Columbus Blue Jackets January 2019 Schedule Breakdown
While January holds a bye for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the month is one of the toughest all year.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a ton of off time in January. The team only plays 11 games in 31 days. But with three back-to-backs and several big time opponents, January presents a tough challenge for the squad.
January over the last two season’s hasn’t been the best month for the Jackets. Whether that is just tough schedules or just annual midseason wear and tear, the team hasn’t played its best hockey in January.
The team will start out the month on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes after three days off. The Canes matchup will be the start of a mini three game road trip south of the Mason-Dixon line. After the game in Raleigh, the team will fly to Sunrise to take on the Panthers in a tough back-to-back slot against a pesky Panthers squad.
I am not a fan of the traveling back-to-back especially against these two squads. I am not a fan of three days off either. Its one too many off days for my liking. Not an easy start to the month for the Jackets.
Week One Prediction: 0-1-1
Week Two: January 7th-13th
This is the toughest week of the entire season for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Coming off back-to-back road games at Carolina and Florida, the Jackets will finish up their three game road trip at Tampa Bay against the Eastern Conference favorites.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Lightning will have two full days off to recover from their California road trip before hosting the Jackets who are playing three games in four nights on the road. The Lightning are loaded and play very well at home. Not a great matchup for the Jackets.
After the Tampa game, the team will return home. As a welcome back gift the team gets to face the Nashville Predators. The Preds, much like the Lightning, are one of the top five best teams in the NHL and one of the favorites to take home the cup. The Jackets luckily do catch the Preds on the back end of two games in two nights but it still is a massive showdown.
The squads third game of the week is against the defending Stanley Cup champions in Washington D.C.
Woof.
So in three games in the Jackets will face teams who combined racked up 335 points, three divisional titles, a Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup. Not the greatest three game stretch.
To top off the week the Jackets have to fly back to Columbus and host the Rangers the next night. not a great back-to-back situation after the week they will have been through. This might be the lowest the Jackets season looks all year.
Week Two Prediction: 0-2-2
Week Three: January 14th-20th
Following the toughest week all year, this slate of three games should look like a cakewalk for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although there is a back-to-back with travel, the Jackets should be favored in all three games.
The week starts at home on Tuesday the 15th against the New Jersey Devils. The Metro matchup will be the teams third metro opponent in a row.
The Jackets will then have two full days off until the host the hapless Habs from Montreal. The Canadians, much like the Rangers, will rely almost solely on their Vezina caliber goalie, Carey Price, for any wins the accumulate this season.
The night following the Montreal victory, the team will fly to the Twin Cities to take on the Wild. Minnesota didn’t do a ton in the offseason and will likely be another year older and slower. Not a great proposisiton for Bruce Boudreaux’s squad. Expect the Jackets to play well on the back end of this two game swing.
This is exacatly the three game schedule the Jackets need to get back on track following a week where they face Tampa, Nashville, and Washington.
Week Three Prediction: 2-0-1
Bye Week and Week Four: January 20th-31st
Following the Columbus Blue Jackets road tilt against the Wild the team will go on its mandatory bye week. The team will end up having eight full days off in between their matchup on the 19th and the 29th.
That game on the 29th will come at home against the Buffalo Sabres. Last year the team came off of its bye and beat the Stars in a shootout. I don’t expect the Jackets to need a shootout to beat the Sabers.
The team will then travel to what is sure to be a cold, snowy night in Winnepeg for the annual trip to Manitoba. The Jets are flat out talented. They are the favorites to win the west and the Jackets will have their hands full.
It will be the Jets first home game in 16 nights and the crowd will be fired up to welcome their boys back home.
Week Four Prediction: 1-1-0
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The month will be a tough one for both the team and the fans. The big gap between games, bye week, travel schedule and opponents set up for a huge challenge right in the dog days of the season.
In January we will find out what this team is really made of. If the team performs better than 3-4-3, than the month was a great success.
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