Blue Jackets at Sharks (game 54): Lines, game thread and how to watch

Add another team to the first game of the season list. The Columbus Blue Jackets visit SAP Center for the the first of two meetings between the two teams. The big news for the Blue Jackets is the upheaval in the front office. Earlier this week, the team fired Jarmo Kekalainen at maybe the worst time. Now, the team doesn’t have anyone to lead it through the final month before the trade deadline.

It’s a deadline that’s expected to be big for the Blue Jackets. While Columbus had hoped to turn a corner this season and compete for a playoff spot, that hasn’t happened. Once again, the Blue Jackets are near the bottom of the league standings, leading to more trade deadline buzz. Some teams are hoping Boone Jenner is available. While management likes the forward, he’s also highly coveted by playoff teams. Would the right return sway management to part with the topline center?

As for the team as it stands currently, Johnny Gaudreau has a five-game point streak going. He leads the team with 35 points. Meanwhile, rookie Dmitri Voronkov has six goals in his last nine games. Defenseman Zach Werenski continues to wrack up the points, but can’t seem to score. He has one goal this season and it happened on Oct. 20. It’s the longest goal-less drought of his career.

As for the Sharks, it’s another game without top centers Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl. Couture has not started skating again, but Head Coach David Quinn thinks things are healing well.

San Jose Sharks line Feb. 17, 2024

There will be changes to tonight’s lineup. Kevin Labanc is expected to get another shot at showing teams why they should take a chance on him. After a less than stellar game, Kyle Burroughs will sit out and allow Nikita Okhotiuk a chance to play. Givani Smith and Henry Thrun are still out.

With all that in mind, here’s what we think the lines will look like:

Forwards
Anthony Duclair – Mikael Granlund – Fabian Zetterlund
Alexander Barabanov – William Eklund – Luke Kunin
Kevin Labanc – Nico Sturm – Filip Zadina
Justin Bailey – Ryan Carpenter – Mike Hoffman

Defensemen
Mario Ferraro – Jan Rutta
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Ty Emberson
Nikita Okhotiuk – Calen Addison

Goaltenders
Kaapo Kahkonen
Mackenzie Blackwood

Columbus Blue Jackets lineup versus San Jose Sharks

Columbus will be without top rookie Adam Fantilli. Fantilli suffered a calf laceration on Jan. 31 and won’t play until late March at the earliest. Players like Justin Danforth, Erik Gudbranson didn’t practice on Friday, but are likely able to play today.

For the Blue Jackets, here’s what Columbus’ site says the lineup will look like tonight.

Forwards
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Jack Roslovic
Yegor Chinakhov – Dmitri Voronkov – Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Cole Sillinger – Emil Bemstrom
Alexandre Texier – Sean Kuraly – Justin Danforth

Defensemen
Zach Werenski – Adam Boqvist
Ivan Provorov – Damon Severson
Jake Bean – Erik Gudbranson

Goaltenders
Elvis Merzlikins
Daniil Tarasov

How to watch the Columbus Blue Jackets at San Jose Sharks Feb. 17, 2024

The Sharks celebrate Lunar New Year at tonight’s game with a really cool new logo. Check it out:

To-do list:
✨Celebrate Lunar New Year with the #SJSharks
📲Update phone wallpaper pic.twitter.com/WdukQW9zUx

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 17, 2024

Fans will receive a red envelope with the logo on it.

If you’re staying at home and watching the game without going out in the rain, you can find it on NBCSCA. Or you can listen on the Sharks Audio Network, sjsharks.com/listen.

Blue Jackets fans can watch the game on Bally Sports Ohio or through the Bally Sports app. They can listen through the CBJ radio network 97.1 FM The Fan or through the CBJ app.

The game is also available on ESPN+ and Hulu, though blackout restrictions may apply.

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 ET at SAP Center.

Make sure you come back here during the game to talk about everything that’s happening with the rest of the Fear the Fin community.