Lineup Change: Tkachuks reunite with Bennett in Columbus

Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk skated with Sam Bennett in the middle at the Florida Panthers' morning skate in Columbus.

The Panthers are 9-7-2 and have lost two straight, 1-4 in Boston on Sunday after a 4-3 loss to Washington on Saturday. Tonight's lines are an attempt to stop the slide.

NHL Game Day Lines passed along the lines from the morning skate, and Kulikov is listed alone as the extra defenseman. Morning-skate lines can change before puck drop, so treat them as a projection.

Anton Lundell is back centering the third line after missing the Washington game. He has four goals in 17 games, and Florida needs him between Eetu Luostarinen and Jack Devine, who is listed on that line.

The bigger news is who isn't on the sheet. Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand are not in the projected lineup, and both are listed on injured reserve with knee injuries. The latest estimates have Marchand out until at least Nov. 21 and Barkov until at least Nov. 27.

Without them, the top line has to do the heavy lifting. Brady Tkachuk has 10 goals and 20 points, and we covered Brady Tkachuk's early goal scoring when he sat at eight.

Matthew Tkachuk has 26 points, 22 of them assists, and putting both brothers on one line with Bennett is the most obvious fix available.

Is the Panthers fourth line the weak spot?

Yes, and it's hard to argue otherwise. Bokondji Imama has no points through 18 games and a -6 rating, while Cole Schwindt has no points in nine games.

Garnet Hathaway has one assist. That is not a line that tilts a game, and it's where the Panthers give back whatever the top six earns.

Verhaeghe and Reinhart anchor the second line with Lars Eller, and the production is there: Verhaeghe has 10 goals and Reinhart has 9. If the fourth line keeps going quiet, Paul Maurice will have to decide whether Imama's 36 penalty minutes are worth the ice time.

Across the ice, Rick Bowness said Cam Talbot starts for the Blue Jackets. Conor Garland is out, listed day-to-day with an upper-body injury and expected to miss at least until Nov. 30. Columbus is 6-3-0 at home, so the Panthers will not get an easy night.

We'll know by puck drop tonight whether Maurice sticks with these lines or makes a late change.

Quick hits

MINNESOTA WILDMichael Russo just reported that Jared Spurgeon comes off injured reserve and returns tonight in Montreal after missing five games. Good timing for a blue line that needed him back.

MONTREAL CANADIENSThe Canadiens honour Carey Price tonight, and his portrait is already up in the dressing room. That should be a loud building.

OTTAWA SENATORSBruce Garrioch just reported that Samuel Ersson starts against the Capitals tonight, with Linus Ullmark's return on hold. Ottawa still has no firm timeline for its number one goalie.

INJURYPat Steinberg just reported that Sam Honzek skated in a full practice Tuesday morning with the Flames, his first since Oct. 8. That is a real step for Calgary.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETSAaron Portzline says Erik Gudbranson appears set to return to Rick Bowness's lineup tonight against the Panthers, the team that drafted him. Expect a few extra eyes on him in this one.

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.