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| CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS |
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19-18-5 (43 points) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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7:00 P.M. – MONDAY, APRIL 12 NATIONWIDE ARENA COLUMBUS, OH |
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BALLY SPORTS OHIO FOX SPORTS |
It's officially a new era in Columbus.
First, it was the David Savard trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon. And 24 hours later, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen made another important move, sending captain Nick Foligno to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Columbus acquired two first-round picks (2021) in those deals, along with a third-rounder and fourth-rounder in 2022.
This is a significant return for two key players, but it doesn't make things any easier to swallow for the players who were left behind. John Tortorella's team is now playing out the string in what's become a lost season, one filled with far more questions than answers. But the show must go on, and tonight at Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks wrap up a two-game set that will take on a drastically different feel for the home team.
Here's a look at tonight's projected (and subject to change) lines for Columbus:
Columbus Blue Jackets Projected Lines
| LW | C | RW | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Patrik Laine | 42 | Alexandre Texier | 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand |
| 50 | Eric Robinson | 16 | Max Domi | 11 | Kevin Stenlund |
| 25 | Mikhail Grigorenko | 96 | Jack Roslovic | 13 | Cam Atkinson |
| 23 | Stefan Matteau | 26 | Zac Dalpe | 19 | Liam Foudy |
*lines are subject to change
| LD | RD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Michael Del Zotto | 3 | Seth Jones |
| 44 | Vladislav Gavrikov | 4 | Scott Harrington |
| 43 | Mikko Lehtonen | 46 | Dean Kukan |
| Goalie | Backup | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | Joonas Korpisalo | 90 | Elvis Merzlikins |
Storylines
- BAND TOGETHER: The Blue Jackets know the drill. Their performance has put the team and organization in this position and now they have to play through it. These aren't easy games, playing for basically nothing but pride and knowing you won't be going to the playoffs–but you still have to play. We may see some creative lineups tonight and a closer look at some players who haven't gotten a bigger opportunity to this point.
- TAKE YOUR CHANCE: The Blue Jackets are in full-on evaluation mode from here to the finish line, and the decisions they've already made aren't the only ones they'll have to make before the 2021-22 season begins. Liam Foudy, get ready (no pun intended). Alexandre Texier? You're going to get another chance, and it's on you to show that you can be a consistently impactful player. The same goes for the young defensemen, including not-so-young Mikko Lehtonen, who are vying for jobs and hoping to ascertain some security in their careers.
- JUST...PLAY: Tortorella often talks about his team being at its best when their minds are free, they're loose, and can just play hockey. There are no excuses now. The pressure's off, the final stretch is what it is, and the Blue Jackets are playing the remainder of the season for themselves. It may not be pretty on many nights from here on in, but this is the situation. Here's hoping it's the last time Columbus finds itself in this position for a while.
