COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS. SEATTLE KRAKEN
TV: Bally Sports Ohio Jeff Rimer (play-by-play), Jody Shelley (color analyst), Dave Maetzold (reporter)
Radio: 97.1 The Fan Bob McElligott (play-by-play), Dylan Tyrer (host)
THE MATCHUP
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
2021-22 Record: 1-0-0, 2 pts. (2nd-T, Metropolitan Division)
Goals: 8.00 Goals-For/2.00 Goals-Against… Shots: 26.0 Shots-For/38.0 Shots-Against
Power Play: 66.7 percent (2nd, NHL)… Penalty Kill: 75.0 percent (14th, NHL)
Penalty Minutes: 22.0 PIM (22nd, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 0-0-0 (0-0)
2020-21 Leaders: RW Oliver Bjorkstrand (Led club in goals, assists and points with 18-26-44 in 56 GP)… D Zach Werenski (Led club defensemen in goals with 7-13-20 in 35 GP)… G Elvis Merzlikins (8-12-5, 2.77 GAA, .916 SV%, 2 SO in 28 GP).
SEATTLE KRAKEN
2021-22 Record: 1-1-0, 2 pts. (4th-T, Pacific Division)
Goals: 3.50 Goals-For/3.50 Goals-Against… Shots: 28.5 Shots-For/30.0 Shots-Against
Power Play: 40.0 percent (8th, NHL)… Penalty Kill: 80.0 percent (10th, NHL)
Penalty Minutes: 9.5 PIM (8th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout): 0-0-0 (0-0)
Players to Watch: LW Jared McCann, who had 14-18-32 in 43 GP with Pittsburgh in 2020-21, has notched goals in both games with Seattle this season (2-1-3)… Seattle captain D Mark Giordano was the long-time captain of the Calgary Flames where he posted 143-366-509 in 949 games from 2005-21.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Results: This is the first meeting between the Blue Jackets and expansion Seattle Kraken… Of Note: The last expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, won the Pacific Division with a 51-24-7 (109 pts) in 2017-18 and made it all the way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final before falling to Washington (4-1) in the club’s first season in the league… Dave Hakstol serves as head coach of the Kraken. He was the bench boss for the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015-2018… Seattle C Alexander Wennberg was drafted by the Blue Jackets 14th overall at the 2013 NHL Draft and recorded 40-161-201 in 415 career games with the team from 2014-20.
This Season (CBJ, 0-0-0)
Oct. 16, 2021 – at Columbus (7 p.m.)
Dec. 11, 2021 – at Seattle (10 p.m.)
CBJ TEAM NOTES
The Blue Jackets began their 21st NHL season with an 8-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday… The club set franchise marks for the most goals scored and largest victory in a season opener in CBJ history… Columbus plays five of its first six contests of the campaign at Nationwide Arena… The team has won its first two home games of a season on five occasions, last accomplishing the feat in 2017-18. Last year, the Blue Jackets earned points in their first four home games for the first time in franchise history (2-0-2)… Since 2012, the Blue Jackets have gone 337-257-73 (.560) and rank 15th in the NHL in wins during that span… Last season (18-26-12) marked the club’s second sub-.500 season on the past nine campaigns and snapped their streak of consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs at four (2017-20)… Columbus finished the preseason at the top of the Metropolitan Division with a record of 4-2-2 (10 pts.). The team earned points in all four home games during the preseason (2-0-2)… Brad Larsen, who was named the club’s eighth head coach in franchise history on June 10, 2021, became the fourth person to earn a victory in his debut behind the bench in franchise history (including interim coaches), joining Doug MacLean (2-1 win at Minnesota on Jan. 8, 2003), Gerard Gallant (2-0 win at Tampa Bay on Jan. 2, 2004) and Claude Noel (2-1 win vs. Dallas on Nov. 15, 2006).
CBJ PLAYER NOTES
The Blue Jackets named their team captains on Tuesday. F Boone Jenner, who is entering his ninth NHL season, was named the seventh captain in franchise history… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand, LW Gustav Nyquist and D Zach Werenski were named as alternate captains for the team… RW Oliver Bjorkstrand, who led the team in goals, assists and points last season with 18-26-44 in 56 games, tied the franchise record for points in a season opening game (Rick Nash, Oct. 5, 2007 vs. Anaheim) with 2-2-4 on Thursday vs. Arizona… RW Jakub Voracek, who rejoined the team in a Draft Day trade (July 24), ranked second-T in the NHL in preseason scoring with 2-5-7 in four appearances and collected two assists on Thursday. Voracek spent the past 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. He made his NHL debut with Columbus and played three seasons with the club from 2008-11… C Max Domi (1-2-3), D Vladislav Gavrikov (0-2-2), LW Patrik Laine (0-2-2) and C Jack Roslovic (0-2-2) and D Zach Werenski (1-1-2) also had multi-point efforts against the Coyotes on Thursday… D Jake Bean (goal), D Adam Boqvist, F Gregory Hofmann (NHL Debut), C Sean Kuraly and F Cole Sillinger (assist in NHL debut) all made their Blue Jackets debuts on Thursday.
MILESTONES
• RW Oliver Bjorkstrand is four assists from 100 for his NHL career (85-96-181, 303 GP).
• C Max Domi is nine goals from 100 for his NHL career (91-188-278, 430 GP).
• D Zach Werenski is nine points from 200 for his NHL career (66-125-191, 336 GP).
OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT
• RW Emil Bemstrom (left labral strain; Injured Reserve on Oct. 14) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks
o TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 1.
COURTESY CBJ COMMUNICATIONS
Perfectly composed subject material, regards for selective information. “The last time I saw him he was walking down Lover’s Lane holding his own hand.” by Fred Allen.