Somehow, the Blue Jackets have survived those losses and stuck in the playoff race without a pair of players who are not just veteran leaders but key parts of the team. Monahan was excelling as the Jackets’ No. 1 center, posting a point per game at the time of his injury, while Gudbranson is a physical presence and emotional leader whose game seems built for this time of year.
Together, they hope to provide a jolt to a CBJ team that has just one point in the last six games but remains in the thick of the playoff race. Columbus enters tonight’s game against the Islanders four points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference but with 13 games to go to erase that deficit.
“You just feel overwhelmingly proud of what the guys have accomplished so far,” Gudbranson said. “There’s a lot to accomplish still. There’s a lot of belief in this room and lot of opportunity ahead of us, so to be able to be a part of it in a real way, I feel very fortunate to be back.”
Added Monahan: “It’s a special group of guys, really fun to be a part of. We believe in this group to move on and play those important games that mean something.”
For head coach Dean Evason, the hope is their returns can bolster the CBJ lineup not just with production but presence.
“It’s nice to have both of them back in our lineup here tonight,” he said. “They’re both veteran guys that play a sound, simple, professional game. Do we need a boost at this point? Sure. So hopefully both of them provide that for us here tonight.”
Bringing Monahan back into the mix should be a huge addition. Not only is he an experienced player who excels in all game situations, he’s the team’s top-line center and had one of the most impactful starts of any player ever in a CBJ uniform, becoming the first player in union blue history to notch more than 40 points in his first 41 games with 14 goals and 27 assists.
He'll go right back on the top line flanked by Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov – that trio has outscored opposing squads 22-5 this season at 5-on-5 – and the No. 1 power-play unit.
“I’m just going to try to play my game,” he said. “I’m not going to try to change anything. I’ve played in the league long enough, I know there’s very limited time and space this time of year. It’s not easy to get around the net, so I’m just going to try to work and help my linemates out and do whatever I can do to get the job done.”
For Gudbranson, the season nearly ended before it began as the rugged blueliner was injured in a collision in the third game of the season. Gudbranson will add size, physicality and battle level to the unit on the back end, not to mention a booming shot when he has time to unleash it in the offensive zone.
It’s been an arduous road to get back, but Gudbranson said he can lean into his experience at returning from injuries to help make his transition as seamless as possible.
“I’ve been in this position before,” Gudbranson said. “That’s not to say I won’t feel it, but I know how to manage the game in those instances. I’ve done it well in the past, I’ve done it wrong in the past, and I am just going to try to keep it really simple and use my partner to my advantage and lean on my teammates.
“You have to go out there and play simple, play solid, stay on the D side of the puck and don’t try to force anything. Just keep it as simple as possible, keep it moving north and give it to the guys when they’re available.”
