Kulikov missed the Sabres’ season opener on Thursday but was on the ice for practice on Friday and is encouraged that he will be able to play on Sunday. Kulikov was skating on the third pair with Cody Franson.
Last year, Bobrovsky was limited to just 37 games thanks to injuries, but even when he was healthy he was largely ineffective. Bobrovsky finished the year with 15 wins, a 2.75 GAA and .908 SV%, but expect those numbers to improve significantly this season. He would be in the conversation as a potential low-end No.1 option if he can stay healthy, but that’s a massive if. He comes into this year with low expectations on an improving Blue Jackets team. Bob gets his season started on home ice, where he was just 7-11-1 a season ago.
Kulikov had been practicing with the team leading up to tonight’s season opener, but his bruised tailbone has not healed enough for him to be in the lineup vs. Montreal. Casey Nelson will replace the offseason acquisition to start the year.
Petry suffered a knee injury in Thursday’s preseason game and will miss the start of the regular season. With Petry out, Mikhail Sergachev will make his NHL debut against the Sabres on Thursday. Petry is listed as day-to-day.
Tkachuk was selected sixth overall this summer after picking up 107 points (30G / 77A) in 57 games with the London Knights. Tkachuk has impressed in his first NHL training camp and will break camp with the Flames. He is expected to start on a line with Sam Bennett and Troy Brouwer, which gives him an excellent chance to produce right away.
Marchand, 28, is coming off of a career-high 37 goals and 60 points. The Canadian-born winger has scored 20-plus goals in every full 82-game season that he has played in and is in a great spot on Patrice Bergeron’s wing out in Boston. He has had a very strong showing in the World Cup of Hockey which shows last year may not be a fluke.
Ekblad was sent home after suffering a neck injury and a reported concussion at the World Cup of Hockey. Ekblad is back skating in Florida and is expected to be ready to anchor the Panthers’ top-pair in the season opener.
Ekblad, 20, will carry a $7.5 million cap-hit in the 2017-18 season, which would make him the sixth highest paid defenseman as of now. The 6-foot-4, 216 lbs. blueliner has had two great years to kick off his NHL career—posting 39-points (12G / 27A) in 2014-15 and 36 points (15G / 21A) last season. Ekblad will be the cornerstone of the Panthers franchise through the 2024-25 season.
Jones, 21, had 20 points (2G / 18A) in 41 games with the Blue Jackets after he was acquired from Nashville. Overall, he had 31 points (3G / 28A) in 2015-16, which was a new career-high for the 2013 4th overall pick. Jones has top-pairing upside and the Blue Jackets are hoping he takes a big step forward in 2016-17.
Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 27 shots in the Blue Jackets win over the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Bobrovsky, who is 14-19-1 with a 2.72 GAA and .909 SV% on the year. Tonight he makes his first start vs. the Blackhawks, who have won five of their last seven while averaging 3.71 goals per game.
Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 27 shots in the Blue Jackets win over the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Bobrovsky, who is 14-19-1 with a 2.72 GAA and .909 SV% on the year. Tonight he makes his first start vs. the Blackhawks, who have won five of their last seven while averaging 3.71 goals per game.
Rodrigues, 22, was 28 points (9G / 19A) in 68 games in his first professional hockey season. He spent four years at Boston University before going to the Rochester Americans this season.
Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 27 shots in the Blue Jackets loss in Brooklyn last Thursday. Bobrovsky has lost three straight games while posting a 3.40 GAA and .889 SV%. Tonight he faces a struggling Maple Leafs team, that he had a tough time against earlier the year—Toronto scored five goals on 33 shots in a 6-3 win over Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets.
Bobrovsky allowed three goals on 39 shots in the Blue Jackets loss in Washington on Monday. Bobrovsky has lost five of seven starts while posting a 3.01 GAA and .903 SV% since returning from a groin injury. Tonight he faces the Islanders for the first time this season—he is 7-7-0 with a 2.30 GAA and .926 SV% on the road.
Bobrovsky started on Monday, allowing three goals on 39 shots in a 4-1 loss. He has lost five of seven starts while posting a 3.01 GAA and .903 SV% since returning. Joonas Korpisalo has not recorded a win since being called back up.
Bobrovsky allowed three goals on 24 shots in the Blue Jackets loss to the Hurricanes. Bobrovsky has gone 2-4-0 with a 3.01 GAA and .898 SV% since returning from a groin injury. Bobrovsky will make his third start of the season vs. the first placed Washington Capitals—he has gone 0-2-0 with a 3.62 GAA and .873 SV% in the firs two meetings.
Bobrovsky allowed two goals on 33 shots in the Blue Jackets win over the Flyers on Tuesday. After losing three in a row, Bobrovsky has rattled off two straight wins while stopping 58 of 63 shots (.921 SV%). Bobrovsky has a good chance of making it three in a row when he takes on the Hurricanes tonight—Carolina comes in on a five-game losing streak.
Bobrovsky gave up three goals on 30 shots in the Blue Jackets win over New Jersey on Saturday. Joonas Korpisalo started on Sunday, so they’ll come back to Bobrovsky tonight vs. his former team. Bob is 1-3-0 with a 3.28 GAA and .892 SV% since returning from a groin injury, but has been great in his career versus the Flyers—he is 4-1-0 with a 1.80 GAA, .940 SV% and one shutout in his first five starts vs. Philly.
