5 storylines for Columbus Blue Jackets' stretch run
Welcome to the last 32.
The Blue Jackets begin the final “stretch run” of the season Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and they’ve already put in 50 games toward establishing a new identity under coach Pascal Vincent.
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The Jackets rarely take shifts off, let alone games, make opposing coaches nervous with their collective speed and have a developing young core that’s becoming a dangerous group. They’ve also fostered a habit of coughing up late leads, which is the biggest reason their 16-24-10 record doesn’t look much better than last year’s 15-32-3 at the same point.
It’s a hallmark of a young NHL team going through the pain-driven process of growth, and the challenge to keep improving only heightens in the final nine weeks. Unlike last year, when drudgery reigned supreme, the Blue Jackets remain upbeat about the direction they’re heading.
Here are five storylines to follow coming out of the Jackets’ mid-season break:
Columbus Blue Jackets motivated to finish strong
Going into the break, the Blue Jackets had no business leaving St. Louis with a victory at Enterprise Center.
They should’ve limped home singing the blues after losing to the Blues as a warmup for the blues-themed “Cannonball” fundraising extravaganza held Thursday in Columbus. That game was the conclusion of the Jackets’ longest road trip, which began with a 1-2-1 mark and included multiple distractions.
Rookie David Jiricek was assigned to the Cleveland Monsters and sounded off about it. Patrik Laine left in Vancouver to check himself into the NHL/NHL Players Association’s Player Assistance program. Rookie Adam Fantilli then sustained a lacerated calf in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, which will could sideline him up to six more weeks.
That’s all without mentioning the Jackets’ latest blown lead in a third period, a 4-1 margin, during a 5-4 overtime loss in Vancouver. The Blue Jackets were absolutely cooked by the time they arrived in St. Louis, but still managed to grind out a 1-0 victory to finish the trip 2-2-1 and get Elvis Merzlikins his first shutout in more than a year.
Vincent said it was proof the Blue Jackets were still ‘all in’ with their investment into this season, and they’re aiming to raise that bar even higher after getting a breather.
“You fall back on your heels now, you’re starting behind the eight ball next year,” defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. “So, the next step we need to take is to finish those games we’re leading. That’s huge. We’re going to play some very good hockey teams coming up, under some tough conditions with travel on long road trips, but it’s a great time to come together as a group.”
Columbus Blue Jackets will be sellers at NHL trade deadline
The NHL’s trade deadline (March 8) is less than a month away, so a lot of focus will be directed toward Columbus before it arrives. The Blue Jackets will be one of the most referenced “sellers” by insiders and analysts as the deadline approaches, and it has already started with mentions that captain Boone Jenner and his economical contract could fetch a handsome return.
The thought of trading Jenner, however, seems highly unlikely. Suitors who knock on the Blue Jackets’ door with the hope of landing Jenner should be prepared to sell the farm, livestock and every single piece of farming equipment they own to get it done. That’s not something contending teams usually cough up in deadline deals, but Jenner’s skillset and grit do fit perfectly into the NHL’s postseason.
Players who make more sense as potential trade options include depth forwards Sean Kuraly and Jack Roslovic plus depth defensemen Andrew Peeke and Jake Bean. The Blue Jackets could also free up other roster spots with trades to lessen organizational logjams, but those moves could wait until summer.
Columbus Blue Jackets, Elvis Merzlikins table trade flap
Near the tail end of his two-week demotion to third on the depth chart, Merzlikins’ frustrations boiled over while speaking with reporters who wondered why he wasn’t playing.
He said agent Gerry Johansson had met with team officials and that both sides agreed “a new scenario,” was necessary. Three days later, after clinching a shootout victory over Seattle at Nationwide Arena, Merzlikins told reporters his teammates all knew he’d requested a trade, and that appeared to be the beginning of his final days with the Blue Jackets.
Not so fast.
Johansson walked back those comments with reporters, saying Merzlikins “misspoke” about officially requesting a trade, which could be difficult to find anyway. The goalie’s $5.4 million charge against the NHL’s salary cap and three remaining years on his contract have likely prevented suitors from emerging, so there remains a chance that nothing will materialize.
“Honestly, there’s no point in thinking about it,” Merzlikins said Thursday. “It’s just useless stress you are putting on yourself, so I am just living day-by-day. I’ve said many times that I love it here. I love the city. I love the people. I am happy here, but I want to play and that is all that I want.”
Columbus Blue Jackets still aiming for defensive improvement
One area the Blue Jackets still have lots of room for improvement is defensive play, despite adding veteran defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson last summer.
Those two were acquired to shore up an inexperienced blue line, but it hasn’t happened yet. A team’s defensive play, however, isn’t determined solely by defensemen. It’s a team sport that requires skaters and the goalie to work in unison to keep pucks out of the net.
The good news is in the raw numbers.
The Jackets have shaved almost half a goal per game off their goals-against average from last season, dropping from 4.01 last year to 3.66 now while also dropping their shots allowed average by nearly two. The bad news is where those numbers rank. The Blue Jackets’ goals against per game remains 31st, which is right where it finished last season. They’ve also improved two spots in shots allowed, now ranked 29th instead of 31st, but that’s too small of an increase.
Vincent said an emphasis on defending the slot areas has begun to show up in stats the Jackets are tracking, but allowing too many scoring chances and shots is still an issue.
Will Adam Fantilli or Patrik Laine play again this season for Columbus Blue Jackets?
The Blue Jackets are heading toward the stretch run with uncertainty about Fantilli and Laine.
At this point, it feels like Fantilli has the better odds of returning before next season. That’s mainly for two reasons. The first is that not much is known about Laine’s status or reasons for entering the player assistance program. The second is Fantilli’s projected recovery.
Doctors placed his return around eight weeks from the injury, which happened Jan. 28 in Seattle. That means March 24 is the eight-week mark, which lands in the middle of a five-game trip to Detroit, Colorado, Las Vegas, Arizona and Pittsburgh.
Could Fantilli be ready for the final two games of the trip? Earlier? He’s a “rink rat,” type, so it’ll be difficult to hold him out, especially on a stage like Vegas.
“I’m pretty hopeful,” Vincent said. “I believe we will see him (return this season). I’d be very disappointed if we don’t, so in my mind he’s going to play.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 5 storylines for Columbus Blue Jackets' final two months
