Blue Jackets vs. Blackhawks
7 p.m., Nationwide Arena
FOX Sports Go & BlueJackets.com
The Blue Jackets are ready to drop the puck on their 2017 exhibition schedule.
And to open their slate of games, they will employ a mix of veterans and youth when they face the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena. Among the highlights: fans will get a first look at newcomers Artemi Panarin and Tyler Motte, acquired from the Blackhawks in the draft day blockbuster, while Joonas Korpisalo is expected to start between the pipes.
While we're a few days into training camp and most players are likely gassed due to John Tortorella's skating drills, the first preseason game is a mild barometer. Players who continue to earn looks (see: Markus Nutivaara last year) are generally those who have the coaching staff's attention and could factor into the final roster decision in a couple of weeks.
For now, though, it's early. Enjoy the hockey!
Rosters
Blue Jackets
Forwards: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Artemi Panarin, Markus Hannikainen, Carter Camper, Lukas Sedlak, Nick Moutrey, Tyler Motte, Miles Koules, Sam Vigneault, Vitaly Abramov, Alex Broadhurst, Nick Foligno
Defense: Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Gabriel Carlsson, David Savard, Blake Siebenaler, Dean Kukan
Goaltenders: Joonas Korpisalo, Matiss Kivlenieks
LINEUP
According to the club, the Blue Jackets will align accordingly:
Panarin - Dubois - Foligno
Broadhurst - Camper - Abramov
Motte - Vigneault - Moutrey
Hännikäinen - Sedlak - Koules
Carlsson - Jones
Werenski - Siebenaler
Kukan - Savard
Korpisalo
Kivlenieks
What to Watch For
An informal viewing guide, if you will, for Tuesday's preseason opener.
- Break Bread: Artemi Panarin makes his debut in a Blue Jackets sweater against his old club. It's preseason, so don't expect much, but it will be cool to see the new guy wearing his new uniform.
- Make a Splash: Joonas Korpisalo figures to have a strangehold on the No. 2 goaltending position, but his performance in this camp could determine how the Blue Jackets divvy up the starts between he and Sergei Bobrovsky. Korpisalo was so-so in last year's training camp and couldn't unseat Curtis McElhinney, so it will be interesting to see how he fares when the job is essentially his to lose.
- Game On, Vitaly: These preseason games don't mean a whole lot to the veterans, but for someone like Vitaly Abramov, it's the opportunity of a lifetime. Expect to see him buzzing around the rink as he begins his quest to make the Blue Jackets.
Quotable: "I think we have a couple of guys in tomorrow night that I didn't think they were going to even get a game, and they've had such a good camp right now they're going to start off with a game tomorrow night. There are certainly some guys that we knew they were going to get a couple of games, but you start thinking about the way they've started here, they might get more. And some guys who we figured may get a couple of games may not get any with some of their play." -- John Tortorella
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