COLUMBUS, Ohio \u2014 A collection of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Columbus Blue Jackets:<\/p>\n
Item No. 1: Flawed<\/p>\n
As the 2025-26 season ticks away, the Blue Jackets \u2014 still somehow alive in the playoff chase \u2014 are left hoping that another team falters so that they may sneak into postseason for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n
This season is coming to a close like too many of their games this season.<\/p>\n
There are times when the Blue Jackets look fit and fast and strong and deep with talent. But when the big moment arrives \u2014 when it\u2019s time to stand and deliver, or time to throw the knockout punch \u2014 it\u2019s too rich for them.<\/p>\n
They retreat. They play the clock\/calendar instead of the opponent. And there are always too many days or too many seconds on the clock for that approach. The third period collapses, and this season\u2019s end, seem inevitable.<\/p>\n
Something is missing, or something is not right, about this collection of Blue Jackets.<\/p>\n
There are really good players in that dressing room, players any NHL club would proudly claim as their nucleus of talent \u2014 Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Charlie Coyle, Sean Monahan, etc.<\/p>\n
Last season, the Blue Jackets missed the playoffs by one win (two points), but it felt like a major accomplishment following the preseason tragedy that took the life of Johnny Gaudreau. Those Blue Jackets were expected to be a lottery club.<\/p>\n
These Blue Jackets, by the players\u2019 own words last fall, said that missing the playoffs would represent a \u201cfailure.\u201d If they hadn\u2019t gone on that massive 19-3-4 run once coach Rick Bowness was hired, it might not sting so much.<\/p>\n
A 3-8-1 tailspin since March 22, makes it more than a failure, though. The Blue Jackets have chased a playoff spot at the end of a few seasons, but they\u2019ve never had one in their hands and dropped it like this.<\/p>\n
If the Philadelphia Flyers earn at least one point \u2014 that\u2019s a win or an overtime or shootout loss \u2014 in either of their last two games, the Blue Jackets are eliminated. The Flyers host Carolina on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s pretend the Flyers lose on Monday in regulation. In that scenario, the Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals would meet on Tuesday in Nationwide Arena in what could be a play-in game, should the Flyers also lose in regulation to the Canadiens.<\/p>\n
Imagine: NHL legend Alex Ovechkin, who could be retiring after this season, playing potentially his final NHL game with a chance to extend his career and the Caps\u2019 season by earning a playoff spot and a first-round matchup with Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the type of game that, on the surface, seems a little too rich for these Blue Jackets.<\/p>\n
After Sunday\u2019s 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, Werenski shared some interesting thoughts in an otherwise quiet dressing room. He was asked how the Blue Jackets\u2019 fast start \u2014 they dominated most of the first period \u2014 seemed to fizzle out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really know,\u201d Werenski said. \u201cI think we needed to up our urgency a little bit. I thought in the third we had a lot of Grade A chances to either take the lead or tie it back up. We missed on a few of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir so-called fourth line had all three goals for them. We have to do a better job of limiting that when a line like that is going, but I don\u2019t really know how it got away from us. I feel like we stuck to our game plan for a lot of it, but I just feel like our intensity needed to go up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The follow-up question was: How can the intensity not be through the roof for a game like Sunday\u2019s, when the season is on the line?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good question,\u201d Werenski said. \u201cIntensity might be the wrong word. The desperation \u2026 I feel like we were prepared and worked and were probably the better team for 60 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut certain plays, certain moments in a game, understanding the time and circumstances \u2026 those little moments in a game or in a season that might come back to hurt you. I definitely felt like we were ready to go and ready to play, but just some key plays at key times, we couldn\u2019t get a hold of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Werenski, more than captain Boone Jenner, has become the spokesperson for the Blue Jackets. That\u2019s a tough task in a season like this. There are no easy answers, no delicate way to say that too many players tended to shrink into the shadows when the lights got too bright.<\/p>\n
The blown third-period leads. The last-minute meltdowns. The inability to play consistently at a high level down the home stretch. It may all be a symptom of the same infection.<\/p>\n
Unless a near-miracle happens over the next 48 hours \u2014 two Philadelphia regulation losses, a Blue Jackets home win over the Capitals \u2014 GM Don Waddell can get started on a momentous offseason in Columbus.<\/p>\n
There are contracts to negotiate, a coaching staff to reassemble, trades to ponder, etc. But there\u2019s a more tedious task of figuring out what\u2019s keeping this dressing room from fully thriving.<\/p>\n
Item No. 2: Wait, what?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s be clear that the bizarre ending to Sunday\u2019s loss almost certainly didn\u2019t cost the Blue Jackets a chance to score the tying goal. But it was a calamity, and there hasn\u2019t yet been a sufficient explanation.<\/p>\n
With 19 seconds remaining and the Bruins leading 3-2, the Blue Jackets had goaltender Jet Greaves pulled for an extra attacker and a faceoff set for the left circle in the Boston zone. Just before the puck was dropped, Werenski said he heard two whistle chirps behind him.<\/p>\n
Veteran NHL referee Gord Dwyer was in position approximately 10 feet behind Werenski, which is where Werenski said he heard the whistles. He looked back toward Dwyer just as Dwyer turned to have a conversation with the Boston bench.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when the puck dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Dwyer) is a great ref,\u201d Werenski said. \u201cThat\u2019s obviously not why we lose the game. I have nothing but respect for him. But I was very confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you hear two whistles behind you, the play stops. I turned to look and he\u2019s obviously talking to their coach about a timeout. Next thing I know, the puck is out of our zone and I\u2019m chasing it in our corner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue Jackets players lingered on or near the bench for about a minute after the final buzzer, even as the Bruins headed to their dressing room and the officials skated through the tunnel to their room.<\/p>\n
Bowness said the officials insisted to him that nobody blew a whistle. But, if not, then why did Dwyer turn away from the play? There\u2019s no review process for something like this, either, Bowness lamented.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a small thing, right?\u201d Werenski said. \u201cBut we score in Detroit with (16.2) seconds left on a faceoff play (last Tuesday). Who\u2019s to say we don\u2019t keep it in and score?<\/p>\n
\u201cLike I said, it\u2019s not the reason we lose. It\u2019s an unfortunate ending. I don\u2019t know why they can\u2019t go back and watch it \u2014 he clearly blows it \u2014 and put the time back on the clock. But I guess that wasn\u2019t in the cards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Item No. 3: Farewell, FanDuel<\/p>\n
Tuesday\u2019s regular-season finale against Washington will air on ESPN+, so it\u2019s quite possible that Sunday\u2019s game was the last game involving the Blue Jackets to be broadcast by FanDuel Sports Network.<\/p>\n
The only way FanDuel would air another game is if the Blue Jackets got into the playoffs, in which case Steve Mears, Jody Shelley, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Dave Maetzold and Brian Giesenschlag would work the first-round series.<\/p>\n