It’s almost time for the Blue Jackets to drop the puck in games that count.

After a spirited practice Monday, they’re just three days away from opening the regular season on the road against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, where coach Dean Evason ran the bench at the start of last season.

The team that joins Evason for his return to the Twin Cities has been altered dramatically by injuries and Johnny Gaudreau’s tragic death, but it’s time for the Blue Jackets, as now comprised, to get another season started.

Here’s a look at the opening roster:

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards

Here are the forwards who will break camp with the Blue Jackets: Yegor Chinakhov, Sean Monahan, Kirill Marchenko, James van Riemsdyk, Adam Fantilli, Kevin Labanc, Mikael Pyythia, Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, Zach Aston-Reese, Sean Kuraly, Dylan Gambrell and Mathieu Olivier

Projected lines vs. Minnesota Wild:

Chinakhov – Monahan – Marchenko

Van Riemsdyk – Fantilli – Labanc

Pyyhtia – Sillinger – Johnson

Aston-Reese – Kuraly – Olivier

Extra: Gambrell

Injured reserve: Boone Jenner (upper body), Dmitry Voronkov (upper body)

Injured/non-roster: Justin Danforth (wrist), Jordan Dumais (lower body), Max McCue (upper body)

Breakdown: Since trading Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens in August, the Blue Jackets’ skill level and NHL depth have been ravaged by the heartbreaking loss of Gaudreau plus injuries to three lineup stalwarts – Jenner, Voronkov and Danforth.

While a front office led by president of hockey operations/general manager Don Waddell has done its best to fill the voids with van Riemsdyk, Labanc and Aston-Reese, the Jackets’ opening forward group just doesn’t have the firepower the team envisioned when signing Monahan on July 1 as a free agent.

That’s the bad news. The good news is a collection of young forwards might be on the cusp of making a bigger NHL impact this season, including Fantilli, Johnson, Marchenko, Chinakhov and Sillinger.

Columbus Blue Jackets defensemen

Here are the defensemen who will break camp with the Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson, Jake Christiansen, Erik Gudbranson, Jack Johnson, Jordan Harris and David Jiricek

Projected defense pairings vs. Minnesota Wild:

Werenski – Provorov

Christiansen – Severson

Johnson – Gudbranson

Extra: Harris, Jiricek

Breakdown: The Blue Jackets are keeping eight defensemen to start the season, even though it looks like Jordan Harris and David Jiricek, two guys who are still early into their NHL careers, appear to be the odd men out in the opening rotation. As for pairings, the Jackets started camp with Werenski and Severson as the top pairing, but that has since changed to Werenski and Provorov, who flips to his “off” side on the right to make it work.

Severson could play his way back into another shot at the top pairing, and there’s just as much flexibility with the second two pairs. Christiansen, Harris and Jiricek could all see time on either unit, while Johnson and Gudbranson are starting out as a seasoned, gritty third pairing.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalies

Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov will begin the season as the Blue Jackets’ goaltending tandem. Jet Greaves will handle the starter’s role for the Cleveland Monsters again, staying ready as the third goalie on the organizational depth chart.

Projected goalie roles vs. Minnesota Wild:

Elvis Merzlikins (starter)

Daniil Tarasov

Breakdown: Merzlikins outplayed Tarasov in the preseason, but it’s tough to be critical of Tarasov’s exhibition numbers because he was put into some bad situations behind a couple of inexperienced lineups. Merzlikins goes into the season as the unquestioned starter, but it’s a long season and Tarasov will be looking to challenge him.

Columbus Blue Jackets coaching staff

Here is the Blue Jackets’ NHL coaching staff: Head coach Dean Evason, assistant coach Mike Haviland (forwards/power play), assistant coach Steve McCarthy (defensemen/penalty kill), assistant coach Scott Ford (multiple roles), assistant coach Jared Boll (skills), Niklas Backstrom (goaltending coach)

Breakdown: Evason is known for getting his teams to play their hardest, so look for that to become a hallmark of the Blue Jackets regardless of their record. Promoting Haviland should help offensively. He won the Stanley Cup in 2010 as a Chicago Blackhawks assistant and helped AHL Cleveland make a deep playoff run last season while working with defensemen. McCarthy is becoming a seasoned defensive assistant, Boll is going into his second season as a skills coach and Ford is getting his first NHL coaching look after playing and coaching for Evason with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.

bhedger@dispatch.com

@BrianHedger

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets release opening roster for 2024-25 NHL season