The Columbus Blue Jackets are doing battle with the Washington Capitals this evening at the Nationwide Arena.
Washington has aged rapidly this summer, with veterans in the lineup, but youth down the middle. Goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper joined to form the new duo. Erik Gustaffson and former Blue Jacket Gabriel Carlsson join the defense. Connor Brown was acquired via trade from the Ottawa Senators. Dylan Strome and Henrik Borgstrom were left unqualified from Chicago to move.
Vitek Vancek was moved to New Jersey, while Ilya Samsonov was left unqualified to Toronto. Michael Kempny and Justin Schultz headed to Seattle. Phoenix Copley also moved to Los Angeles.
Projected Lineups
Washington Capitals
Anthony Mantha—Connor McMichael—Connor Brown Marcus Johansson—Hendrix Lapierre—Brett Leason Connor Sheary—Nic Dowd—Garnet Hathaway Henrik Borgstorm—Aleksi Protas—Beck Malenstyn
Dmitry Orlov—Matt Irwin Erik Gustafsson—Trevor van Reimsdyk Gabriel Carlsson—Vincent Iorio
Charlie Lindgren Zach Fucale
Spares— Garret Pilon, Dylan McIlrath
Columbus Blue Jackets
Gustav Nyquist—Jack Roslovic—Patrik Laine Yegor Chinakov—Kent Johnson—Kirill Marchenko Mathieu Oliver—Sean Kuraly—Justin Danforth Trey Fix-Wolansky—Emil Bemstrom—Carson Meyer
Jake Bean—Adam Boqvist Vladislav Gavrikov—David Jiricek Jake Christiansen—Nick Blankenburg
Elvis Merzlikins Pavel Cajan
Second Cuts
Both forwards James Malatesta and Jordan Dumais have returned to Halifax