The forward, who did not play in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, has 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 44 games, none in his past seven. He missed 12 games from Dec. 21-Jan. 14 with an ankle sprain.
The Blue Jackets also are missing forwards Brandon Dubinsky (wrist), Josh Anderson (shoulder), Alex Wennberg (upper body) and Alexandre Texier (back); defensemen Seth Jones (ankle) and Ryan Murray (lower body); and goalie Joonas Korpisalo (knee).
"We don't talk those clichés, 'Next man up,'" Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "We just go play and whoever's on the board … the first thing in the morning I come in and put the lineup on the board. That's who's playing. That's how we go about our business."
The Blue Jackets (30-17-10) have a one-point lead on the Philadelphia Flyers for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference and are two points behind the New York Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
Their next game is against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, FS-O, NHL.TV). Forward Liam Foudy, who was recalled under emergency conditions from London of the Ontario Hockey League and made his NHL debut Monday, will be recalled again to play Thursday, according to Tortorella.
NHL.com independent correspondent Craig Merz contributed to this report
