Zak MacMillan: CBJ - Injuries Worsen; Sign Kevin Labanc; Claim Zach Aston-Reese

Geez - what have the BlueJackets done to be so cursed with injuries year after year. It seems to be an inordinate amount of players on the IR. Not just little nicks, but major chunks of lost games.

It'll be a long season. The opening night line-up has two players who have only practiced with the team - no pre-season games. This does not bode well for the season.

Looking for positives - I'd love to see Marchenko continue his upward direction, and Johnson, Fantilli, and Chinakhov take big steps forward. Although seeing that those three missed significant games last season, who knows !! Also, I expect to see Mateychuk back in Columbus in a few weeks after doing well in Cleveland; and Jiricek get out of his funk from last season.

Even though he's been preetty solid, I expect Provorov to be traded this season, latest at the TDL. Maybe get a 2nd rnd pick that we lost. As impressed as I was with him through the Gaudreau funeral, et al, if I had my druthers I'd move Gudbranson. Too oftern he seems to be in the wrong spot on his end of the ice . . . or maybe it's that he's not in the right spot !!

Only modification I would of made to the opening night roster is giving Malatesta a shot over Pyythia , loved his energy towards the end of the season. Could of played on the fourth line with Kuraly and Olivier .

Only modification I would of made to the opening night roster is giving Malatesta a shot over Pyythia , loved his energy towards the end of the season. Could of played on the fourth line with Kuraly and Olivier .
- Alexzanki

Malatesta is a great player can’t wait to see him become one of the great pests