Tonight begins the Blue Jackets' first major road trip of the regular season, and they do so in the desert with their foes from opening night: the Arizona Coyotes. The worst team in hockey, this team has only scored 26 goals in 13 games, and is a league worst -37 in goal differential as of prior to this game.

They only have two wins, defeating the Blues in their last contest, and against the expansion Seattle Kraken, after acquiring their new starting goaltender in Scott Wedgewood. Wedgewood played as New Jersey's starter when the Jackets played the Devils' earlier this season, and is expected to get the go tonight for the Coyotes against the Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets are well rested after their last win against Detroit, where they got first goals of the season from Adam Boqvist and Yegor Chinakov. The Russian winger's was his first of his career in the NHL.

The Coyotes are becoming a crippling team, with defender Connor Timmins out for the season with a lower body injury; Dmitrij Jaskin just being announced out long term by the Yotes' brass; Andrew Ladd in COVID protocol; and other players on the injury reserve in Carter Hutton, Nick Schmaltz, Christian Fischer, and Johan Larsson.

As for Columbus, Kevin Stenlund is sitting tonight for Justin Danforth, who was buzzing in the games I have seen between Cleveland and Hershey. Danforth is getting a shot, and could stick if he keeps his speed up and going all night against Arizona. With Boqvist back, Carlsson becomes the odd man out, yet again. It was also confirmed that Elvis Merzlikins will get the go for the Union Blue.

Projecting Lineups

Arizona Coyotes

Alex Galchenyuk--Barrett Hayton--Phil Kessel
Lawson Crouse--Travis Boyd--Clayton Keller
Antoine Roussel--Jay Beagle--Ryan Dzingel
Liam O'Brien--Jan Jenik--Hudson Fasching

Jakob Chychrun--Ilya Lyubuskin
Shayne Gostisbehere--Dysin Mayo
Kyle Capobianco--Cam Dineen

Scott Wedgewood
Karel Vejmelka

Injured: Conor Timmins, Carter Hutton, Andrew Ladd, Nick Schmaltz, Dmitrij Jaskin, Christian Fischer, Johan Larsson


Columbus Blue Jackets

Gustav Nyquist--Boone Jenner--Oliver Bjorkstrand
Yegor Chinakov--Cole Sillinger--Jakub Voracek
Eric Robinson--Sean Kuraly--Alexandre Texier
Gregory Hoffman--Jack Roslovic--Justin Danforth

Zach Werenski--Jake Bean
Vladislav Gavrikov--Andrew Peeke
Gavin Bayreuther--Adam Boqvist

Elvis Merzlikins
Joonas Korpisalo

Scratched: Scott Harrington, Gabriel Carlsson, Kevin Stenlund
Injured: Trey Fix-Wolansky, Nathan Gerbe, Dean Kukan, Emil Bemstrom, Max Domi, Patrik Laine

Players to Watch

Arizona-- Phil Kessel-- the thrill is going on the third longest active ironman streak in NHL history with the worst team in the league. Kessel is in the final year of his contract, and could have enough stock to fetch the Coyotes something good at the upcoming trade deadline. This team is looking to the bottom, and he is their best player remaining.

Columbus-- Jack Roslovic-- the hometown boy has not been the same this season as last, and is serving as the fourth line center tonight in the beginning part of the road trip. The former first round pick has time to make it up, but he has to get things turning around here for him and the team.

Thoughts?

More to come...

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