Absolute steal of the waiver wire by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Low risk move by Waddell and company to get a first round draft pick that shoots right and could be moved again at the upcoming trade deadline.

What are your immediate thoughts?!

Game 14 Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are in their second back to back of the month. This evening, that second matchup is for the after dark hours and it is a trip the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Puckdrop is at 8pm EST from FDSNOH and Victory+.

This is the only meeting at Honda Centerfor the Jackets. The Ducks are continuing their rebuild by shopping veterans Cam Fowler, Frank Vatrano, and John Gibson. They made some team friendly deals to acquire money and draft picks from other clubs over the summer rather than go the free agency market.

Out

Defender Gustav Lindstrom returned to Montreal after being a waiver pickup by the Ducks last season.

Prospect Brayden Tracey signed an AHL deal with Tucson.

Winger Max Jones signed a deal with Boston.

Blue liner Colton White signed back with New Jersey.

After being a waiver pickup last season, defender William Lagesson signed with the Detroit Red Wings. Goalie prospect Gage Alexander was traded to the Wings.

Forward Glen Gladwin signed with the divisional rivals in Los Angeles.

Forward Benoit-Olivier Grolux signed a deal with the New York Rangers.

After being acquired via trade from the Colorado Avalanche at the 2024 trade deadline, forward Ben Meyers signed with divisional rival Seattle.

Forward Andrew Agozinno signed a short term deal with the new Utah HC.

Defender Robert Hagg inked a contract with divisional rivals in Vegas.

Veteran D-man Trevor Carrick returned to the AHL Charlotte Checkers, where his professional career originally started.

NCAA prospects Jack Perbix and Blake McLaughlin left unsigned with the Ducks; McLaughlin joined the AHL Wolf Pack.

Journeyman Chase De Leo signed with the KHL this offseason; that deal has been terminated since amidst turnover with that club.

Goalie Alex Stalock announced his retirement from pro hockey.

Veteran forward Jakob Slifverberg announced his retirement from the NHL and signed in the SHL aka his home.

In

Forward Robby Fabbri was acquired via trade from the Detroit Red Wings in the Alexander deal with a late round pick.

Defenseman Brian Dumoulin was acquired via trade from the Seattle Kraken with a late draft pick for future considerations.

Forward Jansen Harkins signed a two year deal with the Ducks. Saw him play last season in a 6-0 game against Washington at PPG Paints, he got punched in the first in a fight where he didn’t return to the game.

Former Columbus winger Carson Meyer signed a two year deal with them this summer.

Former Columbus draft pick goalie Oscar Dansk joined the Ducks as the depth netminder between the Ducks and Gulls.

Veteran goalie James Reimer was claimed off waivers from Buffalo before the season started.

Preview

Neither team held a morning skate. Columbus played last evening against Los Angeles in a 5-2 loss. Anaheim elected to not have morning activities. Two game time decisions for the Ducks: blue liner Cam Fowler (upper body) missed Friday against Minnesota; and center Mason McTavish did not practice Saturday.

Daniil Tarasov is expected to start after Elvis Merzlikins lost his game last night. John Gibson is a possibility to make his season debut after recovering from an appendectomy. He backed up Lukas Dostal on Friday, who has been playing top goalie style hockey these past few weeks.

The Ducks and Blue Jackets both come into this contest on losing streaks, so one will snap tonight. Both of their previous games were 5-2 losses.

A regulation loss for a tired Columbus team will put them tied with the Ducks for near the bottom of the league standings, but tied with Philadelphia for 14th in the Eastern Conference. A win for Columbus will put them for 11th in the East with the Penguins and Senators. An overtime loss will tie them for 13th in the East with Detroit.

A loss for the Ducks will keep them tied with San Jose and Montreal for last in the league. A win for the Mighty Ducks puts them solo at 13th in the Western Conference. An overtime loss will tie them for 13th with Nashville and Chicago.

Keys to Victory

1. Hope — one of the teams is winning tonight after being on a losing streak. Hope they get the best effort and push for the win.
2. Pucks on Net — the Ducks have had great goaltending and a lock of offensive push. Anything on goal can get behind a goalie in the blink of an eye. Throw the kitchen sink at the net. If it is a debuting Gibson for the season, there is more reason to throw it on: rink rust. There is a chance.
3. Young Guns — the Ducks are still in their rebuild. The kids will be moving up and down the ice with speed and style. Trevor Zegras and Cutter Gauthier have been tended to be flashy style kids. Mason McTavish is the grit. Leo Carlsson is the size. Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zwelliger are the pair of the future In California. Shut them down, get the points.

