Blue Jackets add Nichushkin, lose Marchment in busy summer

The Blue Jackets finished 40-30-12 for 92 points in 2025-26, fifth in the Metropolitan Division and just outside the playoff picture. General manager Don Waddell made a bold move acquiring Valeri Nichushkin to add scoring punch, but losing Mason Marchment to San Jose stings. The biggest question mark remains Adam Fantilli's contract status, with the restricted free agent still unsigned as of mid-July.

Last season in review

Columbus posted a .500 record and broke even in goal differential at 253 for and 253 against. Zach Werenski had a monster year from the blue line with 22 goals and 81 points, finishing as the team's leading scorer. Kirill Marchenko took a step forward with 27 goals and 67 points, while Adam Fantilli showed promise in his sophomore campaign with 24 goals and 59 points. In net, Jet Greaves posted a 26-19-9 record with a .908 save percentage, solid if unspectacular numbers for a team that needed more consistency between the pipes.

Ins and outs

• In: Valeri Nichushkin (acquired via trade)
• In: Pheonix Copley (signed as a free agent, one year)
• In: Erik Gudbranson (re-signed, one year)
• In: Colton White (signed, two years, two-way)
• In: Riley Bezeau (signed, one year, two-way)
• In: Sergei Ivanov (signed entry-level contract, two years)
• Out: Mason Marchment (signed with San Jose Sharks)
• Out: Boone Jenner (departed, per team statement)

The big question

Can Columbus lock up Adam Fantilli before another team swoops in with an offer sheet? The 21-year-old center is a restricted free agent coming off a 59-point season, and The Columbus Dispatch reports the team is working to avoid a messy negotiation. Losing Fantilli would gut the young core Columbus has spent years building.

X-factor

Valeri Nichushkin. The veteran winger arrives from Colorado with a track record of playoff production and should slot into the top six immediately. If he can replicate even a fraction of his best seasons, Columbus suddenly has three legitimate scoring threats alongside Werenski and Marchenko. His two-way game could also help shore up a defense that allowed as many goals as it scored last season.

Bold prediction

Columbus sneaks into the playoffs as a wild card. The Nichushkin addition gives them the depth scoring they lacked in 2025-26, and if Greaves or Copley can steal 10 extra wins, the Blue Jackets will be in the mix come April.

The outlook

Waddell has been aggressive in his first full offseason as GM, making a statement with the Nichushkin trade. But the Marchment departure creates a hole, and the Fantilli situation looms over everything. If they can get their young center signed and Nichushkin produces, Columbus has the pieces to take the next step. If not, this could be another year on the outside looking in.