects as a higher-scoring contest, likely facing Karel Vejmelka (unconfirmed) in net. His established chemistry with Voronkov keeps his offensive floor intriguing even in middle-six minutes.
Our projections for tonight slate Nichushkin for ~1 point, a small goal chance, and ~1–2 shots on goal, translating to roughly 2.9 fantasy points. While he is not currently seeing top-unit power-play time, his net-front presence and secondary man-advantage deployment give him steady point potential. Looking at the weekly picture, this is Columbus' second and final game of the week, offering one last opportunity to capture value from his two-game slate. For fantasy managers needing offensive punch to close out their weekly matchup, consider him a viable option. Today's action: Cautious Start.
FantasySP AI Analysis
Updated 2 days ago
Valeri Nichushkin Fantasy
| DATE | OPP | G | AST | +/- | SOG | PIM | TOI | FPTS | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/03 | UTA | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 16:47:00 | 1.0 | 10 |
| 10/01 | BUF | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 15:45:00 | 1.5 | 9.5 |
| Totals: | 0 | 1 | -2 | 2 | 0 | 16:16:00.0000 | 2.5 | ||
Fantasy Chart Loading...
| YEAR | TEAM | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | SOG | TOI/G | HIT | FOW | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13-14 | DAL | 80 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 20 | 8 | 124 | 14 | 85 | 0 | 27 |
| 14-15 | DAL | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -5 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 15-16 | DAL | 79 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 0 | 12 | 142 | 13 | 69 | 0 | 32 |
| 18-19 | DAL | 57 | 0 | 10 | 10 | -4 | 0 | 65 | 11 | 71 | 3 | 32 |
| 19-20 | COL | 66 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 27 | 14 | 114 | 14 | 85 | 2 | 22 |
| 21-22 | COL | 49 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 87 | 13 | 52 | 1 | 25 |
| 21-22 | COL | 78 | 26 | 28 | 54 | 22 | 16 | 186 | 15 | 91 | 1 | 27 |
| 22-23 | COL | 75 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 13 | 2 | 159 | 14 | 54 | 1 | 37 |
| 23-24 | COL | 67 | 35 | 25 | 60 | 9 | 24 | 175 | 18 | 76 | 2 | 31 |
| 24-25 | COL | 66 | 24 | 13 | 37 | 13 | 8 | 130 | 14 | 71 | 4 | 23 |
| 25-26 | COL | 86 | 17 | 32 | 49 | 9 | 26 | 162 | 15 | 57 | 2 | 29 |
| 26-27 | CBJ | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| ON PACE | 82 | 0 | 41 | 41 | -2 | 0 | 82 | 16 | 41 | 0 | 82 | |
| 3-YEAR AVG | 75 | 26 | 24 | 50 | 27 | 19 | 158 | 73 | 3 | 29 | ||
| Totals | 766 | 179 | 218 | 397 | 113 | 134 | 1490 | 14 | 845 | 17 | 318 | |
Nichushkin Projection
View All| G | AST | PTS | PPP | PPG | PPA | SHP | SHG | SHA | SOG | +/- | PIM | HIT | BLK | FOW | FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.24 | 0.75 | 0.99 | 0.32 | 0 | 0.32 | 0.07 | 0.04 | 0 | 3.14 | -0.41 | 0.39 | 1.41 | 1.13 | 0.04 | 4.2 |
| G | AST | PTS | PPP | PPG | PPA | SHP | SHG | SHA | SOG | +/- | PIM | HIT | BLK | FOW | FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Coming soon.
OWN START TRENDS
Depth Chart
Columbus Blue Jackets
Roster Breakdown| NAME | OWN | START |
|---|---|---|
| Jet Greaves | 83% | 41% |
| Elvis Merzlikins | 1% | 0% |
| Cam Talbot | 2% | 1% |
| NAME | OWN | START |
|---|---|---|
| Zach Werenski | 100% | 81% |
| Ivan Provorov | 44% | 14% |
| Damon Severson | 4% | 2% |
| Denton Mateychuk | 6% | 4% |
| NAME | OWN | START |
|---|---|---|
| Dmitri Voronkov | 2% | 1% |
| NAME | OWN | START |
|---|---|---|
| Kirill Marchenko | 100% | 93% |
| Conor Garland | 2% | 1% |
| Mathieu Olivier | 10% | 2% |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 54% | 16% |
| NAME | OWN | START |
|---|---|---|
| Sean Monahan | 6% | 2% |
| Adam Fantilli | 92% | 36% |
| Kent Johnson | 9% | 1% |
| Charlie Coyle | 45% | 13% |
| Cole Sillinger | 2% | 1% |
Line Combinations
Valeri Nichushkin's Current Assignments
Line 3PP2
| LINE | LEFT WING (LW) | CENTER (C) | RIGHT WING (RW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | Matthew Knies | Adam Fantilli | Kent Johnson |
| Line 2 | Cole Sillinger | Charlie Coyle | Mathieu Olivier |
| Line 3 | Valeri Nichushkin | Sean Monahan | Conor Garland |
| Line 4 | Ryan Lomberg | Danton Heinen | Dmitri Voronkov |
| PAIR | LEFT DEFENSE (LD) | RIGHT DEFENSE (RD) |
|---|---|---|
| Pair 1 | Zach Werenski | Denton Mateychuk |
| Pair 2 | Carson Soucy | Emil Andrae |
| Pair 3 | Jake Christiansen | Erik Gudbranson |
| UNIT | SKATER 1 | SKATER 2 | SKATER 3 | SKATER 4 | SKATER 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP1 | Charlie Coyle | Zach Werenski | Kent Johnson | Matthew Knies | Adam Fantilli |
| PP2 | Sean Monahan | Valeri Nichushkin | Conor Garland | Dmitri Voronkov | Denton Mateychuk |
| UNIT | SKATER 1 | SKATER 2 | SKATER 3 | SKATER 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PK1 | Charlie Coyle | Erik Gudbranson | Sean Monahan | Zach Werenski |
| PK2 | Carson Soucy | Danton Heinen | Jake Christiansen | Mathieu Olivier |
| ORDER | GOALIE | ROLE | ROTATION STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Jet Greaves | Starter | Primary Starter |
| #2 | Cam Talbot | Backup | Backup |
Team Injuries
| PLAYER | STATUS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Isac Lundeström #21 · C | OutIRAchilles | Lundeström is dealing with torn achilles and has been placed on the long-term injured reserve list. He will miss an extended period of time. INJ SINCE: Jul 3 |
| Mikael Pyyhtia #82 · LW | OutIRLower Body | Pyyhtia is dealing with a lower body and has been placed on the non-roster injured reserve list. INJ SINCE: Sep 25 |
| Riley Bezeau #62 · RW | OutIRUndisclosed | Bezeau is dealing with an undisclosed injury and has been placed on the non-roster injured reserve list. INJ SINCE: Sep 23 |
| PLAYER | STATUS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Caleb MacDonald #95 · D | OutIRLower Body | MacDonald is dealing with a lower-body injury and has been placed on the non-roster injured reserve list. INJ SINCE: Sep 19 |
| Damon Severson #78 · D | OutIRShoulder | Severson is dealing with a shoulder injury and has been placed on the non-roster injured reserve list. INJ SINCE: Sep 26 |
| Dante Fabbro #15 · D | OutIRUpper Body | Fabbro is dealing with an upper body injury and has been placed on the non-roster injured reserve list. INJ SINCE: Sep 25 |
| Ivan Provorov #9 · D | OutIRLower Body | Provorov is dealing with a lower body injury and has been placed on the injured reserve list. INJ SINCE: Oct 1 |
Team Rankings
G
7
18th
A
12
18th
SOG
42
31st
FOW
70
20th
PPG
2
12th
PPA
4
12th
PPP
6
12th
SHG
0
20th
SHP
0
20th
HITS
46
24th
BLK
38
16th
GA
7
15th
| Team | W-L | Win % | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rangers | 3-1-0 | 0.750 | 6 |
 Penguins | 2-1-0 | 0.667 | 4 |
| Hurricanes | 1-1-1 | 0.333 | 3 |
| Islanders | 1-1-0 | 0.500 | 2 |
 Capitals | 1-1-0 | 0.500 | 2 |
| Blue Jackets | 1-1-0 | 0.500 | 2 |
| Devils | 1-1-0 | 0.500 | 2 |
 Flyers | 0-2-2 | 0.000 | 2 |
Team Stats
