Predicting the Opening Night Roster
Training camp is fast approaching for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and while there are plenty of positions on the roster locked down firmly, there are a few up for grabs. This team will again be one of the youngest in the NHL, but this year there is plenty of skill being inserted into the lineup. Fans are excited to see a refreshed, more skilled version of the CBJ this year, and this team should be fun to watch. Here’s how the team might look on opening night; you can follow the links to find our season previews for each player we wrote up:
First line: LW Johnny Gaudreau, C Boone Jenner, RW Patrik Laine
This one is pretty obvious really. Gaudreau is one of the elite playmaking wingers in the entire NHL, and will play in every key offensive situation for this team. The moment he puts on a Blue Jackets sweater, he will immediately become one of the most talented players to ever play for this team. I have a hard time not seeing Patrik Laine on his opposite wing, at least until they prove they don’t fit together. As we know, Laine is one of the game’s premier snipers. If they click, this could be one of the most lethal scoring duos in the game.
The #1 center job is Boone Jenner’s to lose, at least for the start of the season. With high flying wingers like Laine and Gaudreau, the team needs a two-way presence to keep this line honest, and there is nobody better than Jenner at this point. The only concern I have here is, can Boone keep up with them offensively? He did a great job last season, but is probably best suited in more of a depth role long-term.
Second line: LW Kent Johnson, C Jack Roslovic, RW Jakub Voracek
The Jackets are fortunate enough to have another high end playmaker in Jakub Voracek. I think, in a second line role, he could be a dynamic player this season as he likely sees more ice while teams focus in on defending Gaudreau. Roslovic finished last season on an absolute bender, with 10 goals in the final 10 games. His finishing ability and improving two-way play makes him an obvious fit to center a line with Voracek.
Kent Johnson slots right in as the team’s second line LW to start the season. I feel like he’s capable of driving offense from this position; a veteran presence from Voracek and a natural shooter like Roslovic should help bring the most out of Johnson as he looks to contend for a Calder Trophy this season. He’s impressed at every level of competition thus far, and most recently was fantastic at the Traverse City tournament. Playing him in a middle six role ensures that opposing teams will have a matchup nightmare, should they overload defensively against the team’s top line. See: Blue Jackets training camp schedule and roster.
Third line: LW Gustav Nyquist, C Cole Sillinger, RW Kirill Marchenko
Cole Sillinger was really impressive last year, and my gut says by the end of this season he’ll be playing a more key role for this team. He looks every bit the part of a high end two-way center, and I really think he’s the answer to the #1 center question here. But out of camp, I think he winds up in the middle-six, alongside veteran utility winger Gustav Nyquist and rookie Kirill Marchenko.
Nyquist plays in all situations and has become a valuable veteran voice for the club; I think he’s the perfect leader to play on this young line. Marchenko started slowly at Traverse City, but came on strong and by the end of the tournament, he looked capable of dominating. He’ll still need time to put it all together, but he’s a natural scorer who can add to this line’s two-way capabilities because he plays hard on both sides of the puck. I think this line will mesh extremely well, they all compliment each other nicely.
Fourth line: LW Eric Robinson, C Sean Kuraly, RW Justin Danforth
Sean Kuraly leads the way on the team’s checking line this season, bringing plenty of size, speed, and physicality to his two-way game. He was a revelation for the Blue Jackets last year, and seems to be a vital part of the bottom-six group here. Eric Robinson doesn’t bring much in the way of offense, but is an important speedster and key penalty killer for the club. He and Kuraly were arguably the two most consistent forwards last season, both playing their roles consistently and giving the team a quality fourth line – regardless who played on the other wing.
Justin Danforth is my bet to win the final roster spot for this team. He will be a difficult cut for Brad Larsen because of the way his motor is always turning. He’s another guy that I thought played consistently last year, keeping his game simple with plenty of speed, up and down play; and chipping in some secondary offense. I think this trio could make for a very good identity line for the Blue Jackets, taking some of the tougher defensive matchups and giving the team a solid forechecking line.
Extras: LW Emil Bemstrom, RW Mathieu Olivier
Emil Bemstrom will have to work extremely hard to win a spot at camp, but I think he will fall just short. There’s too much depth on the wings, and he’s just been passed up by too many guys. If he makes the cut, I think it’s at the expense of Danforth – or as the result of an injury. Olivier is the perfect guy to keep around the team in an extra forward role. He was acquired to add toughness and physicality to the group, and can be inserted into the lineup as needed.
