The Columbus Blue Jackets are in their final 10 games of the season. This the final game out of the Eastern time zone for the season, and final time out west of the Mississippi until next season. The Blue Jackets are cold as they have lost in embarrassing fashion to the previous two Cup champs.

The Coyotes are looking to sweep the Blue Jackets in the season series, as they continue to fall further for the western conference playoff spots. The Yotes have recalled the son of their longest tenured player, Shane Doan, to the show. Josh Doan is debuting tonight.

Josh Doan, 22, was selected in the 2021 draft in the second round (37th overall) by Shane and the Coyotes. He has had 52 points in 70 career AHL games; he was over a point per game with Arizona State. Shane Doan, now the assistant general manager in Toronto, is being flown in to be a part of the night for his son.

The Coyotes sold veteran pieces for mid and late round draft picks. Jason Zucker moved to Nashville. Matt Dumba was dealt to Tampa Bay. Troy Stecher got shipped to Edmonton.

Since the new year, the team has sunk into lottery contention. The show casing of the youth is the right call by management.

With Barrett Hayton and Travis Boyd out, Doan comes in. Josh Brown is also returning after missing the last game against Dallas from illness.

On the Columbus side, Alex Nylander is out sick. James Malatesta makes his NHL debut as well tonight against Arizona. Great move by the Jackets’ brass to get this guy in the lineup. Him v Doan will be a fun one. Tyler Angle is also up on emergency basis. David Jiricek was sent back to get minutes played. Still crazy they didn’t get him in once. With Nylander out, mostly every single forward is sliding up. The depth is taking over the bottom six. The defense remains the same six. Goalies are in rotation.

Expect Karel Vejmelka v Elvis Merzlikins

Projected Lineups

Arizona Coyotes

Clayton Keller -- Nick Bjugstad -- Nick Schmaltz

Lawson Crouse -- Logan Cooley -- Dylan Guenther

Matias Maccelli -- Jack McBain -- Josh Doan

Liam O’Brien - - Alex Kerfoot -- Michael Carcone

J.J. Moser -- Sean Durzi

Juuso Valimaki -- Michael Kesselring

Travis Dermott -- Josh Brown

Karel Vejmelka

Connor Ingram

Scratched: None

Injured: Travis Boyd (upper body), Barrett Hayton (lower body)

Columbus Blue Jackets

Johnny Gaudreau -- Boone Jenner -- Alexandre Texier

Mikael Pyyhtia -- Cole Sillinger -- Kirill Marchenko

Dmitri Voronkov -- Brendan Gaunce -- Mathieu Olivier

James Malatesta -- Tyler Angle -- Carson Meyer

Damon Severson -- Zach Werenski

Jake Bean -- Ivan Provorov

Jake Christiansen -- Erik Gudbranson

Elvis Merzlikins

Daniil Tarasov

Scratched: None

Injured: Adam Fantilli (calf), Patrik Laine (upper body), Justin Danforth (concussion), Sean Kuraly (lower body), Yegor Chinakhov (upper body), Adam Boqvist (upper body), Alex Nylander (illness)

Players to Watch

Arizona — Josh Doan — NHL debut

Columbus — James Malatesta — NHL debut


Predicted Final Score

ARI - 2

CBJ - 3

Special Note:

Good luck and congrats for success to the Women’s OSU hockey team in the Frozen 4!

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