CBJ G2 v Tampa Bay Lightning — Home Opener

The Columbus Blue Jackets return to the ice in front of the hometown fans for the first time this season to battle the three time defending Eastern Conference Champions: the Bolts. This is their first of three meetings for the year.

Tampa Bay was a causality of the salary cap, having to trade defenseman Ryan McDonagh via trade to the Nashville Predators; and lose defenseman Jan Rutta and winger Ondrej Palat to free agency. They added forward Vladislav Namestinkov and three defensemen— Ian Cole, Phillipe Myers, and Haydn Fleury.

Tampa lost in the U.S. opening night game in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals rematch with the New York Rangers. The Bolts are without the services of Ian Cole due to suspension; Zach Bogosian due to a minor injury; and Anthony Cirelli from offseason surgery.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are without the services of Finnish goalie Joonas Korpisalo and winger Patrik Laine due injury.

Projected Lineups

Tampa Bay Lightning (per Gabby Shirley)

Steven Stamkos—Brayden Point—Nikita Kucherov Alex Killorn—Cole Koepke—Gabriel Fortier Brandon Hagel—Ross Colton—Vladislav Namestinkov Patrick Maroon—Pierre Edouard-Bellemare—Corey Perry

Victor Hedman—Cal Foote Mikhail Segerachev—Eric Cernak Haydn Fleury—Philippe Myers

Andrei Vaslievsky Brian Elliott

Injured — Zach Bogosian, Anthony Cirelli, Brent Seabrook

Suspended — Ian Cole

Columbus Blue Jackets (per Jeff Svoboda)

Johnny Gaudreau—Boone Jenner—Justin Danforth Yegor Chinakov —Jack Roslovic—Jakub Voracek Gustav Nyquist—Cole Sillinger—Kent Johnson Eric Robinson—Sean Kuraly—Mathieu Oliver

Zach Werenski—Adam Boqvist Vladislav Gavrikov—Andrew Peeke Jake Bean—Erik Gudbranson

Elvis Merzlikins Daniil Tarasov

Scratched — Nick Blankenburg, Liam Foudy

Injured— Joonas Korpisalo, Patrik Laine, Joona Luoto

Players to Watch

Tampa Bay — Brayden Point — having a secondary assist in the first game of his season, it was his first healthy ice time since round one against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is also in the first year of his 8 year, $76M dollar contract.

Columbus — Kent Johnson — making the club out of camp, this is his first regular season game due to the Laine injury. In 9 career games, the 2021 first rounder has 3 assists to his name.

Predictions? More to come…