The Blue Jackets’ injury luck was already teetering when they headed to their morning skate Nov. 24 in Washington, D.C.
Heading back to Columbus after losing three key players, one before and two during a 5-1 blowout loss to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena, the Jackets' luck has run out.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore: Columbus Blue Jackets fall apart against Washington Capitals again
Across the NHL, teams have watched key players drop with stunning regularity over the first quarter of an 82-game season that’s compressed on around the league’s scheduled pause in February for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The Blue Jackets largely avoided a large swath of injuries, but that’s no longer the case.
Nov 24, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) scores a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesKirill Marchenko, Zach Werenski and Mathieu Olivier are now dealing with upper-body injuries that prevented Marchenko from suiting up and forced the other two to exit early against the Capitals. Marchenko is dealing with muscle that tightened up during the Jackets’ morning skate, which could be a shorter-term issue, but less was made public about the other two guys.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMarchenko and Werenski are the Blue Jackets’ top two scorers, while Olivier is their biggest source of physical play as a power forward on their most effective line. All three will get further medical attention on Nov. 25 in Columbus, but Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason sounded concerned when asked for any updates on Werenski and Olivier following the game.
“Both, obviously, left the game ... and if they left the game, then it’s not positive, that’s for sure,” he said. “But we’ll evaluate (in Columbus) and see where we’re at.”
Nov 24, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) and Washington Capitals center Connor McMichael (24) battle for the puck during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesAfter concluding another long road trip, the Blue Jackets finish November with home games Nov. 26 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nov. 27 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementColumbus now has five injured regulars to assess, including captain Boone Jenner and defenseman Erik Gudbranson on injured reserve. Things could get rocky in a hurry for the Blue Jackets (11-9-3), who are now sixth in the Metropolitan Division after being passed by the Capitals (12-9-2).
Here are four more takeaways:
Columbus Blue Jackets melt down against Washington Capitals again
Just as they did Oct. 24 in Columbus, the Blue Jackets came apart at the seams against the Capitals after playing them close to start out. In Columbus, John Carlson scored late in the second period to give Washington a 1-0 lead that sparked a 5-1 blowout win.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis time, the Jackets' meltdown happened on three straight Capitals goals in the final 3:31 of the second. The Blue Jackets have only lost by multiple goals five times in their first 23 games, and the Capitals are responsible for two of them.
“I don’t think we really got to our game,” center Charlie Coyle told reporters in Washington. “I don’t think we gave ourselves a good enough chance, and you can’t win games like that in this league.”
Nov 24, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) /celebrates with Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) after scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesColumbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov struggles as Kirill Marchenko’s replacement
After a brief promotion to the Blue Jackets’ second line that lasted only one game, Yegor Chinakhov caught an unexpected elevator going back up in the lineup.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMarchenko’s injury created a need for a forward with top six skills to play with Adam Fantilli and Dmitri Voronkov on the top line, so Chinakhov got the call. It’s been a challenging season for him after a summer trade request, prompting Chinakhov to mostly languish while skating limited ice times or sitting as a healthy scratch.
Things worsened against the Capitals.
Chinakhov skated 16:03, but his line didn’t generate any goals and three forwards finished with -3 ratings. Chinakhov was caught flat-footed, screening his own goalie, when Carlson scored off a one-timer with three seconds left in the second period. Tough night.
Nov 24, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro (15) crash into Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesElvis Merzlikins has another tough night for Columbus Blue Jackets
Elvis Merzlikins was tagged with all five Capitals goals while starting for just the second time in the past nine games. He also allowed five goals in a loss Nov. 18 in Winnipeg to conclude a taxing back-to-back that began with Jet Greaves starting Nov. 17 at Nationwide Arena in a 4-3 shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter alternating the season’s first 15 starts between Merzlikins and Greaves, Evason and his coaching staff have leaned heavily on Greaves since Nov. 10 in Edmonton. Greaves, expectedly, has settled into a rhythm and looks solid while Merzlikins looks a bit rusty with more down time between starts.
Merzlikins also dealt with an illness during a road trip to Western Canada and Seattle that may have contributed to Greaves getting the lion’s share of games.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Brendan Smith (7) during training camp at Nationwide Arena on September 18, 2025.Columbus Blue Jackets add defensive depth by signing Brendan Smith
After watching veteran defenseman Brendan Smith start the season in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets signed him Nov. 24 to a one-year, two-way contract.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSmith, 36, will join the team officially Nov. 25 in Columbus during an off day for the Blue Jackets. He could step right into the lineup Nov. 26 against Toronto if Werenski can’t play.
Smith will play his 15th NHL season after spending the first 14 with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at [email protected] and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Injuries catch up to Blue Jackets in loss to Capitals: takeaways
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