Columbus Blue Jackets Staring Down the Barrel: Calvert and Cole in Town

Nadia Archuleta shares her genius with us ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche matchup.

The Columbus Blue Jackets return for their first game in three days as they host the Colorado Avalanche at NWA. The team is dealing with a rash of injuries that now includes Brandon Dubinsky.

The Jackets will start Lukas Sedlak on the fourth line tonight and bump up Riley Nash to the third line as they fill the hole left by Dubinsky.

The game also is the return of Matt Calvert and Ian Cole to Columbus. Plenty to talk about ahead of this matchup so we sat down with Nadia Archuleta of MileHighSticking.com to talk all things Avs.

Be sure to follow Nadia on Twitter and read her great work at MileHighSticking.com.

Lansing Murphy (LM): How are our old Columbus Blue Jackets friends Ian Cole and Matt Calvert doing in Colorado?

Nadia Archuleta (NA): We latched on to Matt Calvert right away. He’s got some good speed and some good hands. He’s started out on the fourth line with some penalty killing duties, but he’s tapped to be a top-line replacement if one’s needed at wing.

Ian Cole took a little longer to make an impression because he’s a defenseman. However, that’s a good thing because defensive errors get exposed quickly in Colorado. We’ve seen him making some big plays that help out the team.

LM: In an exceptionally tough division, can this Avs team be expected to make the playoffs again after a surprise run last year?

Columbus Blue Jackets

NA: They are going to be competitive until the end. If they miss the playoffs, it won’t be by much. And it will be with a points total that would see them make the playoffs in other divisions.

LM: If you were the Columbus Blue Jackets GM, how would you handle the Artemi Panarin situation?

NA: Trade him to Colorado.

Just kidding.

Your GM should pull a Joe Sakic and hold out for the package he really wants. Look what we got for Matt Duchene, sure, but look also at what the Buffalo Sabres got for Ryan O’Reilly.

LM: How do you see this game playing out?

NA: Avs winning, of course. Actually, I can’t watch the game, but I want to see how Colorado does in establishing their road identity.

Word of warning, they are FAST. Not just Nathan MacKinnon — our second line wheels around and we have a whirligig of a first pairing with our swallow, Sam Girard, spinning around our condor, Erik Johnson.

A fast team that should be competing for a playoff spot with an incredibly talented top line. Both the Jackets and Avs fill those roles and it should be fun to watch these two teams play.

Thanks again to Nadia for sitting down with us and giving us an inside look at the Avs.