Columbus Blue Jackets Have Star Power at Every Position
The NHL is a league that does not seem as star driven as the NBA, but teams still need to have stars to be successful in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After being booted from the postseason in the first round by the hated Pittsburgh Penguins, the Columbus Blue Jackets front office almost certainly had a long look at their roster. One question that must have arisen is if the Blue Jackets have enough star power to make a deeper run.
Star Addition
The Jackets made a big splash acquiring Artemi Panarin from the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Saad. Artemi has the real workings to be a star in the NHL, tallying 70+ points each of the last two seasons. Panarin’s only 25 years old, and he has already tallied 30 goals in each of his first two seasons.
While Brandon Saad was an NHL All-Star in Columbus, Panarin will add more of a scoring punch. Panarin is a real threat on the offensive end that the Blue Jackets desperately need. This Russian sniper will also add to an already potent power play.
Panarin will be a game-breaker for the Columbus Blue Jackets, a thing that has not been truly seen in Columbus since Rick Nash left. The Blue Jackets have added a real star that adds the dimension they were craving.
Blue Line Stars
While Panarin would be the only true star on the offensive end, Columbus has two star-caliber defensemen in Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. Seth Jones was named to last year’s All-Star team and has really grown into his role with Columbus on the top pair. Jones is a sure-handed defenseman with a scoring touch, evident by his 42 points last season.
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Along with Jones, Zach Werenski had a breakout campaign in his rookie season. Werenski was a Calder Trophy finalist after racking up 47 points. He also led the Blue Jackets in points for a defenseman in his first campaign.
The blue line in Columbus is star-studded and will only improve with Jones, 22, and Werenski, 20, improving as they age. Both of these defensemen have the tools to be real cornerstones for the Blue Jackets. These two also have the talent to become Norris Trophy candidates in the very near future.
Columbus’ Star in Net
These two stars are in front of another star, Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky has to be mentioned in the star discussion. Sergei has won two Vezina Trophies in his time in Columbus and has shown that he can win games even when the guys in front of him play poorly.
Columbus has a true star at every position on the ice. With Panarin, Werenski, Jones, and Bobrovsky in the Blue Jackets lineup, the Blue Jackets will be a force to come in the future and will be primed to make a deeper run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If Columbus is unable to claim their first playoff series win, next year will be looked upon as a disappointment.
As Columbus’ star power increases, their expectations will rise as well. This season was a success because of their expectations being low, but making the playoffs is not enough for the Blue Jackets’ faithful anymore.