Projected Lineups

Anaheim Ducks

Frank Vatrano -- Trevor Zegras -- Troy Terry
Alex Killorn -- Leo Carlsson -- Ryan Strome
Brock McGinn -- Isac Lundestrom -- Robby Fabbri
Ross Johnston -- Mason McTavish -- Cutter Gauthier

Pavel Mintyukov -- Brian Dumoulin
Urho Vaakanainen -- Olen Zellweger
Jackson LaCombe -- Radko Gudas

Lukas Dostal
John Gibson

Scratched: Brett Leason, James Reimer

Injured: Cam Fowler (upper body)

Columbus Blue Jackets

Yegor Chinakhov -- Sean Monahan -- Kirill Marchenko
Cole Sillinger -- Adam Fantilli -- Mikael Pyyhtia
Dmitri Voronkov -- Justin Danforth -- Mathieu Olivier
Zach Aston-Reese -- Sean Kuraly -- Kevin Labanc

Zach Werenski -- Ivan Provorov
Jake Christiansen -- Damon Severson
Jack Johnson -- David Jiricek

Elvis Merzlikins
Daniil Tarasov

Scratched: James van Riemsdyk, Jordan Harris, Dante Fabbro

Injured: Boone Jenner (upper body), Gavin Brindley (finger), Erik Gudbranson (upper body), Kent Johnson (upper body)

Players to Watch

Anaheim — Troy Terry — leading point scorer of the Ducks. Entering his prime and is known to be a lethal shootout forward. Three consecutive seasons he has scored 20 goals or more. Can finish. Maybe a dark horse for the US for the Four Nations tournament and 2026 Olympics.

Columbus — Jake Christiansen — has not scored an NHL goal since March 1, 2022. That was his fourth career game. A 33-game drought in the show. Sure, it’s limited time over the years, but he is full time under Evason’s system in the top-four. More production needs to present itself for the undrafted blue liner.

Predicted Final Score

ANA — 2

CBJ — 3

Overtime

Gambling Corner

Neither team is going to make you money tonight according the Draft Kings. -118 to -102. Counting hairs here in the difference. Avoid throwing anything down on this.

Tomrorow

Deeper dive into Fabbro plus both game recaps!

More to come…

Obituaries

https://www.danjolell.com/obituary/john-michael-gaudreau/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYM9fikwQbNkPlcwmTBaP2udJZw1oMBCmyXjp-GyttBpDhIoWnqY8lxQSQ_aem_zW3gpaArqsSO7D5ZI-Pdog

https://www.danjolell.com/obituary/matthew-ryan-gaudreau/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZ33XNOJYMaSDfXxs3NcH7AY99EWfo9ObneKgMrpds4HwrC3U6Gkj0igr0_aem_qqWUcGWcBFf0sebC0an4RQ

Want to support the Gaudreau family? Here’s several ways how:


https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-madeline-and-baby-tripp-after-tragedy - Donate to Gaudreau Family Fund. At the time of writing it is at $691K

https://youtu.be/7ax8zyd8nk0?si=xoI63iohdyn2vVvD - View Johnny B Goode Tribute - personal touch. Loved this slowed down clip by the voice of Calgary. Skip to the 25 second mark.


https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/giving - Nationwide Children's Hospital (Johnny's widow, Meredith's workplace) support the children today.

https://foundation.ohiohealth.com/ - Ohio Health Foundation (where donations from a joint mental health charity drive from Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine went) Johnny joined the mission after Laine attended the NHLPA assistance club last season

https://www.childrenshospital.ab.ca/ways-to-help/donate/ - Alberta Children's Hospital for those in need and touched by the loss

https://kidsportcanada.ca/donate/ - Donate to the Youth Sporting Charity in Canada (Johnny Gaudreau donated for money each goal he scored to the Calgary chapter)

https://sniderhockey.org/support-snider/ - the Philadelphia Youth Hockey Charity (where Johnny and Matthew are from and started their youth hockey)

Support Hockeybuzz

https://www.facebook.com/HockeyBuzz

Follow @ZakMacBuzz on Twitter/X