1. Injuries are the theme of the season in Columbus, not having Zach Werenski and Justin Danforth until the 2023-2024 season.
2. Sean Kuraly is maybe having the best start of his career, having 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points in 18 games, projecting him to have 36 points, surpassing last season’s career high.
3. Elvis Merzlikins is having the worst start of his career. The highest paid goalie for the Jackets sits with a 4.74GAA and a 0.864 save percentage.
4. Adam Boqvist is pointless in 4 games played, having not been in competition since October 25 due to a broken foot.
5. Nick Blankenburg scored an empty net goal on a broken ankle against the Philadelphia Flyers, helping lead to Carter Hart’s first regulation loss under the John Tortorella head coaching regime. The former Michigan captain has not played since.
6. The most polarizing fashionva on the Columbus roster is Patrik Laine. I mean look at these fits.
7. In a back to back, the Finnish sniper has ran into injury trouble since opening night, getting injured in game one and again in game 14 (Nov. 12 v NY Islanders).
8. To conclude the trio of Laine stories, the 2022 NHL Global Series was in the hometown of Patrik Laine, where he had one goal and one assist in two games with a -4 rating averaging 6 shots per game, 23 shifts, and 22:30 in ice time.
9. After having his career high of 26:12 TOI v Philadelphia, Jake Bean suffered an injury in their second game against the Flyers with a shoulder injury. Bean has 6 points in 14 games.
10. No news on Jakub Voracek. He hasn’t played since the NHL Global Series. Leaving this there.
11. Reports have already came out about Vladislav Gavrikov and his availability. The 26 year old Russian defenseman is in the final year of three-year, $8.4M dollar contract, with a cap hit of $2.6M. If retained at half, that ends up being $1.3M, and if a second team retains, the cap hit would be $650K.
12. Gustav Nyquist is another pending UFA on the Columbus roster that could help another team come deadline time. Tying the league in short handed goals last season at 4, this year having zero special teams points. The Swede has 8 points in 20 games at a $5.5M cap hit.
13. Sneaky quiet start for Joonas Korpisalo since his hip surgery in March. Korpisalo is 3-4-1 with a 3.75GAA and a 0.899 save percentage. At a 50% pay cut from last season to this, he has collected the most points for the team of the three and is a pending UFA.
14. From the rumor mill of last season, there was connection with Korpisalo with Colorado, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Minnesota, Buffalo, Vegas, New Jersey, and Florida, with the reported asking price being a second and third round pick.
This season, too early to call and confirm any interest from around the league for the Finnish netminder.
15. The sophomore slump is real for Cole Sillinger, having only 5 points in 20 games, projecting himself for only 21 points by season end. He only has 2 goals; last season he had 16.
16. Johnny Gaudreau is the franchise. 20 points in 20 games. One game winning goal. 11.1 shooting percentage. He has been their best offensive producer.
17. Boone Jenner has repped the reward of being the number one center for Columbus, being paired consistently with Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine (when healthy). 14 points in 20 games. 3 power play goals. 1 game winning goal. 11.6 shooting percentage.
18. Newcomer Mathieu Olivier has 4 points in 18 games in his first season with Columbus. Acquired for a fourth round pick this past summer, the enforcer has 37 penalty minutes and a game winning goal.
19. Kent Johnson is a legitimate dark horse candidate for the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year, having 11 points in 17 games this season.
20. Another rookie story, Marcus Bjork is an unstaffed rookie from Sweeden. At the age of 25, he has earned his first NHL goal, and as three additional assists in first 7 career games.
Bonus - the Cleveland Mosnters have a leading scorer, as Trey Fix-Wolansky (currently on the main roster) has 22 points in 14 games, sitting 5th overall in league scoring.
In relation to the Mosnters, 2022 1st round pick David Jiricek is pointless in 2 NHL games, and has 8 points (3G, 5A) in 10 games with the AHL.