Avalanche at Blue Jackets

AVALANCHE (4-4-1) at BLUE JACKETS (6-3-0)

Avalanche projected lineup
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Nazem Kadri -- Andre Burakovsky -- Logan O'Connor
Tyson Jost -- J.T. Compher -- Kiefer Sherwood
Sampo Ranta -- Darren Helm -- Jayson Megna
Bowen Byram -- Samuel Girard
Jack Johnson -- Erik Johnson
Ryan Murray -- Devon Toews
Darcy Kuemper
Jonas Johansson
Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid
Injured: Pavel Francouz (ankle), Stefan Matteau (lower body), Valeri Nichushkin (upper body), Cale Makar (upper body), Martin Kaut (upper body)
Blue Jackets projected lineup
Gustav Nyquist -- Boone Jenner -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Yegor Chinakhov -- Cole Sillinger -- Jakub Voracek
Gregory Hofmann -- Jack Roslovic -- Kevin Stenlund
Eric Robinson -- Sean Kuraly -- Alexandre Texier
Zach Werenski -- Jake Bean
Vladislav Gavrikov -- Gavin Bayreuther
Gabriel Carlsson -- Andrew Peeke
Elvis Merzlikins
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched: Scott Harrington
Injured: Adam Boqvist (lower body), Dean Kukan (wrist), Emil Bemstrom (oblique strain), Patrik Laine (oblique strain)
COVID-19 protocol: Max Domi
Status report
Rantanen will return after missing three games with a lower-body injury. ... Makar, a defenseman, will miss his second straight game. … Burakovsky will return after missing one game with an upper-body injury. ... Toews will make his season debut after missing nine games with an upper-body injury. ... Laine was injured in a 5-4 overtime win at Colorado on Wednesday and the forward is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. Chinakhov will move to his spot on the second line and Stenlund will enter the lineup. … Boqvist, a defenseman, will miss his fourth straight game.