The road to the Stadium Series is ongoing as the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings clash on Thursday night, February the 27th, 2025, from Little Caesars’ Arena in Detroit, Michigan; and on Saturday, March the 1st, 2025 from Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Columbus and Detroit are the first and second wild card teams in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The history runs deep between these teams from a college level and professional level, from teammates to friendships.

Detroit took the first game 5-4 in regulation in on of the first games of the Todd McLellan era. Michael Rasmussen remains out after the Trevor Zegras incident. Columbus is dressing the same lineup as they did against Dallas and Chicago.

Projected Lineups

Detroit Red Wings

Marco Kasper -- Dylan Larkin -- Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat -- JT Compher -- Patrick Kane
Elmer Soderblom -- Joe Veleno -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Jonathan Berggren -- Tyler Motte -- Christian Fischer

Ben Chariot -- Moritz Seider
Simon Edvinsson -- Albert Johansson
Erik Gustafsson -- Justin Holl

Cam Talbot
Alex Lyon

Scratched: William Lagesson, Sheldon Dries

Injured: Jeff Petry, Michael Rasmussen, Andrew Copp

Columbus Blue Jackets

Dmitri Voronkov -- Adam Fantilli -- Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner -- Cole Sillinger -- Kent Johnson
Zach Aston-Reese -- Justin Danforth -- Mathieu Olivier
James van Riemsdyk -- Sean Kuraly -- Joseph LaBate

Zach Werenski -- Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk -- Ivan Provorov
Jake Christiansen -- Damon Severson

Elvis Merzlikins
Daniil Tarasov

Scratched: Jordan Harris, Jack Johnson

Injured: Erik Gudbranson (upper body), Yegor Chinakhov (upper body), Sean Monahan (wrist)

Players to Watch

Detroit — Vladimir Tarasenko — could be moved before the deadline.

Columbus — Mathieu Oliver — career best year keeps rolling

Rumor Update

Expect Olivier to come off the board; extension coming!

Erik Karlsson and Seth Jones are part of the short list in Columbus for the “contending” team as they have the cap space.

After Ek promoted my post to the top slot over the weekend, this will be posted daily with my Twitter promotion of who may join and depart Columbus

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Zac-MacMillan-with-Rumors-from-around-the-NHL-media-this-morning/1/127467

Rumor Mill

F Brock Boeser (VAN)

CBJ, MIN

F Elias Pettersson (VAN)

BUF, CAR, DET, MIN, DAL, OTT, CBJ, BOS

F Brock Nelson (NYI)

MIN, DAL, BOS, TOR, COL, WPG, CBJ, WSH,

F Brandon Tanev (SEA)

TOR, WSH, NYR, VGK, OTT, CBJ,

F Gustav Nyquist (NSH) per Michael DeRosa

CBJ, NYR, OTT, CAR, FLA, COL

F Dylan Cozens (BUF)

Per Josh Erickson of ProHockeyRumors and Spencer Lazary of THN — CBJ

CGY, PHI, VAN

F Rickard Rakkell (PIT)

CBJ

G James Reimer (BUF)

CBJ

G Vitek Vanecek (SJS)

CBJ

D Noah Dobson (NYI)

Per Spencer Lazar THN (CBJ)

DET, MTL, VAN,

F Casey Mittlestadt (COL)

Per Jason Newland THN - CBJ

BOS, CGY, WPG

F Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA)

Per Spencer Lazar THN (CBJ)

UTH, VAN

D Jamie Oleskiak (SEA)

Per NHL Trade Talk Trade Board

CBJ, DAL, TOR

F Nick Robertson (TOR)

CBJ, SEA, UTH

Leaving Columbus?

2025 1 st Rd (BOTH)

Only for player with term

D Ivan Provorov

FLA, TBL, WSH, OTT, EDM, PIT, SEA, VAN, DAL

F Mathieu Olivier - expected to extend with Columbus

DAL