NEWSLETTER
It’s revenge game night in Columbus tonight. Well, for one player it is, for another it was supposed to be. The Blackhawks and Blue Jackets face each other for the first time this season, where defensemen Seth Jones and Adam Boqvist were supposed to face their former teams. That was until after morning skate today when Jones tested positive for COVID. He is now out of the game.
He and Boqvist were both involved in the blockbuster deal this offseason that landed Jones in Chicago, along with other draft picks being swapped, including the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 draft going from Chicago to Columbus and ending up becoming Cole Sillinger, who is in the lineup tonight for the Blue Jackets. Chicago just snapped a six-game losing streak in their last outing, a 2-1 road win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Columbus is coming into tonight’s game having snapped a three-game losing streak of their own in their last game, a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, ESPN+ (out-of-market)
Radio: WGN 720 AM, TUDN 1200 AM (Spanish)
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (12-18-5)
Kubalík – Strome – Kane
DeBrincat – Toews – Connolly
Kurashev – Dach – Entwistle
Khaira – Borgström – Carpenter
de Haan – Murphy
Mitchell – Stillman
C. Jones – Galvas
Fleury
Blue Jackets (16-16-1)
Bjorkstrand – Roslovic – Voracek
Laine – Jenner – Nyquist
Chinakhov – Sillinger – Domi
Robinson – Kuraly – Bemstrom
Werenski – Boqvist
Gavrikov – Bean
Kukan – Peeke
Korpisalo
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Tyler Johnson (Three Months – Neck Surgery)
Seth Jones (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Jake McCabe (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Brandon Hagel (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Sam Lafferty (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Erik Gustafsson (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Reese Johnson (IR – Broken Clavicle)
Blue Jackets:
Alexandre Texier (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Gavin Bayreuther (Day-to-Day – COVID Protocol)
Daniil Tarasov (Day-to-Day – Lower Body)
What To Watch For
• This will be the first time that Adam Boqvist faces his former club since being traded this summer in the Seth Jones deal. Boqvist was the eighth-overall selection by the Blackhawks in the 2018 NHL Draft and spent the first two seasons of his NHL career with Chicago. In the blockbuster deal this summer, both defensemen were swapped, along with a number of draft picks between Chicago and Columbus. Jones is averaging 25:53 minutes per game in Chicago and has three goals and 25 points this season. Boqvist has seven goals and 14 points for Columbus, averaging 16:41 minutes per game.
• Jakub Galvas will be making his NHL debut tonight for the Blackhawks after being activated from the Taxi Squad. With Jake McCabe in COVID protocol, Galvas will be taking his spot in the lineup. The 2017 fifth-round pick by the Blackhawks has skated in 20 AHL games this season with the Rockford IceHogs, his first season professionally in North America. He has one goal and five assists as a rookie for the IceHogs. Over the past five seasons, Galvas has played professionally in the Czech Extraliga and the Finnish Liiga, playing in 208 games between HC Olomouc and Jukurit.
• Over their last 25 games in Columbus, Chicago holds a 19-3-3 record and averages 3.64 goals-per game. The Blackhawks have won their last 6 games at Nationwide Arena.
Get Caught Up
Seth Jones is Reportedly OUT For Tonight’s Blackhawks-Blue Jackets Game After Positive COVID Testhttps://t.co/u3bZblKr87
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 11, 2022
In the spirit of tonight's #Blackhawks game against the Blue Jackets, let's reflect a bit on the fact that Stan Bowman told Adam Boqvist he would not be traded, before trading him to Columbus https://t.co/jPUCRn0db4
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 11, 2022
Marc-Andre Fleury is the first goalie off the ice. He’s the Blackhawks projected starter vs. Blue Jackets tonight. Will be his 4th consecutive start since returning from COVID.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 11, 2022
Roster Moves: Blackhawks Activate Jakub Galvas, Jake McCabe Placed in COVID Protocolhttps://t.co/jmFiHEJHHL
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 11, 2022
Jakub Galvas will make his NHL debut tonight in McCabe’s stead. Rest of Blackhawks’ lineup will stay the same as vs. Vegas.
King on what he wants from Galvas: “He’s a good skater, he’s a puck mover, he’s a smart player. Stay within his skill bracket and just do his thing.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 11, 2022
No lineup changes for #CBJ tonight vs #Blackhawks. G Joonas Korpisalo will make his fourth straight start. Elvis Merzlikins will serve as his back-up.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 11, 2022
