Panarin, the leading scorer for the Blue Jackets with 67 points (24 goals, 43 assists) will miss the game because of illness.
Columbus forward Brandon Dubinsky was activated from injured reserve and is expected to return after missing seven games with a hip injury.
The Blue Jackets, who lost 5-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, are 5-2-0 in their past seven games after a five-game losing streak (0-5-0). They're third in the Metropolitan Division (69 points) with a game in hand on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Montreal has lost four in a row (0-3-1) for the second time this season; the Canadiens had a five-game losing streak (0-3-2) from Nov. 19-27. They hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.