Columbus Blue Jackets at Calgary Flames
Thursday, January 25, 2024 – 9:00 PM ET
Calgary, Alberta, CAN – Scotiabank Saddledome
TV: Bally’s Sports Ohio – Radio: WBNS FM
Opponent’s blog: Red Mile Hockey
Columbus Blue Jackets, 14-23-9, 37 points, 8th Metro, 16th East
@
Calgary Flames, 21-21-5, 47 points, 6th Pacific, 12th West
The Columbus Blue Jackets, losers of five of their last six, continue their western Canada road trip for the 2023-24 season tonight as they visit the Flames. The Flames, 12th in the west, lost to the Blue Jackets 3-1 in Nationwide Arena in October (behind goals from Danforth, Kuraly, and Werenski), but sit 10 points ahead of the Blue Jackets in the standings. Can the Blue Jackets find a way to play cohesive hockey for 60 minutes and come out victorious? Fans will anxiously await the outcome tonight.
Player to Watch
Jonathan Huberdeau
For all of the contract problems the Columbus Blue Jackets have (and they have a lot), they do not hold the distinction of the worst contract in the league. That contract belongs to Jonathan Huberdeau. Huberdeau, who was aquiured for Matthew Tkachuk from the Florida Panthers following a 115 point season, signed an 8 year, $84 million contact with the Flames and has, pun aside, flamed out. Since signing the massive deal off of a contract year, Huberdeau has played 125 games for Calgary, scored 21 goals and notched 81 total points. He has been a massive disappointment thus far for the Flames, will be 31 at the start of next season, has six years left on his deal, and has a full no-move clause until 2029. Can Huberdeau rediscover his game in Calgary, or is this going to be a deal that continues to age poorly?
Jackets Notes
The Jackets are 3-6-4 in their last 13 games … David Jiricek is expected to be a healthy scratch tonight for a 4th straight game, and he has not dressed for an NHL game in two weeks … Adam Fantilli played 18:58 on Tuesday night with eight shot attempts – Fantilli did not take a single draw from the dot against Edmonton … The Jackets are “hopeful” Zach Werenski can return tonight against the Flames, but unsure for certain, but he skated in practice on the top pairing with Adam Boqvist … Jake Bean practiced with the CBJ as usual on Thursday and does not appear to be implicated in the 2018 World Juniors sexual assault scandal and has previously expressed that he would cooperate with investigators, if asked
The Other Bench
Dylan Dube was granted a leave of absence from the Calgary Flames along with four other NHL or former NHL players … the Flames have waived Adam Ruzicka, a project forward who was seen as a diamond in the rough but whose performance has waned … the Flames also waived Nick DeSimone, but this appears to be an indication of the impending return of Oliver Kylington … Chris Tanev, who joined the Flames in 2020, is rumored to be on the trade block ahead of the deadline
Season Series
10/20/2023 CAL 1 @ CBJ 3
01/25/2024 CBJ @ CAL
Stats
| Calgary | Columbus | |
| 3.11 (17) | GPG | 2.91 (24) |
| 3.11 (17) | GAPG | 3.7 (31) |
| 13.5 (30) | PP% | 14.4 (26) |
| 84.4 (3) | PK% | 79.4 (20) |
| 50.28 (16) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 47.58 (24) |
| 51.13 (13) | 5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt % | 47.90 (24) |
| 8.62 (15) | 5v5 Shooting % | 9.49 (8) |
| 90.63 (25) | 5v5 Save % | 90.33 (29) |
| Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich, 20 | G Leader | Kirill Marchenko, 14 |
| Elias Lindholm, 23 | A Leader | Zach Werenski, 24 |
| Blake Coleman, 39 | P Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 29 |
| Andrew Mangiapane, 41 | PIM Leader | Erik Gudbranson, 51 |
| 11-10-1 | Home/Road | 5-10-5 |
| 5-5-0 | Last 10 | 3-5-2 |
Projected Lines
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Johnny Gaudreau | Cole Sillinger | Yegor Chinakhov |
| Adam Fantilli | Boone Jenner | Jack Roslovic |
| Kent Johnson | Dmitri Voronkov | Kirill Marchenko |
| Alexandre Texier | Sean Kuraly | Justin Danforth |
| Zach Werenski | Adam Boqvist |
| Ivan Provorov | Damon Severson |
| Jake Bean | Erik Gudbranson |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Daniil Tarasov |
Calgary Flames
| Jonathan Huberdeau | Elias Lindholm | Yegor Sharangovich |
| Connor Zary | Nazem Kadri | Matt Coronato |
| Andrew Mangiapane | Mikael Backlund | Blake Coleman |
| AJ Greer | Cole Schwindt | Adam Klapka |
| Mackenzie Weegar | Rasmus Andersson |
| Noah Hanifin | Chris Tanev |
| Dennis Gilbert | Jordan Osterle |
| Jacob Markstrom |
| Daniel Vladar |