For the final time this season, the result of the game does not matter.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the Nation's Capital for their final exhibition game of the season, set for a Saturday night matchup against the Washington Capitals.
And while the final score won't matter, there's plenty to watch for as the Blue Jackets gear up for Wednesday's season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.
#CBJ lines for tonights game at Washington:
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) October 8, 2022
Gaudreau-Jenner-Laine
Chinakhov-Roslovic-Voracek
Johnson-Sillinger-Foudy
Robinson-Kuraly-Olivier
Werenski-Boqvist
Gavrikov-Peeke
Bean-Blankenburg
Merzlikins/Greaves
While Saturday's lines won't likely be the same that head coach Brad Larsen pencils in for Wednesday's opener (if Liam Foudy is on the third line, something horrible has happened), the lineup does bring Danforth plenty of things to watch for.
Here are the top storylines for Saturday's exhibition culmination:
Top-Line Firepower
Thursday's 7-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues was the debut of Boone Jenner playing center between Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine, and they did not disappoint. The performance came with a bit of an asterisk, as the Blues certainly didn't use their A-team in the game. Saturday's finale will bring a different story — the Capitals will have projected regular-season starter and fresh Stanley Cup winner Darcy K (amongst others) all in the lineup.
Z's Partner?
Adam Boqvist will be paired with Zach Werenski atop the blue line Saturday. Could it be a sign of things to come? That's an awfully offensive top pairing, but with no clear-cut answer as who will play the right side alongside Werenski, it seems like Boqvist is certainly getting a shot. Andrew Peeke, who held the spot down most of last season, is paired up with Vladislav Gavrikov on the second group.
Yegor Bomb's
Yegor Chinakhov is the MVP of the preseason. The first-round pick of the 2020 NHL Draft has looked dynamite over the last number of weeks. If the Blue Jackets were considering starting the 21-year-old in Cleveland, Chinakhov has likely altered those plans. Saturday is a final chance for the winger to shine, though even with just an average game, the Blue Jackets would be wise to keep him in Columbus.
Elvis Back In The Building?
He's faced 55 shots in two games this preseason and stopped 54 of them. It begs the question: Is Elvis Merzlikins returning to the form the 5th Line saw in his rookie campaign? He could be. It's no mystery that last season was rough for Merzlikins both on and off the ice, and with a full (and regular) offseason to reset, expectations for Merzlikins — who now enters the first year of a five-year contract extension at $5.4 million per year — are as big as they've ever been. It seems likely that Merzlikins sees the entire game against the Capitals.
The Final Spot
Mathieu Olivier. Nick Blankenburg. Liam Foudy. Jake Bean. Four players in the lineup with no guarantee that they'll see an opening night spot on the roster. Foudy seems least likely to be on the ice come Wednesday, as he's likely in the lineup tonight only because Gus Nyquist is being held out for maintenance. But Blankenburg and Bean, who will be joined together on the third pairing, are in direct competition with each other for a spot in the lineup. That's captivating stuff. As for Olivier, it seems like he's destined for a regular spot in the "healthy scratch" category, being used when Larsen feels like the team could use another big body to compliment defenseman Erik Gudbranson.