| Player | GP | G | A | SOG | +/- | PIM | PPG | O/S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Monahan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Cole Sillinger | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| Kent Johnson | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Adam Fantilli | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Charlie Coyle | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Luca Del Bel Belluz | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | GP | G | A | SOG | +/- | PIM | PPG | O/S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Knies | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Mathieu Olivier | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ryan Lomberg | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Danton Heinen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Conor Garland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dmitri Voronkov | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 2 | 0 |
| Player | GP | G | A | SOG | +/- | PIM | PPG | O/S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Werenski | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Emil Andrae | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Denton Mateychuk | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Erik Gudbranson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Carson Soucy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Jake Christiansen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | GP | W | L | OTL | SA | SV | GA | SO | O/S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jet Greaves | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 50 | 7 | 0 | |
| Cam Talbot | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Owned Breakdown
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Schedule
| DATE | OPP | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 10-09 | PIT | 7:00 PM |
| 10-10 | @STL | 7:00 PM |
Player Timeline
Jun 25th
Blue Jackets Acquire Valeri Nichushkin from Avalanche in 3-Pick Deal
Player News
-
Olli Määttä Quickly Earns a Key Role on the Wild’s Blue Line
@JoeSmithNHL
-
Tyler Guyton Holds Up Against a Hunter Spin Move One-on-One
@FB_FilmAnalysis
-
Lions Center Cade Mays Set to Return to Practice This Week After Injury
@PrideOfDetroit
-
Chicago Bulls Sign Jordan Hawkins to a Two-Way Contract
@chicagobulls
-
Blues Fan Turns a Discount-Rack Jersey Into a Priceless Gift for Matthew Mayich’s Family
@KatieJStrang
-
Cooper Flagg to Make Asia Debut as Mavericks Face Rockets in 2026 NBA China Games
@NBA
-
Tyler Guyton OT • DAL
Tyler Guyton Holds Up Against a Hunter Spin Move One-on-One
@FB_FilmAnalysis
-
Cade Mays C • DET
Lions Center Cade Mays Set to Return to Practice This Week After Injury
@PrideOfDetroit
-
Anthony Hill LB • TEN
How non-first-round rookies are faring this NFL season: Denzel Boston among the leaders of the pack
Pete Prisco
-
Aaron Rodgers QB • PIT
Mike McCarthy jokes about profanity in his long-running relationship with Aaron Rodgers
@TyDunne
-
Lamar Jackson QB • BAL
Lamar Jackson Has an Outside Chance to Play in Week 5, Report Says
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-
Bijan Robinson RB • ATL
Bijan Robinson Leads NFL in Rushing Yards After Contact, Ranks Second in Total Yards
@NextGenStats
-
Ray Kerr RP • ATL
From Foster Care to October Breakout: Ray Kerr’s Remarkable Journey to MLB Stardom
@jareddiamond
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Sonny Gray SP • BOS
MLB Clears Sonny Gray After Sticky-Substance Check in Game 2 Start
@ChrisCotillo
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Aaron Ashby RP • MIL
Brewers Relievers Ashby, Uribe and Megill Dominate Final Three Innings in Game 2
@Haudricourt
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Christian Yelich DH • MIL
Brewers’ Yelich, Frelick and Sánchez Take 17 Pitches Without Swinging in Game 2 Walk-Off Win
@Haudricourt
-
Chris Sale SP • ATL
Chris Sale Starts as Braves Aim to Push Dodgers to the Brink of an Upset
@BNightengale
-
Garrett Crochet SP • BOS
White Sox’s Crochet Trade Yields Key Players as Team Nears ALCS
@castrovince
-
Jordan Hawkins SG • MEM
Chicago Bulls Sign Jordan Hawkins to a Two-Way Contract
@chicagobulls
-
Cooper Flagg PF • DAL
Cooper Flagg to Make Asia Debut as Mavericks Face Rockets in 2026 NBA China Games
@NBA
-
Dominick Barlow PF • PHI
Sixers eye more playing time for Dominick Barlow and are impressed by Jabari Walker amid lineup discussions.
