Coming off of a late evening 8-4 win over the Washington Capitals, the Columbus Blue Jackets return dwelling to play of their fourth of eight preseason video games. A notable debut shall be happening.
For the primary time since signing a 5-year, $27.5 million contract with the Blue Jackets within the offseason, Sean Monahan will seem in a sport. The staff shall be using a largely NHL roster towards the Sabres.
Monahan will heart a line with Boone Jenner on his left and Kirill Marchenko on his proper. Right here was how the strains regarded on the morning skate.
- Boone Jenner-Sean Monahan-Kirill Marchenko
- James van Riemsdyk-Adam Fantilli-Dmitri Voronkov
- Yegor Chinakhov-Cole Sillinger-Kent Johnson
- Owen Sillinger-Sean Kuraly-Mathieu Olivier
- Zach Werenski-Damon Severson
- Ivan Provorov-David Jiricek
- Jake Christiansen-Erik Gudbranson
- Elvis Merzlikins in starter’s crease. Jet Greaves backing up.
Monahan Excited to Play With His Linemates
Monahan has completed nothing however put in follow since Coaching Camp began. From the outset, he’s centered Jenner and Marchenko. He’s excited to lastly get his likelihood in a sport.
“I’m excited to get some reps in,” Monahan stated. “I really feel prefer it’s been a variety of practices. I’m excited to play.”
Monahan has spent the time in follow studying about his linemates and their model. They every deliver a bit of one thing totally different to the desk. With Jenner, there may be some similarity in the best way they play.
“He’s a sensible participant,” Monahan stated of Jenner. “He’s tougher on the web and robust within the faceoff circle. He thinks the sport at a excessive degree and competes actually arduous.”
On the opposite facet is Marchenko, who brings power and tempo. Monahan believes he matches properly on the road as somebody who can create performs and end.
“He brings power. He can shoot the puck. He’s expert,” Monahan stated of Marchenko. “He desires the pucks and needs to make performs. So I feel anytime you’re taking part in with a man like that, it brings a way of power and pleasure each time you leap over the boards.”
That pleasure for Monahan carries over to the remainder of the staff. Now that he’s had an up shut have a look at his teammates particularly the depth on heart, he believes they are going to be able to scoring targets.
“I feel it’s a variety of good gamers. We’ve obtained sufficient offensive expertise the place I feel we’re going to have the ability to rating targets. I feel we obtained to push one another down the center to be constant each evening and play each ends of the puck. Once you’re doing that, you may have a superb likelihood each evening.”
Monahan Brings Management to Room
Head coach Dean Evason has spent his time with the Blue Jackets attending to know his gamers. He got here in with a recent mindset not eager to know an excessive amount of about them. He wished to study on his personal.
To this point with Monahan, it’s clear what Evason has seen within the veteran.
“Management,” Evason stated of Monahan. “Professional. Conducts himself with nice maturity. (I’m) actually wanting ahead to his sport tonight. He’s skated with Boone and (Marchenko) for all of camp. So wanting ahead to seeing that chemistry proceed to develop.”
On high of being on the highest line Saturday evening, Monahan will play on the primary energy play unit. He was joined by Jenner, Chinakhov, Johnson and Werenski. The second unit consisted of Voronkov, Marchenko, Fantilli, van Riemsdyk and a mixture of Severson/Provorov.
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Monahan has favored what has transpired on this coaching camp to this point, echoing what many different gamers have already stated about an Evason camp.
“It’s been a variety of enjoyable,” Monahan stated of Evason’s camp and practices. “(There’s) a variety of good power and it’s an incredible tempo on the market. Initially, he’s an incredible particular person. He preserve the rink a enjoyable place to be at. It’s good construction. I like the best way he thinks the sport so it’s an thrilling alternative right here for the group we now have.”
Sean Monahan will make his #CBJ debut tonight. pic.twitter.com/Ki5pxNFy2b
— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) September 28, 2024
Evason stated that they attempt to get gamers three preseason video games. With that, Monahan ought to get two of the remaining 4 preseason video games after Saturday. If the early going is any indication, he appears to be settling in by the day to Columbus and with the Blue Jackets.
Monahan will get his first style of the Cannon on Saturday evening and followers will get their first have a look at him in a Blue Jackets’ sweater. As for the Cannon, “I haven’t had that but. Sure, I’m wanting ahead to that.”
Aspect Dishes
- How late of an evening was it for the Blue Jackets coming dwelling from Washington? Per the staff, they landed at 1:45 A.M. A number of gamers together with Fantilli, Olivier, Cole Sillinger, Voronkov and Jiricek are taking part in Saturday after taking part in Friday. All have been a part of the morning skate.
- Talking of Jiricek, he needed to depart the morning skate early. Throughout an influence play drill, he took a stick within the mouth. Evason stated some stitches could be wanted however shall be good to go for Saturday evening.
- Right here’s Evason on the mindset of figuring out who performs within the preseason. “Now we have to have eight veterans, proper? So it was troublesome to get eight hockey video games with eight veterans with out taxing an excessive amount of. We’ve obtained a number of back-to-backs like tonight. So we’ve tried to unfold it out as a lot as we might…Lots goes into it, journey, totally different conditions. However the backside line is we attempt to get everyone to play in three hockey video games for certain. After which I feel essentially the most anybody’s taking part in is six. So it’s a course of to place it collectively, I’ll inform you that.”
- After Saturday, the preseason shall be half over. Anticipate some roster strikes to happen with the Cleveland Monsters set to open their camp within the coming week.
