COLUMBUS -- It was bad enough for Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Matt Calvert to lose 10 pounds because of an intestinal flu that caused him to miss the past two games.

But his return Friday happens to come against an NHL heavyweight that likes to throw its weight around.

The Blue Jacket (21-25-3), losers of three straight, host the St. Louis Blues, who will seek their eight consecutive win while trying to extend a club-record 13-game point streak (12-0-1).

"It's going to be a man's game because that's how they play," Columbus coach Todd Richards said of the Blues (34-13-4). "I'm not saying they run around and pick fights. They play the game hard and play honest."

COLUMBUS -- Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy has skated quite a bit in Nationwide Arena over the years. But Tuesday will be the first time he does it wearing an NHL uniform.

Murphy lived in Columbus from 2002-10 when his father, Gord Murphy, was an assistant coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Connor Murphy often would skate with the injured players, and the youth teams he played for practiced on the arena ice once a season.

"Everyone dreams about playing in a place as nice as this," he said.

His dream will become a reality Tuesday when he plays his first NHL game in Columbus.

"It will be pretty surreal going out for warm-ups," he said. "It's something you don't picture happening growing up but it's a pretty cool opportunity."

COLUMBUS -- Coming out of the All-Star break, the Columbus Blue Jackets face a desperate struggle to make up ground in their hunt for a second consecutive berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Blue Jackets (20-22-3) need to make up 14 points on the Boston Bruins for the second of two Eastern Conference wild-card spots; they have 37 games left to do it, starting with their game Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.

Coach Todd Richards figures Columbus, 13th in the Eastern Conference, will need to win at least 25 games and pick up a few overtime or shootout points to qualify at about 97 points. The Blue Jackets earned a wild-card spot last season with 93 points.

"You can't start thinking about, 'We've got to get this number of points,'" Richards said. "All it is is about tonight's game. This is a big segment right here. It's as simple as that. It's the next game."

COLUMBUS -- New York Rangers center Derek Stepan returned to the lineup Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing a 3-0 loss at the Boston Bruins on Thursday because of an upper-body injury.

Stepan, who has six goals and 21 assists in 28 games, sustained the injury Tuesday in a 3-0 loss against the New York Islanders. He had Chris Kreider on his left and Martin St. Louis to the right on New York's second line. J.T. Miller is a healthy scratch.

COLUMBUS -- New York Rangers center Derek Stepan will be a game-time decision at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, coach Alain Vigneault said.

Stepan sustained an upper-body injury during a 3-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday and did not dress for the 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday.

"He got a good skate this morning, did treatments again when he got here tonight," Vigneault said Friday afternoon. "We'll decide during warm-up whether he plays or not."

Vigneault did not say who would come out of the lineup if Stepan plays.

COLUMBUS -- Nick Foligno has picked players for a team before, but never on such a grand stage as NHL All-Star Weekend.

The announcement Wednesday that Foligno was selected as an All-Star captain, and thus gets to choose his teammates, brought back memories of his youth for the Columbus Blue Jackets forward.

"When I was a kid picking road hockey, Team Foligno, when I had my way because I was the oldest kid there," he said.

Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks and Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings will be Foligno's alternate captains.

"Those are world-class players and guys I have a lot of respect for in this league," Foligno said. "Both are Stanley Cup champions."

Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews, the other All-Star captain, will be assisted by Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf and New York Rangers forward Rick Nash, who played for the Blue Jackets from 2002-12.

COLUMBUS -- Montreal Canadiens right wing PA Parenteau will return to the lineup Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets with no restrictions.

"Tonight's 100 percent for me with the power play and everything," he said.

Parenteau missed three games because of an upper-body injury and the Canadiens (26-12-3) lost the past two.

"It's a good feeling to get back," Parenteau said after practicing Wednesday morning. "You miss the game and you miss being with your teammates. I'm feeling pretty good on the ice. I'll know more when the game starts and the pace picks up."

Parenteau has six goals and nine assists in 38 games. He will play with new linemates Brandon Prust and Alex Galchenyuk.

COLUMBUS -- Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Skille will be out for at least two weeks because of a lower-body injury, coach Todd Richards said prior to game against the New York Islanders in Nationwide Arena on Saturday.

Richards also said goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky would start following a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.

“Do we think [Bobrovsky] is rested enough to come in and play the game? We feel, yes, he is,” Richards said.

Skille sustained the injury during the game against Toronto and will be replaced by forward Corey Tropp, a healthy scratch the past two games. Skille has seven points (five goals) in 35 games.

COLUMBUS -- The number 500 has significant meaning for the Columbus Blue Jackets going into their game against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday in Nationwide Arena.

A 10th victory in 12 games in December for the Blue Jackets (15-16-3) would put them at .500 for the first time since Oct. 26, when Columbus was 4-4-0.

"It's been a good month but we had to have a month like this because basically we dug ourselves a huge hole the first two months of the season," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "We've put ourselves back in a decent position. I wouldn't even say a good position or a great position."

Columbus enters play Wednesday nine points behind the New York Rangers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

COLUMBUS -- The Nashville Predators could have right wing James Neal back in the lineup when they play the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

Neal was ill and did not travel with the Predators (21-8-2) for their 6-5 win at the Minnesota Wild on Saturday to start a three-game trip. He flew Sunday to Columbus and participated in the morning skate Monday.

"I feel better. It's good to be back on the ice," he said. "Friday I wasn't feeling well. Saturday it got better but I wasn't feeling good enough to play Saturday."

Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said he believes Neal will be able to play against the Blue Jackets (14-15-3). Neal skated for much of the practice on a line with center Calle Jarnkrok and Taylor Beck on left wing.