@Tjonesonthenba
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Jalen Slawson PF • IND
Pacers Spotlight Jalen Slawson: No. 18 in Year 4
@Pacers
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James Johnson PF •
Pacers Celebrate James Johnson’s No. 16 Jersey in His 17th NBA Season
@Pacers
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Ben Sheppard SF • IND
Pacers Select Ben Sheppard No. 26 in His Fourth NBA Season
@Pacers
-
Olli Maatta D • MIN
Olli Määttä Quickly Earns a Key Role on the Wild’s Blue Line
@JoeSmithNHL
-
Matthew Mayich D •
Blues Fan Turns a Discount-Rack Jersey Into a Priceless Gift for Matthew Mayich’s Family
@KatieJStrang
-
Jack Hughes C • NJ
Hockey Analyst Revisits Early Takes on Hughes and Kakko: Hughes’ Slump Was No Concern, Kakko’s Was
@JFreshHockey
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Patrick Kane RW • CHI
Blackhawks Welcome Patrick Kane Back After Wirtz Gives the Green Light
@MarkLazerus
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Sergei Murashov G • PIT
Penguins’ Strong Start Stalls in Loss to Jets Despite Standouts Kindel and Murashov
@JoshYohe_PGH
-
Tim Stutzle LW • OTT
Tim Stützle’s Three-Point Night Leads Senators to Victory in Boston
@Senators
Waiver Trends
More Trends| Cole Perfetti WPG C | +16.6 |
| Tommy Novak PIT C | +13.2 |
| Artturi Lehkonen COL LW | +6.8 |
| Claude Giroux OTT RW | +6.7 |
| Brayden McNabb VGK D | +6.2 |
| Kris Letang PIT D | +6.1 |
| Paul Cotter VAN C | +5.6 |
| Vladislav Gavrikov NYR D | +4.7 |
| Declan Carlile PIT D | +4.3 |
| Benjamin Kindel PIT RW | +4.0 |
| Shane Pinto OTT C | +3.9 |
| Jared Spurgeon MIN D | +3.7 |
| Jack Quinn BUF RW | +3.7 |
| Bobby McMann SEA C | +3.6 |
| Thomas Chabot OTT D | +3.5 |
| Dustin Wolf CGY G | -4.4 |
| Zeev Buium VAN D | -3.4 |
| Simon Nemec CGY D | -3.0 |
| Zayne Parekh CGY D | -3.0 |
| Jordan Kyrou WAS C | -2.9 |
| Ivan Barbashev VGK C | -2.9 |
| Anthony Mantha NJ RW | -2.7 |
| Gavin McKenna TOR LW | -2.7 |
| Jared McCann SEA LW | -2.7 |
| Justin Faulk DET D | -2.4 |
| Patrick Kane CHI RW | -1.9 |
| Alex Laferriere LA RW | -1.9 |
| Darcy Kuemper LA G | -1.9 |
| Marco Rossi VAN C | -1.9 |
| Stuart Skinner WPG G | -1.8 |
