The Minnesota Wild take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Here are the projected/expected lineups sourced from NHL.com staff writers, independent correspondents, and others.
WILD (20-9-5) at BLUE JACKETS (14-13-6)
7 p.m. ET; FDSNWIX, FDSNNO, FDSNOH
Wild projected lineup
Kirill Kaprizov — Joel Eriksson Ek — Matt Boldy
Yakov Trenin — Danila Yurov — Vladimir Tarasenko
Marcus Foligno — Ryan Hartman — Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Ben Jones — Nico Sturm — Tyler Pitlick
Quinn Hughes — Brock Faber
Matt Kierstad — Jared Spurgeon
Carson Lambos — David Jiricek
Jesper Wallstedt
Filip Gustavsson
Scratched: David Spacek
Injured: Vinnie Hinostroza (lower body), Mats Zuccarello (upper body), Jacob Middleton (upper body), Jonas Brodin (upper body), Marcus Johansson (lower body), Zach Bogosian (lower body), Daemon Hunt (lower body)
Status report
Lambos, the 26th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, makes his NHL debut. … Hunt, a defenseman, was injured in the first period against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. “I wouldn’t classify it as week-to-week yet,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “It’s one of those where in 48 hours after you’ll kind of see if it’s going to be.” Hynes said defensemen Middleton and Brodin and forwards Zuccarello and Hinostroza skated on Thursday in Minnesota and some of them may be available when the Wild play the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday and Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
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Blue Jackets projected lineup
Dimitri Voronkov — Adam Fantilli — Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner — Sean Monahan — Yegor Chinakhov
Miles Wood — Charlie Coyle — Cole Sillinger
Zach Aston-Reese — Isac Lundestrom — Kent Johnson
Zach Werenski — Denton Mateychuk
Ivan Provorov — Damon Severson
Brendan Smith — Dante Fabbro
Jet Greaves
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched: Jake Christiansen, Brendan Gaunce
Injured: Erik Gudbranson (hip), Mathieu Olivier (upper body)
Status report
Aston-Reese, who has been scratched seven times since his last game on Dec., 1, replaces Gaunce. The forward is in Cleveland with his expectant wife. … Olivier, a forward, said he is close to participating in a full-team skate. He has missed 10 games since Nov. 24.
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