Game Preview: Lineup Changes Expected Saturday Night When The Columbus Blue Jackets Battle The New York Rangers

NEW YORK RANGERS
1-0-0 (2 pts; 1.000%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE
7:00 P.M. – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OH
TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Market)
ODDS & PROJECTIONS:
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: 36%
TIPICO SPORTSBOOK: CBJ +150

To say that Thursday's season opener could've gone better for the Columbus Blue Jackets would be an understatement. 

Zach Werenski left early with a quad contusion, the offense was out of sync, the defense sputtered, and the home team lost 4-2 in front of a sell-out crowd to the Philadelphia Flyers in head coach Pascal Vincent's debut.

A significantly better effort will be needed Saturday when the New York Rangers come to town, or the Blue Jackets could be off to an 0-2-0 start for a second consecutive season.

Here's what to know when the puck drops at Nationwide Arena:

TALKING POINTS: RANGERS

• In head coach Peter Laviolette's debut, the Rangers looked as good as advertised; maybe even better. They scored even strength goals, they scored on the power play, they scored shorthanded, and did all of it on the road against a Buffalo Sabre team that is expected to compete for a playoff spot.
   
• The Rangers have one of the most terrific defensive pairings in the entire NHL. The duo of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren was amongst the best last season in both goals allowed and expected goal allowed and had another solid outing Thursday in Buffalo. Expect them on the ice when the Blue Jackets have their top six forwards out, and that'll make it tough (but not impossible) for Columbus.

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• The loss of Werenski was the worst kind of deja vu, but relatively good news came Friday when it was announced he would only miss a week or two. If it's on the low end of that, it could be as little as three games. That should provide a regular season audition for David Jiricek, who was one of the best defenders in all of camp and the exhibition season. Defensive pairings were juggled throughout practice Friday, so until the club announces the lineups, it's a bit of a mystery as to whether or not Jiricek will slot in, if Boqvist will make his season debut, and what that may mean for Andrew Peeke — who struggled mightily in the opener.
   
• The decision to healthy scratch Kent Johnson was the first move of Vincent to be questioned by the masses of the 5th Line. Vincent was ambiguous in answering questions earlier in the middle portion of the week as to if/why Johnson would be a scratch, but seemed to elude to the fact that he hasn't picked up on the system to the degree Vincent was hoping for. Thursday's opener was full of subpar play by a myriad of forwards and that likely forced Vincent's hand a bit, and thus Johnson skated with Justin Danforth and Cole Sillinger at practice Friday and will make his debut Saturday. 
   
• Elvis Merzlikins final preseason game was his best work of the year — literally, the calendar year 2023. He was equally as impressive Thursday and played well enough to deserve the win. But, let's temper expectations: the Flyers and the Rangers are two vastly difference clubs. If Merzlikins looks good again Saturday, it might be the best indication in some time that the Merzlikins of days past could be ready to show himself again.  

PROJECTED CBJ LINES
Updated: 7:05 a.m. // Subject to Change