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The Three Biggest Surprises and Disappointments for the Blue Jackets

By Curtis Deem

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 4: Kirill Marchenko #86 of the Columbus Blue Jackets waits for a puck drop against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on April 4, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Blue Jackets 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 4: Kirill Marchenko #86 of the Columbus Blue Jackets waits for a puck drop against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on April 4, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Blue Jackets 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Inconsistency is going to happen with a young roster, and the Jackets had the youngest roster in the NHL coming into the season. Worse, they lost some of their most skilled veterans long-term, early in the season.

Biggest disappointment: injuries

Oct 20, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators in the third period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators in the third period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

The injury situation here could be the cause of every other negative situation here this season. The Jackets will not have a single player play in all 82 games this season. They’ve used 43 different players, including a franchise record 6 goalies; 13 defensemen, and 24 forwards. That’s two completely different lineups of players, plus an extra defenseman and two extra goalies.

How much differently might this season have gone if they’d just stayed mostly healthy? I’m not saying they would be in the playoffs right now. Maybe they would still be a lottery team. But, we would at least have a year of true evaluations and a better feeling for where some guys are, who might fit in long term, and maybe who needs to go for this team to take steps forward.

Nov 10, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gaelen Morse-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gaelen Morse-USA TODAY Sports /

They lost their top defenseman before the season was 25% gone. In fact every defenseman has missed time due to injury; while spark plug forward Justin Danforth has been out for nearly six months, and veterans Gustav Nyquist and Jakub Voracek saw their Blue Jacket careers end. Captain Boone Jenner, Patrik Laine … heck, just type out the whole roster here.

Would things have gone differently for Cole Sillinger, had he not missed most of the preseason due to a concussion? Or better yet, had he not lost his wily veteran linemate in Voracek early in the season? We can also look at the goaltending situation and say that things probably would have been better with a healthy Werenski leading the way.

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Coaches and players will often say that there are no excuses in sports. That’s basically true; the team who shows up and plays the best will often win. But let’s not forget that there is a talent separation as well. And, it’s really hard for players to show up and play their best, when they’re having serious shoulder surgery early in the season.

No roster featuring a back-end of Andrew Peeke, Adam Boqvist, Gavin Bayreuther, Marcus Bjork, Tim Berni, and Billy Sweezey, is going to contend for anything other than a lottery pick. But over the last couple of weeks, that’s what this team has been running with … in front of Jon Gillies and Michael Hutchinson in goal. And it’s really been this way all season, with guys rotating through who probably aren’t suited for NHL time.

Apr 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) scores a goal past Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Michael Hutchinson (31) during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) scores a goal past Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Michael Hutchinson (31) during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

All we can do is hope that GM Jarmo Kekalainen pulls some strings and bolsters this team’s depth on defense for next season. A couple of top-six centers wouldn’t hurt either, but we know that’s asking a lot. Regardless, for a team that’s averaging more than 4 goals against, it can’t get much worse. Can it?

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