Game 2 Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Colorado Avalanche

The Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena as part of the Avalanche’s home opener on Saturday night. The Avalanche are coming off a highly disappointing season opener in which they lost 8-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night.

The Avalanche will be looking to get their first win of the season, facing a Blue Jackets team that’s looking to turn things around after a terrible season last year. So, let’s take a look at several notes ahead of Saturday night’s tilt between the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Notes on the Colorado Avalanche’s matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets

Jonathan Drouin will be out for the next few games

Jonathan Drouin is expected to miss “the next few games,” according to Jared Bednar. PuckPedia reported the news from Ryan Boulding of NHL.com, stating that Drouin is dealing with an upper-body injury. The nature of that injury is unclear.

Meanwhile, Avs’ beat reporter Aarif Deen reported Nikolai Kovalenko skating on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. So, there’s a chance Kovalenko gets a tryout with the top line. If that experiment goes well, fans could see more of Kovalenko in a prominent role.

The line shuffling continues

With Drouin’s absence, Ross Colton likely moves up to the second-line spot Kovalenko occupied. Then, Parker Kelly takes over as the third-line center with Miles Wood and Logan O’Connor on the wings. For Kelly, it’s an interesting audition in that role.

As for Colton, getting a look in the top six bodes well. If he has a good game, Colton could become a wild card that Jared Bednar can use depending on injuries and specific circumstances. It will be interesting to see how Columbus reacts to the Avalanche’s lineup on Saturday night.

An open spot on the fourth line

During Friday’s practice, Ivan Ivan and Joel Kiviranta skated but without a third linemate. Perhaps the Avs are thinking about going with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the game against Columbus? It’s a possibility given how poorly the Avs played defensively in their last game against Vegas.

Georgiev and Annunen at practice

The Avs recently claimed former Jets’ goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers. The move most likely represents a depth move at the AHL level. After all, it’s always good to have an experienced netminder in case of emergencies.

However, the move shouldn’t affect much at the NHL level as Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen were full participants at practice. Georgiev most likely gets the start on Saturday night. With the Avs playing the New York Islanders on Monday night, there’s a chance Annunen get the call for that game.