BLUES VS. BLUE JACKETS
When: Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO
Watch: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports app
Listen: 101 ESPN, Blues app
Tickets: Available online at Ticketmaster.com
TEAM SNAPSHOTS
BLUES The St. Louis Blues are all set to begin their 2022-23 campaign fresh off a team bonding trip to Charleston, SC and hungry for another run. Because the NHL season officially commenced on Tuesday – or last Saturday overseas – the Blues will have four extra days of rest before they get going.
New faces Noel Acciari, Thomas Greiss and Josh Leivo expect to be on the Opening Night roster – with Leivo and Jake Neighbours added due to long-term injuries to defensemen Marco Scandella and Scott Perunovich. Neighbours, who saw nine games at the NHL level last year before being assigned to his junior team, is eager to prove he belongs in the big leagues.
With the departures of David Perron and Ville Husso over the offseason, the forward depth – eight returning 20-goal scorers – that propelled last year’s 109-point season will be tested, as will the play in goal by Jordan Binnington. Coming off a terrific run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Binnington is confident, healthy and ready to help the team win it all again.
With a 6-2 preseason record in the books, the page turns to the real deal. Pavel Buchnevich, who saw career highs last season in goals, assists and points in his first year as a Blue, led the team with six preseason points over his three games played.
BLUE JACKETS The Columbus Blue Jackets will have played a pair of games before they face the Blues on Saturday, including the first of a back-to-back on Friday night at home vs. Tampa Bay. On Wednesday, they opened their season to a 4-1 loss in Carolina.
The big storyline for Columbus this summer was the addition of star forward Johnny Gaudreau. To the surprise of the hockey world, Gaudreau signed with the Blue Jackets on the opening day of free agency, inking a seven-year deal worth an $9.75 million AAV.
The 29-year-old forward is coming off of a 40-goal, 75-assist season for the Calgary Flames, career highs in both categories. His plus-64 rating also led the entire League. Gaudreau joins Patrik Laine and Captain Boone Jenner as top line forwards looking to inflict damage on the Metropolitan Division.
In addition to their gains at the top of the lineup, the Blue Jackets had a productive summer for their prospect pool, selecting both David Jiricek (No. 6) and Denton Mateychuk (No. 12) in the Top 15 of the 2022 NHL Draft.
They’ll be seeking their first win as they host Tampa Bay on Friday night before making the trip to Enterprise Center.
HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues split their season series with Columbus last year, winning 6-3 at Enterprise Center and falling 5-4 in Columbus. Buchnevich led all Blues with four points across the two matchups.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, who both signed eight-year, $65 million contract extensions over the summer. While both extensions do not kick in until next season, the two young forwards have officially been tapped as the franchise’s future going forward.
BLUE JACKETS Johnny Gaudreau, who became the second player in Blue Jackets history to suit up for the club after recording a 100-point season.
