Best player in the world right now, what can I say? Maybe the best player since 2016. His rookie year is a pass due to the injuries and the Crosby Cups.
The Columbus Blue Jackets return to the rink with a battle with the Edmonton Oilers at 9:30pm from Rogers Place, exclusively on TNT and FM 97.1.
This is the first meeting of the intraconference foes, and play again in exaclty one month. Edmonton will be without Evander Kane due to bankruptcy proceedings in court. However, they have two of the best players between McDavid and Leon Drasatil. They’ve also been getting a career year Zach Hyman, who is third in points on the team, and still has more than Johnny Gaudreau.
Over the summer, the Oilers welcomed former Blue Jackets’ defender Ryan Murray into the organization with Jason Demers; along with forwards Greg McKegg and Mattais Janmark and goaltender Jack Campbell. They acquired forward Klim Kostin in a trade with the Blues. Early in the new year, Ken Holland also signed forward Justin Bailey.
Edmonton is with Kane tonight; and have season long injuries to defenseman Oscar Klefbom and goalie Mike Smith; and recent injuries to Kailer Yamamoto and Murray.
Columbus is starting Joonas Korpisalo.
Projected Lineups
Edmonton Oilers
Leon Drasatil—Connor McDavid—Zach Hyman Klim Kostin—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—Mattais Janmark Warren Foegele—Ryan McLeod—Jesse Puljujarvi Dylan Holloway—James Hamblin—Derek Ryan
Darnell Nurse—Cody Ceci Brett Kulak—Tyson Barrie Phillip Broberg—Evan Bouchard
Stuart Skinner Jack Campbell
Scratched — Devin Shore
Injured — Mike Smith, Oscar Klefbom, Ryan Murray, Kailer Yamamoto
Columbus Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau—Boone Jenner—Patrik Laine Gustav Nyquist—Cole Sillinger—Kent Johnson Emil Bemstrom—Jack Roslovic—Kirill Marchenko Eric Robinson—Sean Kuraly—Mathieu Olivier
Vladislav Gavrikov—Adam Boqvist Tim Breni—Erik Gudbranson Andrew Peeke—Nick Blankenburg
Joonas Korpisalo Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched — Liam Foudy, Gavin Bayreuther
Injured — Zach Werenski, Jakub Voracek, Jake Bean, Justin Danforth, Yegor Chinakov
Players to Watch
Edmonton — Connor McDavid. DUH.
Columbus — Vladislav Gavrikov — been rumored to the Oilers; how will he match against the Oilers’ best players?
Predicted Final Score
TNT screws Columbus games up, so let’s of goals against… reference Tage Thompson here.
EDM — 7 CBJ — 3