Game Preview: Blue Jackets, Predators Meet For The First Time In The 2023-24 Season

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

36-25-3 (75 pts; .586%) 4th, Central Division ROSTER SCHEDULE

12:30 P.M. – SATURDAY, MARCH 9 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OH

TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ Power Play (Out of Market)

The earliest start of the season comes Saturday when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators meet at 12:30 p.m. at Nationwide Arena.

With Friday's trade deadline now behind the Blue Jackets and both Jack Roslovic and Andrew Peeke playing elsewhere, the focus can now shift to the players on-ice performance over the last six weeks of the season. If Thursday was any indication — a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers — Columbus may be ready to finish strong with the remaining parts and an expected influx of young talent.

Whether or not any potential surge to the end of the season would have an impact on the 2024-25 campaign is anyone's guess, but guys like Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko have yet to taste consistent, winning hockey in the NHL. A hot streak tot he end of the season would change that.

Here's what else to know when the Blue Jackets and Predators meet on Kids Takeover Day at Nationwide:

TALKING POINTS: NSH

• Since an embarrassing 9-2 loss on home ice to the Dallas Stars back on February 15th, the Predators have been sensational: 9-0-1 and outscoring the opposition by a better than two-to-one margin of 44-19. But even that may be too little, too late for the Preds to get a top-three spot in the division: the Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets are all ten or more points ahead of Nashville. That means the Predators are in the hunt for a wild card spot. Right now, they're safely in — by eight points — but 
   
• After three seasons and exactly 200 games with the Blue Jackets, the 5th Line will likely give a warm welcome to Gus Nyquist in his return to Columbus. Nyquist was traded to the Minnesota Wild at last season's trade deadline and signed with Nashville last summer. He's been fantastic with the Preds: in addition to 17 goals, he's second on the team in assists (39) and third in points (56). Welcome back, Gus!

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• For the third time in two weeks, the Blue Jackets have arguably their best win of the season. A 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers on February 25th seemed like a fluke at the time, but Monday's 6-3 win over the defending cup champion Vegas Golden Knights and Thursday's 4-2 win over the scary-hot Edmonton Oilers have more than a couple folks wondering if the Blue Jackets are finally beginning to turn a corner.
   
• Alex Nylander continued his torrent start with the Blue Jackets, picking up his 5th goal of the season with the Blue Jackets — in just seven games. He seems to have made a quick connection with young Cole Sillinger and this is a pair worth watching until time or results prove otherwise.
   
• With Roslovic now in the Big Apple and Peeke in Bean Town, the lineup will look a little different post-deadline. The club called up Trey Fix-Wolansky, and he's expected in the lineup Saturday. The Russian line shall not be touched and the Sillinger/Nylander duo is sizzling, so unless Fix-Wolansky is coming into the top line, it looks like Justin Danforth may be the top option to play alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner. Here is an early look at the projected, subject-to-change lines: