|
CBJ G10 — Global Series Game 1 — @ Colorado Avalanche |
|
|
|
|
|
Hello hockey world, and welcome to the second part of the NHL Global Series, where the Columbus Blue Jackets collide with the reigning and defending 2022 Stanley Cup Champions— the Colorado Avalanche.
This afternoon tilt is coming from the Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
Let’s first discuss the Avalanche before further preview of GameDay action in Finland.
Colorado knocked of the back-to-back Champs in the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 6-games to win the Cup. This cost the Avalanche a lot of players in the summer due to the salary cap:
C Nazem Kadri and D Dennis Gilbert signed with Calgary.
W Andre Burkavosky signed with Seattle.
G Darcy Kuemper signed with Washington.
C Nico Sturm signed with San Jose.
F Nicolas Aube-Kubel signed with Toronto.
D Ryan Murray signed with Edmonton.
D Jack Johnson and F Dylan Sikura signed with Chicago.
F Kiefer Sherwood and D Ronald McKeowen and D Jordan Gross signed with Nashville.
Colorado acquired G Alex Georgiev from the New York Rangers to be their starter; and have also added forwards Evan Rodrigues, Anton Blidh, Spencer Smallman, and Charles Hudon; defensemen Andreas Englund, Brad Hunt, and Josh Jacobs; and goaltender Joonas Johansson.
They also lost F Lukas Sedlak to waivers to the Philadelphia Flyers; however, they claimed F Dryden Hunt off waivers from the Rangers.
Colorado is off to an even start at 4-4-1, as goalie Pavel Francouz is winless (0-3-0). Alex Georgiev is 4-1-1. They have the best powerplay percentage at 39.3%.
Chris MacFarland, the former Columbus Blue Jackets assistant general manager, is serving in his first season as the Colorado general manager as Joe Sakic was promoted to President of Hockey Operations.
The Colorado Avalanche are without their captain as he is injured, and the same goes with forward Darren Helm. Georgiev is getting the start.
Columbus has Nick Blankenburg and Joonas Korpisalo returning to the lineup, as Korpi makes his season debut in front of his native country as the backup to Elvis Merzlikins. David Jiricek serves as a healthy scratch, alongside Mathieu Oliver and Gavin Bayreuther.
Projected Lineups
Colorado Avalanche
Evan Rodrigues—Nathan MacKinnon—Valeri Nichuskin
Artturi Lehkonen—JT Compher—Mikko Rantanen
Andrew Cogalino—Alex Newhook—Logan O’Connor
Dryden Hunt—Mikhail Maltsev—Jacob McDonald
Devon Toews—Cale Makar
Bowen Byram—Josh Manson
Samuel Girard—Erik Johnson
Alexander Georgiev
Pavel Francouz
Scratched — Kurtis MacDermid
Injured — Darren Helm, Gabriel Landeskog
Columbus Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau—Jack Roslovic—Patrik Laine
Gustav Nyquist—Boone Jenner—Kent Johnson
Yegor Chinakov—Cole Sillinger—Jakub Voracek
Eric Robinson—Sean Kuraly—Liam Foudy
Zach Werenski—Nick Blankenburg
Vladislav Gavrikov—Andrew Peeke
Jake Bean—Erik Gudbranson
Elvis Merzlikins
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched — Mathieu Oliver, Gavin Bayreuther, David Jiricek
Injured — Joona Luoto, Justin Danforth, Adam Boqvist
Players to Watch
Colorado — Mikko Rantanen — Rantanen has 11 points in 9 games this season, but only had a goal and an assist in his last game. The previous 4 to that he was scoreless. Rantanen is from Nouisanen, Finland, and will have the country spotlight on him.
Columbus Blue Jackets — Patrik Laine — Laine has played 3 games since his injury, and has not scored. His only point this season is from opening night with a goal against Carolina. The hometown boy from Tampere will have most of the fanfare. This is a must produce game for Laine and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
More to come…
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»