Five reasons the Blue Jackets are the best story in the NHL, and one of the best in all of pro sports:
A couple of weeks before the Blue Jackets opened training camp, their star forward, Johnny Gaudreau, was killed in a brutally tragic accident. They had a new general manager in Don Waddell, a new coach in Dean Evason. On the eve of the season opener, they lost their captain, Boone Jenner, to shoulder surgery. Certainly, they were bound for a fifth consecutive draft lottery. And they always lose the lottery.
In a span of a little more than four months, these same Jackets have captured the imagination of hockey fans who, previously, could only vaguely place Columbus as the worst NHL franchise of the 21st century. While the Jackets had a six-game winning streak snapped Saturday night, they were still holding down a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference coming out of the weekend.
The Gaudreau brothers’ funeral gathered the hockey world together to mourn. The Jackets, with Gaudreau’s jersey hanging in their locker room, home and away, are paying tribute by channeling Johnny Hockey’s joy of the game. At times, it’s breathtaking.
Columbus Blue Jackets are more fun to watch than just about anyone else
Evason preaches defensive responsibility (a work in progress) and offensive creativity. These Jackets can score in barrages and concede with equal aplomb. They’re seventh in the league in goals/game (3.30) and they’re 28th in goals against/game (3.34). They’ve had 10 games where they’ve score six or more goals, and they’ve had 22 where they’ve allowed four or more.
They’re a 60-minute roller coaster ride. Wheee!
James Norris, Jack Adams and Bill Masterton
The Norris Trophy goes to the best defenseman. At midseason, it’s a three-way conversation between Colorado’s Cale Makar, who won the award in 2022, Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes, who won it last year, and Zach Werenski, who is on pace for one of the best seasons in franchise history, regardless of position.
The Jack Adams Trophy goes to the Coach of the Year. If Evason keeps the Jackets in the playoff hunt, he must be in the conversation. If he actually gets this team into the playoffs, he’d be a deserving winner. At this juncture, the Jackets are on pace to make a leap of 20-plus-points over the 66 they finished with last season.
The Bill Masterton trophy goes to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” Center Sean Monahan, 30, was riddled with injuries as he bounced from Calgary to Montreal to Winnipeg from 2022-24. He signed a free-agent contract with the Jackets last summer to be reunited with Gaudreau, his longtime teammate in Calgary and his best friend. He has been a paragon of grace for the organization and a role model for a young Jackets squad. He has also reclaimed his late prime: Before he sprained his wrist and went on IR earlier this month (he’s due back soon), he had 19 goals and 41 points in 41 games.
Jarmo Kekalainen’s kids are all right
Former general manager Jarmo Kekalainen did well in stocking the cupboard before he was fired last year. Throughout the league, folks are taking note of the bevy of talented young forwards − Adam Fantilli, 20, Cole Sillinger, 21, Kent Johnson, 22, Yegor Chinakhov, 23, Dmitri Voronkov, 24, and Kirill Marchenko, 24.
With Monahan on the shelf, Fantilli has been centering the top line with Marchenko and Voronkov on the wings. Here’s a stat: When Marchenko and Voronkov are on the ice together five-on-five, their line has outscored opposing lines by a 31-9 count.
And the next wave, which includes high-end defense prospect Denton Mateychuk, 20, forward Luca Del Bel Belluz, 21, and goaltender Jet Greaves, 23, is already getting reps in Columbus.
This is a team coming out of its rebuild and into its build phase. It has the potential to contend as it matures, and as the roster is further tweaked.
Goaltending!
OK, bear with me here.
The Jackets are in wild card contention in spite of their goaltending, which has contributed to one of the worst road records in the league. (Matchups can be a problem for a young team on the road and goalies are critical to keeping the ice from tilting.)
There is a glimmer of hope.
Elvis Merzlikins stopped 18 of 19 shots in a 4-1 home victory over San Jose last week and was solid in a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders Tuesday night; backup Daniil Tarasov stopped 27 of 27 shots in his last outing, a 1-0 shootout loss to the Rangers in New York. The Jackets’ combined save percentage is over .900 over the past six games. Hope?