Columbus Blue Jackets (0–0–0) vs. New York Islanders (0–0–0)
FRIDAY, OCT. 6, 2017, 7 p.m. (NATIONWIDE ARENA)
Blue Jackets Projected Lineup
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Artemi Panarin | 82 GP, 31-43-74 | 10 | Alexander Wennberg | 80 GP, 13-46-59 | 13 | Cam Atkinson | 82 GP, 35-27-62 |
| 22 | Sonny Milano | 4GP, 0-0-0 | 71 | Nick Foligno | 79 GP, 26-25-51 | 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand | 26 GP, 6-7-13 |
| 18 | Pierre-Luc Dubois | 0 GP, 0-0-0 | 17 | Brandon Dubinsky | 80 GP, 12-29-41 | 11 | Matt Calvert | 65 GP, 10-5-15 |
| 37 | Markus Hannikainen | 10 GP, 1-1-2 | 45 | Lukas Sedlak | 62 GP, 7-6-13 | 36 | Zac Dalpe | 9 GP, 1-2-3 |
| # | Player | Stats | # | Player | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Zach Werenski | 78 GP, 11-36-47 | 3 | Seth Jones | 75 GP, 12-30-42 |
| 7 | Jack Johnson | 82 GP, 5-18-23 | 58 | David Savard | 74 GP, 6-17-23 |
| 27 | Ryan Murray | 60 GP, 2-9-11 | 53 | Gabriel Carlsson | 2 GP, 0-1-1 |
| # | Player | GS | W-L-OL | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | Sergei Bobrovsky | 63 | 41-17-5 | 2.06 | .931 | 7 |
| 70 | Joonas Korpisalo | 13 | 7-5-1 | 2.88 | .905 | 1 |
John Tortorella Gameday Quotes
On what opening night means to him:
"Well, its time basically. You have your preseason. Speaking from a coaches point of view you want to see what you have. No matter what you think you have or whatever you (media) guys think we have. We're going to find out as we start to play the games for real.
I think you find out about some of the guys that you're not sure of. We'll have four rookies in there. Whole different type of situation when you start playing for the real stuff. Bigger crowds, more pressure, more scrutiny. It is time for us to zero in what your team is and where your strengths are as the season starts."
If starting three of the first four games against divisional opponents matters:
"I haven't even looked on who we play. I've looked at the opening night. It doesn't matter who you play. I think you start working on that and zero in on that stuff as you get into the guts of the season. I want to see us play. I want to see, have guys improved, can some of the young kids handle some of the small little pressures that are involved in this year?"
On the status of the team's special teams heading into the season:
"We have spent a lot of time on special teams. Started our special teams work a lot earlier in camp. I think you see a few of the games last night and see how many penalties were called. I think it is going to be a big part of this opening 15-20 games.
I like what I see, I think the first group with (Artemi) Panarin added is going to be better. I think we have a more dangerous second group with the addition of (Pierre) Luc (Dubois) and Sonny (Milano). Sonny has made some really good plays on it. Him and Jonesy have worked pretty well together."
Four Storylines
- No Ho-Sang The Islanders are going with an experienced group for opening night and they are putting Jason Chimera in the lineup over talented youngster Josh Ho-Sang. Ho-Sang was perpetually in former head coach Jack Capuano's doghouse before new head coach Doug Weight utilized him more. While Chimera has speed, Ho-Sang brings dynamic play. Could be a big difference when the teams hit the ice especially since they're facing a mobile Blue Jackets defensive unit.
- Mazel Tov! Josh Bailey and his wife welcomed a little boy, Mack, into the world and it appears that he will be in the lineup. Bailey put up 56 points last year in 82 games for the Islanders and will be centered by highly touted prospect Matthew Barzal.
- Are the kids going to be alright? The Blue Jackets are going to be starting four rookies in their lineup. In a league where youth reigns supreme, that is still a lot of rookies to place in their lineup. Sonny Milano is going to be playing in the top-six, will he be able to stick? Pierre-Luc Dubois will be playing on a rough and tumble line with Brandon Dubinsky and Matt Calvert, can Dubois make sure to not take needless penalties? Gabriel Carlsson will be on the third pair but will he be able to carry his weight in more consistent minutes?
- Penalties The preseason was chocked full of penalty calls that left many players fuming. There haven't been as many to start the season as there were in the preseason but most of the stick infractions have still been enforced. The team that is more disciplined may be the team that comes out of the game with a W in their back pocket.
