Five Bold Predictions for the 2022-23 CBJ Season
As the ice is being laid down across the cities of the NHL, the dawn of a new season is upon us. For the Blue Jackets, this season is ripe with hope and a brighter future. After the shocking signing of UFA Johnny Gaudreau, and the arrival of several highly touted prospects, this team is suddenly loaded with skill and high end talent. While they may still be a couple of key components way from contention, the Jackets enter this season with a buzz around them.
I think the season could really go either way for them. They could come together early and make a playoff run. Or, they could collapse and take part in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Whatever happens, I think they will be fun to watch because of the fresh look of the roster. Here are five bold predictions I have for the coming season.
Erik Gudbranson actually does help solidify the defense.
While the Gaudreau signing turned heads in a good way, the club’s signing of Erik Gudbranson was met with mostly sneers from fans of the organization, and opposing fans alike. But, I think it’s important to look at the situation from a grander scale. Read: 2022 Season Preview: Erik Gudbranson
This team sorely lacked leadership and physicality last season, and Gudbranson brings both. While it’s absurd to slot him onto the top pairing; he’ll fit nicely into a bottom-four that is loaded with talent but very thin on experience. if you look at what this kind of addition does to the pairings, it makes sense. You get size and toughness to play in defensive situations, or on the PK. It limits defensive zone starts for players like Adam Boqvist or Zach Werenski, freeing them up to play where they’ll do the most damage – the offensive zone.
It also gives Andrew Peeke a mentor and takes some of the physical workload off of his shoulders. Most importantly, you get that leadership presence for what was the most inexperienced defense corps in the NHL last season. The contract is likely 1-2 years too long. It’s probably $1M too much on the AAV side. But, this signing fills a gaping hole for a team that didn’t have anyone close to ready to fill it. I think he’ll bring respectability and accountability to this young group, even if the money and term are too much.
He probably isn’t enough to make the Blue Jackets a playoff team this year, but I think he makes them harder to play against.
Chinakhov improves vastly, and Marchenko gets Calder love.
Yegor Chinakhov takes massive steps this season and makes future decisions for the Blue Jackets, much more difficult.
Some people seem to have written Yegor off, but I think he’s a core piece of this team’s future. We talked about it in our season preview; his two-way game is better than I expected and his shot is, well, lethal. I think a full season in the NHL was the right move for his development, and he now knows what the expectations are over a full 82 game schedule. He’s a super skilled player who has a year in North America under his belt. I think he could be a sneaky difference maker for the club this season.
Joining Yegor is fellow Russian; 2018 second round pick (#49 overall) Kirill Marchenko. Quietly, he has developed into arguably one of the best offensive prospects in all of hockey. His numbers may not make that obvious due to his team in Russia benching him for not signing, but make no mistake: this guy can play.
At 6-3 and nearly 190 pounds, this is a guy who has played against men in the KHL for the last three full seasons. He’s 22 years old and comes to the NHL as a developed, well-rounded offensive player who can score goals and create offense in a variety of ways. Kent Johnson is the top prospect in the system, but I don’t think Marchenko is that far behind in terms of productivity upside … and I think he’s more NHL ready.
I think he will not only make this team out of camp; I think he will compete for a role on one of the top scoring lines for the Blue Jackets, slotting in alongside one of Gustav Nyquist or Jakub Voracek; along with whichever center gives them the best chemistry. Marchenko is talented enough to be a 25-30 goal scorer in the NHL; the only question I have is, can he do it this year? If he can, I think he just might be a Calder Trophy candidate.
Cole Sillinger emerges as this team’s top line center.
Boone Jenner starts the year as the top line center between Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine; but at some point, Cole Sillinger takes over the role.
But, he’s only 19 years old!
This one may seem like a stretch, but I think the debate about this team’s center situation is going to be answered from within. I don’t see that solution being Jack Roslovic (best suited on the second or third line) or even Kent Johnson (I think he’s a winger). Jenner has done a great job in this role, but face it: he isn’t ideal here, and is probably better suited in a third line role where he can work with the youngsters.
Sillinger is coming off of an 18 year old season where he played 79 games, scoring 16 goals and 31 points in the best league in the world. He did this while playing against top competition in arguably the most difficult position on the ice. He returns this fall as a seasoned sophomore player, who plays above his years in terms of style, and with an understanding of what it will take to compete day in and day out in the NHL. Read: 2022 Season Preview: Cole Sillinger
I think it will still take time, and even if he is injected into this role by season’s end, I expect growing pains. But, he’s the only guy on the roster that I see as a legitimate, long-term top-six center option. Why not get started now?
The fit is obvious; with Laine being the goal scorer and Gaudreau being the setup man, they need a two-way player that can keep pace with their skill. Cole Sillinger is that guy.
Some records fall, but the team still falls short of a playoff berth.
Most importantly, I think the team’s season record 41 goals (Rick Nash, Cam Atkinson), is in serious danger. If Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau can formulate any kind of chemistry, it’s without doubt that Laine is capable of scoring 50 goals in this league. To boot, I think Gaudreau could be a contender for the team’s points record (87, Artemi Panarin), if things go well.
Aside from that, if he can remain healthy, Zach Werenski seems primed to break the team’s scoring record by a defenseman (57, Seth Jones) at some point. If the power play clicks, I can see this being a real possibility as well. Read: 2022 Season Preview: Zach Werenski
Dare we say, the rookie scoring record is in danger also (48, Pierre-Luc Dubois)? Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson could both be highly productive rookies this year.
All that said, I still think this team is 1-2 years away from being a playoff contender. They lack top end centers, as well as depth and experience on the blue line. There are simply too many question marks: What if Marchenko, Johnson, Chinakhov and Sillinger all produce big? What if Laine and Gaudreau mesh? What if Merzlikins finds form as one of the top goalies in the league? What if the defense makes vast improvements?
Sure, anything is possible … but for this team to make a run, all of those what ifs probably have to come true. If that happens, hand Brad Larsen the Jack Adams award ASAP.
More likely, this season gives GM Jarmo Kekalainen one last chance to evaluate and formulate the future core of this team. Which leads us to…
Major changes are made to the core of this team, this season.
We have been witness to one of the boldest summers in Blue Jacket history this year, and I think that continues throughout the season.
How the season shakes out, likely signals what those changes may be. If the team plays well early and keeps pace with the rest of the division, I think those changes may simply be moving on from a veteran player like Gustav Nyquist, to free up opportunity for the younger guys on the team. Whether that happens at the deadline, or next offseason, would be the only question.
If the team struggles to gel or some of the young guys don’t step up as quickly as hoped, I think we could even see veteran players added to the roster, to help the team stem the tide. The last thing you want, are the young players being OK with settling for losing.
Most likely, I think Jarmo goes big game hunting. This team is stacked with young players and futures, really more than the roster will be able to handle if they all pan out. As mentioned in the last page, what they lack are a top-six center, and depth/experience on defense. We’ve seen the Jakub Chychrun rumors, and I think that’s the kind of player he might look to add at the expense of some of the youth in the system.
If a young center with future term comes available, we could see a major, foundational shake-up that would alter the course of this team for many years. Thinking along the lines of someone who would fit into this group now, and for the next several seasons. This is the last season of evaluation; after this it’s time for this team to get back to contention. This would be one way to do that.
One thing we should all appreciate as we watch this exciting group this fall, is that management here will no longer settle for being second or third tier. This franchise is now committed to winning, and have shown a willingness to do whatever it takes to get there. In my opinion, the future has never been brighter, and I don’t recall ever being as excited to see what this team can do, as I am this fall. Read: Embrace the Hate