Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+ (U.S.); Sportsnet (Canada)
This is the second meeting of the season between the teams. Florida won the first matchup 7-3 on October 13 at Nationwide Arena, powered by Brady Tkachuk’s natural hat trick and Matthew Tkachuk’s five assists.
Injury Reports
Florida Panthers
Aleksander Barkov (C): Out (lower-body/knee) – expected return late November.
Brad Marchand (LW): Out (leg/knee) – expected return around mid-to-late November.
Jonah Gadjovich (LW): Out (upper-body/neck).
Sandis Vilmanis (LW): Day-to-day (undisclosed); injured recently and may miss this game.
Anton Lundell has returned from injury. The Panthers remain without two key veterans but have depth at center and wing.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Isac Lundeström (C): Out (Achilles) – still weeks away.
Conor Garland (RW): Out (upper-body).
Sean Monahan (C) and Dmitri Voronkov expected to be available after recent issues. Denton Mateychuk was being evaluated after practice but appears likely available.
Columbus is relatively healthy outside of the noted absences.
Current Rosters / Key Players
Panthers (key contributors):
Forwards – Matthew Tkachuk (team-leading ~26 points), Brady Tkachuk (~20 points, physical net-front presence), Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Lars Eller.
Defense – Seth Jones (strong point production from the blue line), Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Niko Mikkola.
Goaltending – Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid splitting duties (both around .886 SV%).
Blue Jackets (key contributors):
Forwards – Kent Johnson (strong recent production), Adam Fantilli, Charlie Coyle, Cole Sillinger, Valeri Nichushkin, Sean Monahan, Matthew Knies, Mathieu Olivier.
Defense – Zach Werenski (heavy minutes and offense), Denton Mateychuk, Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson.
Goaltending – Cam Talbot (stronger numbers, ~.911) and Jet Greaves.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Tkachuk brothers (Matthew & Brady) vs. Werenski / Mateychuk / Provorov: Florida’s net-front and cycle game will test Columbus’s top defensive pairings. Brady’s physicality and Matthew’s playmaking created major problems in the first meeting.
Sam Reinhart / Carter Verhaeghe vs. Columbus centers (Fantilli, Coyle, Monahan): Reinhart’s shooting and Verhaeghe’s finishing against Columbus’s improving but still inconsistent defensive structure.
Seth Jones vs. Kent Johnson / Fantilli: Jones’s transition and power-play quarterbacking against Columbus’s skilled forwards.
Special teams battle: Florida’s strong power play (23.5%, top-10) and excellent penalty kill (85.7%, top-5) against Columbus’s weaker units (PP ~17.5%, PK ~75.6%). Florida takes many penalties, which could give Columbus opportunities if the Jackets capitalize.
Recent Team Forms
Panthers (last 10: 5-5-0): Mixed results with recent losses to Boston (1-4) and Washington. They score at a solid clip (~3.11 GF/GP) but have been inconsistent defensively and discipline-challenged (league-high penalty volume). Road record sits around 5-4-2/5-5-2.
Blue Jackets (last 10: 5-5-0): Improved defensively after a rough start (recent home stretch includes a three-game winning streak at Nationwide before a road loss). Home record is solid (6-3-0). Offense remains modest (~2.53 GF/GP, near the bottom of the league), but structure and home performance have been better.
Series History
Florida leads the season series 1-0. Historically the Panthers have dominated recent meetings (strong overall edge in the last 10+ games). High-scoring affairs have been common in the series.
Betting Trends
Columbus has been competitive at home and covered in recent home wins. Florida’s road favorite unders have hit in some samples, and the first meeting went well over.
Florida has more pure talent even without Barkov and Marchand, and the Tkachuks remain dangerous. However, Columbus’s home form, defensive progress under Rick Bowness, and the Panthers’ penalty issues and recent inconsistency give the Jackets a realistic path to a tight win in regulation or overtime. Expect a physical, structured contest rather than a repeat of the 7-3 shootout.
Game Odds
Florida Panthers – 111
Columbus Blue Jackets 6
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Monday, November 9, 2026
