2013-14 Columbus Blue Jackets Season Predictions: Over Or Under Cont…

As part of our ongoing preview of the 2013-14 NHL Season, it is time to continue the prediction series! Instead of the standard “what will happen?” format, Mike Majeski thought an Over / Under format would be more interesting. In this series, each staff writer at the Union and Blue will answer Over or Under in response to several hypothetical stats for the 2013-14 season and then explain why they selected that option. In a future post we will check back and see how everyone did. Make sure to check out the first post in this series, Over Or Under – Mike Majeski, and the second post Over Or Under – Mark Huss.

The Blue Jackets will finish the regular season with 90 pts: Over or Under?

Over

Mar 14, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Artem Anisimov (42) celebrates after scoring in the shootout agianst the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Blackhawks won 2-1 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

The Columbus Blue Jackets are definitely getting more attention this year than they have received to start a season since the beginning of the 2009-2010 season, and a whole hell of a lot more than they received last year. Stating that, few have the Blue Jackets making the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I on the other hand, see them making the playoffs, so I chose over 90 points for this category. In 2008-2009 the Blue Jackets made the playoffs, they ended the season with 92 points and the 7th seed in the Western Conference. A healthy Cam Atkinson, Marian Gaborik, and Artem Anisimov, along with Matt Calvert, Ryan Johansen, and Nathan Horton, come November (hopefully), should make this offense remarkably better. The Defense will have a healthy Ryan Murray and should prove to be a strength of the team again this year. Oh yeah, then there is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, the top cop himself Sergei Bobrovsky. He is coming off an incredible season, a newly signed contract, and the backing of an entire city to help him propel us to the playoffs.

Bobrovsky will win 35 games in the 2013-14 season: Over or Under?

Over

I just picked the Blue Jackets to go over the 90 point mark on the last question, so this question would have to be over as well. Theoretically, if Bob can stay healthy, he will start 65-70 games this season and a 30-30-10 record just wouldn’t make sense. I can see Bobrovsky posting 40 wins, with 20 losses, and 10 overtime or shootout losses which would put him over the 35 win mark. Bobrovsky will be coming off of a stellar year, in which he won the Blue Jackets starting position, and cemented himself as one of the top 5 goalies in the league. I have said this time in and time out, he has an incredible work ethic and I can see him wanting to prove to all the doubters, that he is worth the money he received this offseason. I got a chance to see him practice last Saturday, and watched him make some silly saves from point-blank range with three players in his crease trying to pound the puck home, it was remarkable!

Bobrovsky’s Goals Against Average (GAA), 2.00: Over or Under?

Over

Between the 2008-2013 seasons there have only been 10 goalies to post a sub 2.00 GAA. So in five seasons ten players have accomplished this feat, or an average of 2 a year. I think Bobrovsky is going to have another phenomenal season, however I see his GAA being around the 2.05-2.10 range for the 2013-2014 season. If he goes below or sits right at 2.00 I wouldn’t be surprised, but I don’t think he will have to stand on his head this much this year with the Blue Jackets improved offense.

Marian Gaborik will finish the season with 75 points: Over or Under?

Under

Gaborik is healthy, possibly for the first time in a couple of years, and no longer has to deal with the bat crap crazy John Tortorella. He will be playing on the top line of this team for the majority of the season most likely, maybe on the second line at worst. I see Marian scoring 35-40 goals while adding 30-35 assists, and if I had to pick a total I would say just shy of the 75 point mark at 73. The main reason I do not see him eclipsing the 75 point mark is he will have a ton of help around him, and not be relied upon to carry the offensive production solely on his shoulders.

Jared Boll will rack up 200 Penalty Minutes this season: Over or Under?

Over

Mar 14, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Matt Calvert (11) lands a punch on Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw (65) at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

Jared is going to be THE enforcer for the Columbus Blue Jackets this year. Sure we have a couple other players that will drop the gloves, James Wisniewski, Blake Comeau, and even Matt Calvert has proved he will throw some punches. However the Blue Jackets true enforcer will be Jared Boll, and 200 penalty minutes equals out to 40 fights at 5 minutes a pop. That equals out to 1 fight every other game, which for Jared seems totally possible. That doesn’t take into account some of the penalties he is bound to be called for throughout the 2013-2014 season. So I say he ends up around the 220-230 mark for penalty minutes.

The Blue Jackets will win a playoff game this year: Over or Under?

Over

Ohhhh how I have been waiting to answer this question since I read Mike’s original article. I will not lie, I am still jacked up over last season’s run, and possibly the opening preseason game (a 5-4 win in OT…sound familiar?). I know it was just a preseason game but, I have a feeling this team is in the best position they have ever been in, and I can’t help but think it is only going to get better from here. What’s better than barely missing the playoffs you ask? Making the playoffs, and once they do that, they have the type of team, gameplay, and most of all the goalie to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

I did my best to put on my odds maker pants with this post, and give you my edition of our Over/Under post. There are more predictions to come so stay tuned, and give us your opinions, and your predictions for the Columbus Blue Jackets. I look forward to looking back and seeing how right or wrong we were.