The Blue Jackets will face the LA Kings tonight in their last game before the Christmas break. They will have to do so without the services of their best player.
It will be another game where coming away with 2 points will be absolutely crucial for the Jackets. They have just one win in their last 8 games, and currently are the only team in the Eastern Conference sitting below .500.
Unfortunately, they'll face a pretty good LA Kings team that is well rested. They should come out hungry and with a lot to prove tonight.
The Opponent
The Kings have been off since last Thursday, when they snapped a 4-game losing skid with a win against the Lightning in Tampa Bay. They sit in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference, with a 15-10-9 record (39 points).
They will have a different look tonight, after trading away center Phillip Danault on Friday night. I'm interested to see how they match up against the Jackets, now that they are thinner down the middle.
This is a team that is heavy, hard to play against, and stingy on the defensive side of the puck. They sit second in the NHL in team defense, averaging just 2.5 goals against per game.
There isn't going to be a lot of room for the Blue Jackets to make plays tonight. Expect a big boy type of game, where the teams are going to have to scratch and claw for scoring opportunities.
Which means this will be a 9-8 game or something crazy like that.
Up front, the Kings are led in scoring by Adrian Kempe. He has 13 goals and 30 points in 34 games. They have just one other player with more than 23 points, and it's Kevin Fiala (12-11-23).
Sitting in third is Quinton Byfield (4-15-19); then it's a bunch of veterans continuing to do the heavy lifting. Lots of familiar names on this roster, whose best days are behind them; but they can still burn you at a moment's notice.
Just one active injury for the Kings: goaltender Darcy Kuemper is currently on IR. So, the Jackets will face another familiar face: former CBJ draft pick and backstop Anton Forsberg will get the start.
He's 5-4-3 on the season, with a .901% save percentage, 2.69 goals against average, and one shutout. He's 4-3-0 all-time against the Jackets, with a stat line of .928%, 2.42GAA, and one shutout.
The Good Guys
Big news for the Blue Jackets: their best player is going to miss tonight's game. It's not entirely surprising after Zach Werenski left Saturday night's game after blocking a shot with his foot.
The injury news was about as good as we could expect: he's day to day with no broken bones. But, the team wisely opted not to play him tonight, giving him 5 days to recover.
#CBJ head coach Dean Evason on Zach Werenski not playing tonight: "He did everything to try to play in tonight’s hockey game, but to give him five days off we think is the intelligent thing to do."
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) December 22, 2025
Anticipates Werenski will be available after the holiday break.
This comes after he was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week this morning. He earned those honors after scoring 5 goals and 7 points in 3 games.
In his place, expect Jake Christiansen to get back into the lineup after not playing since November 24th. It goes without saying: the Jackets will need to play as a team tonight to get the job done. Especially in their own end.
Up front, Miles Wood will return to the lineup after missing Saturday's game due to a minor ailment. Jet Greaves will get the start in goal.
Three Keys to Success
1. Get inside. The Kings aren't going to give up much defensively. The only chance the Blue Jackets have to generate offense is to win the inside battle tonight. Don't let them clog things up.
2. Patience. This is a team that likes to sit back and let their opposition make mistakes, so the Blue Jackets would be wise to do the same. Stick to the system and don't try to do too much.
3. Win it for #8. Zach Werenski called this organization out after they lost on Thursday night. That prompted a trade. It would be nice to see these guys reward him by winning a game in his honor.
Another west coast start means another late puck drop. This one is scheduled for just after 10:00 Eastern time. If you're still up, tune in via Fan Duel Sports Network, ESPN+, or NHL Radio. Though, full disclosure: this one might put you to sleep if the Kings have their way. Let's go Jackets.