In 2021-22, Blankenburg turned pro after finishing up his senior season at the University of Michigan. He spent seven games with the Blue Jackets down the stretch, scoring one goal with two assists. The 5-foot-9, 177 lbs. defenseman will replace Adam Boqvist in the lineup vs. the Canucks.
Elvis Merzlikins will draw his second start of the season as the winless Columbus Blue Jackets host the Vancouver Canucks in the battle of zero-win teams. After missing the first two games of 2022-23 due to illness, Merzlikins was shelled in his return to action allowing five goals on 25 shots in a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. He will hope to right the ship and get Columbus into the win column for the first time in four games.
Nylander missed Sunday's practice but is good to go for Monday's game vs. Arizona. Nylander has enjoyed a strong start to the season, scoring two goals with one assist and 15 shots in three games.
Bobrovsky will get his second start of the season in a battle of undefeated teams as Florida heads to Boston Monday for an Atlantic showdown. The 34-year-old enjoyed a fantastic opening night victory over the New York Islanders, stopping 32 of 33 shots on way to a 3-1 final scoreline. Bobrovsky has impressively won 40 of his last 54 starts as a member of the Florida Panthers.
Nylander missed Sunday's practice due to illness and is questionable to play Monday. With Nylander not available, the Maple Leafs recalled Nick Robertson and he skated on the second line with John Tavares and Denis Malgin. Monitor Nylander's status during the Maple Leafs' morning skate on Monday.
Merzlikins will get his first start of 2022-23 after missing Columbus’ opening two matchups due to illness. The 28-year-old had his worst of his three seasons in 2021-22, posting a .907 SV% alongside his high 3.22 GAA. He will look to bounce back this season as the Blue Jackets take on St. Louis on the road Saturday.
Blueger has been battling an upper-body injury and has officially been ruled out of Thursday's game vs. the Coyotes. Ryan Poehling will centre the fourth line with Blueger out.
Bobrovsky will lead the Panthers on opening night as they take on the Islanders in New York. Bobrovsky tied Andrei Vasilevskiy for the league lead in wins (39) in 2021-22 while getting 53 starts for the President's Trophy (122 Pts) winners in Florida who also led all NHL teams in goals for (337). His .913 SV% was his highest totals in three seasons.
Merzlikins will miss the Blue Jackets' season opener in Carolina with an illness. With Merzlikins out, Danill Tarasov will get the start, and Jet Greaves was recalled to be the backup.
The Maple Leafs Captain will return to the lineup for the team's opening game Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens. The 13-year veteran returns to the team after an oblique injury caused him to miss time since leaving the Leafs' lineup in a preseason game on September 24th. Tavares enjoyed a decent 2021-22, collecting 27 goals and 76 assists in 79 games. Since joining the Maple Leafs in 2018-19, Tavares has 119 goals and 274 points in 280 games.
Blueger continues to battle an undisclosed injury that he suffered on September 28th. Blueger was not on the ice of Monday's practice, so look for Ryan Poehling to centre the fourth line if he's unavailable for the season opener on Thursday.
Tavares skated with the team for the first time since suffering an oblique strain on September 24th. Tavares' original timeline was three weeks, suggesting he could miss the first four games of the season. Returning to the ice on Monday, albeit in a non-contact jersey, suggests that he may be a little bit ahead of schedule.
Tavares is expected to miss at least the first four games of the regular season with an oblique strain he suffered in training camp. With Tavares sidelined, Alex Kerfoot will likely centre the Maple Leafs' second line, and Pontus Holmberg could open the season with the team.
McCabe underwent surgery on September 13th, so he's expected to be out until late-November/early-December. With McCabe sidelined, look for Riley Stillman and Alex Vlasic to get more work early in the season.
Blankenburg tallied one goal and two assists (three points) in seven games with the Blue Jackets after turning pro following his final year at the University of Michigan. With the Blue Jackets' blueline entering the season healthy and adding Erik Gudbranson in free agency, there's a good chance that Blankenburg starts the year in the AHL.