Missing the cut: W Yegor Chinakhov, LW Liam Foudy, LW Brendan Gaunce
First defense pair: Zach Werenski, Andrew Peeke
Zach Werenski returns unchallenged as the team’s #1 defenseman. He will play in every offensive situation, and while his defensive game often leaves more to be desired, he’s still a good option on the penalty kill also. Expect Zach to play 20-25 minutes nightly. Joining him to start the year is his primary partner from last season, Andrew Peeke. Like Jenner on the top line, Peeke is probably best suited lower in the lineup – but is currently the most clear option to offset Werenski on the top pair. Peeke was very good last year; his game is built around blocking shots, throwing hits, and playing defense first hockey. This year, they need him to be even better.
Second defense pair: Vladislav Gavrikov, Adam Boqvist
The anchor of the second defense pair, Vladislav Gavrikov, may be one of the most critical players to this team’s success this season. He’s the best natural defender on the team, and while his 33 points last season was a nice addition, they need him to emerge as a dominant shutdown option. He’ll most likely be joined by Adam Boqvist, who brings high end skill and an offensive mind to the team. Boqvist likely plays on the second power play, and by season’s end I wouldn’t be surprised to see him and Peeke swap roles. But before that can happen, Boqvist needs to prove that he can defend at the NHL level.
Third defense pair: Jake Bean, Erik Gudbranson
Erik Gudbranson signed a big contract with the Blue Jackets this summer, and that comes with big expectations – especially for a guy likely slated in a depth role. It’s possible that he could play on the second pairing with Gavrikov and give the team a shutdown tandem, but I think he’s best suited as a physical, third pair defenseman in the NHL. Jake Bean was a bit of an up and down player last season. At times, he looked like he belonged in the top-four … but at other times, he was only visible for bad reasons. That’s not a good evaluation for a young defenseman, and he needs to show that he can play consistently enough at both ends of the ice, if he’s going to earn that role in the future.
Seventh man: Nick Blankenburg
Just six months ago, Nick Blankenburg wasn’t even on our radar. But, after signing a contract and joining the team alongside University of Michigan teammate Kent Johnson, Blankenburg was just solid for the Blue Jackets. He was a force on both sides of the puck and emerged as a young leader on the back end. Not bad for a guy who only played in seven games. Had the team not signed Gudbranson, he almost surely makes the opening night lineup. I expect him to be the first player inserted in, should someone struggle or get injured.
Missing the cut: Jake Christiansen, Gavin Bayreuther, David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk, Marcus Bjork
Goalies: Elvis Merzlikins, Joonas Korpisalo
No surprise here, as Merzlikins is locked up long-term as this team’s starter. Korpisalo returns with a fresh one-year contract to prove himself as an NHL goalie. The clock might be ticking for Joonas, but we have seen him stand on his head before. If he’s healthy, I think he could become a valuable trade chip by season’s end – or at least, he’ll push Merzlikins to be even better. I expect roughly a 50/30 split as far as starts this season, with Merzlikins shouldering as much of the workload as possible.
Missing the cut: Daniil Tarasov
This franchise is loaded with prospects and will still be in transition. I have a hard time not seeing Yegor Chinakhov on the opening night roster, but who do you take out of the lineup for him? And, it’s hard to see him sitting in the press box nightly. He’d be better suited playing in the AHL, gaining confidence, and then being called up when opportunity arises. He’s the toughest cut I can foresee if the roster shakes out this way.
In summary, I think this will be a very good team, maybe even on the playoff bubble. But, I still think they are 1-2 pieces away from serious contention. Ideally, they need someone other than Jenner to assume the role of #1 center. If Cole Sillinger (or maybe even Kent Johnson) can grab that role and be a two-way force, their chances improve. Aside from that, the defense is still very young, and in my opinion, there’s too much offense there. They will need to see improvements in the defensive zone from all six guys (and anyone else who joins the lineup), if they are to sniff the playoffs.
Lastly, the goaltending last season simply was not good enough. If the defense improves, and the centers do a better job in support, I think Merzlikins and Korpisalo are both capable. They’ll steal a game here and there, but really this team isn’t built in a way that needs that to happen any longer. They just need to be above average, and get better support. If all of these things happen this year, maybe Jarmo’s reload will be finished quicker than expected.