Dec 11, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault (24) faces off against Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) in the third period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gaelen Morse-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight the Los Angeles Kings matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets at home in Crypto.com Arena st 7:30 PM PST, or 10:30 PM EST. As of now, the Kings sit at second place in the Pacific Division and third place in the entire Western Conference, and are in a prime position to make it to the post-season. On the other hand, the Blue Jackets sit at dead last in the Metropolitan Division and dead last in the entire Eastern Conference, which puts them in prime position to land a high draft pick in this year’s 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
On the day of the NHL Trade Deadline, TSN held a live mock draft lottery on air and the results of it landed the Columbus Blue Jackets the No. 1 overall pick.
TSN's mock draft lottery has the Caps picking tenth overall in the 2023 Draft. pic.twitter.com/aypdrJyw96
If that were to happen in real life, Blue Jackets fans would be through the roof because the draft lottery has been dubbed with a special nickname this year, “The Bedard Sweepstakes.”
Connor Bedard is a right-handed center currently playing for the Regina Pats of the Ontario Hockey League, and he is the kind of player that could change the course of a franchise overnight. Rink Royalty discusses how Blue Jackets fans are viewing him and more with Curtis Deem of Union and Blue, FanSided’s website dedicated to all things Columbus Blue Jackets related, ahead of tonight’s matchup between the same two teams who swapped goalies earlier this month.
Question No. 1: Columbus is struggling greatly this year. Are the Blue Jackets in full rebuild mode?
A: “The Blue Jackets entered into their rebuild two summers ago, when they traded Seth Jones to the Chicago Blackhawks. Up to that point, I think the plan was to build a team around Jones, Zach Werenski, and Patrik Laine and continue to try to fight for playoff spots. Losing a core player like that caused the team to take a step back, though GM Jarmo Kekalainen has been hesistant to call this a rebuild. This team’s window is probably still 2-3 years away, but we expect them to be a lot better next season. They were probably eyeing a run at a bubble spot this year, but injuries have killed any chance of competing and thrust them further into the rebuild.”
Specifically, injuries to key players like Zach Werenski on November 19, 2022 as well as Jake Bean being placed on injury reserve just two days prior really set the Blue Jackets further back than they already were this season. Throughout the season, the Blue Jackets have also seen injuries to Boone Jenner and Joonas Korpisalo when he was still on the roster. But, both of those guys are now healthy and back on the ice. And as Deem said, a flurry of injuries has set them back this season.
Question No. 2: With the availability of generational talent Connor Bedard in this year’s draft, do the Blue Jackets have him on their radar?
A: “The Jacket fanbase has been keeping a keen eye on Connor Bedard since probably November. We know how special he is, and he could be an impactful player for this team as early as next year. But, we are also realists and have been paying close attention to Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, Matvei Michkov, and the other players inside the top 5-7 of the draft rankings. We already have a terrific prospect pool, and whichever player we land this summer is going to make the future that much brighter.”
According to Tankathon.com, the Columbus Blue Jackets currently have the best odds to land Bedard. Granted, the odds change every day, but this matchup tonight with the Kings could benefit both clubs if the Kings come away with the win. If the Kings win, then they move closer to the division leader Vegas Golden Knights, and if the Blue Jackets lose, then their odds at the No. 1 overall pick just keep getting better.
On the Union and Blue Twitter page, you can find a daily update of the Tankathon tracker and so it seems as if the Jacket fanbase really wants Connor Bedard. But, I mean..who wouldn’t? There are still plenty of other talented players in this year’s draft, like the aforementioned Adam Fantili and Matvei Michkov. But, most likely those players won’t be able to play the NHL next year like Connor Bedard could, if he and the organization that drafts him wants him to play. He definitely has an NHL-ready skill-set already.
Aug 20, 2022; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Team Canada forward Connor Bedard (16) skates during warm-up against Team Finland in the championship game during the IIHF U20 Ice Hockey World Championship at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports /
Question No. 3: Who can the Kings expect to face in net tonight? Elvis Merzlikins?
A: “Currently, Elvis Merzlikins is away from the club to deal with his grandmother’s passing in Latvia. Daniil Tarasov took to the crease on Tuesday night in San Jose; the other goaltender we have right now is Michael Hutchinson Tarasov is probably the most talented goaltender we have, but he’s very raw and still learning the ropes. Hutchinson was just acquired at the deadline from Vegas – in the Jonathan Quick trade. We play again tomorrow night, so it could go either way.”
Daniil Tarasov was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft with the 86th overall pick. He played his first NHL game in the 2021-2022 season and now is getting some quality playing time after Joonas Korpisalo being traded to the Kings and Elvis Merzlikins being out for personal reasons. Right now, Tarasov has a .903 save percentage with 42 goals against in 14 games played.
Michael Hutchinson, on the other hand, was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the third round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft with the 77th overall pick. A career journeyman in the league, he has played for the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, and now the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Hutchinson has only played in three games for the Blue Jackets and has a .873 save percentage and a 4.36 goals against average. Needless to say, Deem is right in saying that Tarasov is the far better goalie option for Columbus.
Question No. 4: Joonas Korpisalo seems like a great goaltender. Is the only reason he was available for trade because he is a pending UFA?
A: “Korpi is one of the most beloved Blue Jackets of all-time. He was drafted by this team and worked his way up slowly, winning the Calder Cup with our AHL team in 2016. Unfortunately, he was never able to fully take the reins in Columbus, stuck behind Sergei Bobrovsky and then Elvis Merzlikins. They wanted to move him last season, but his play had declined to a sub-replacement level, and he went in for season ending hip surgery in January. Some of us thought his career might be in jeopardy, but the Jackets gave him a one year “show me” deal last summer, and he came back a new man this year. There isn’t a Jacket fan out there that isn’t rooting for Korpi to establish himself as a starter in this league. Over the years he accepted his role, never complained and went about his business stopping pucks. He deserves a long-term home.”
Now on the Kings, Korpi continues to be in the midst of his “show me” year as he has been phenomenal since joining Los Angeles. He has not lost a game since being in net for the black and white, and would be a huge asset to this team next year if he and Rob Blake can come to an agreement this offseason. Los Angeles would love to be his long-term home that Deem references at the end of his quote.
Question No. 5: Johnny Gaudreau is an incredibly talented hockey player. Will the Kings have a problem with him tonight?
A: “We just released and article on Johnny Gaudreau this morning. He’s red hot, with 7 points in his last two games. After a 5-point night in San Jose, he has 62 points in 64 games – a pace that would give him the third best season in Jacket franchise history. A lot of people probably expect him and Patrik Laine to be joined at the hip, but they have been playing mostly on separate lines this year. This has created a difficult matchup for opponents quite this year, even though their linemates aren’t quite on the same level. Quietly, Gaudreau has been producing at a high rate, even with inconsistent linemates. I would expect no different tonight, this team is still fighting hard in spite of their place in the standings.”
The Kings will have to keep an eye on Johnny Gaudreau, the free agency signing that caught the hockey world off-guard as Columbus has never been a free agency “hot-spot.” But, he decided to go there and is having a very impressive individual season despite the team’s performance. With a winger duo of Gaudreau and Laine, the Blue Jackets just need a few more pieces and they could be a contending team in the near future, especially if they wind up with Connor Bedard.
Two teams that made a business deal just a few weeks ago are now set to face off in what could be a very entertaining matchup. Tune in tonight at 7:30 PST, or 10:30 EST!
