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Reviewing Our 5 Bold Predictions for the 2022-23 Blue Jacket Season

By Curtis Deem

COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 04: Yegor Chinakhov #59 of the Columbus Blue Jackets controls the puck during the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Nationwide Arena on December 4, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 04: Yegor Chinakhov #59 of the Columbus Blue Jackets controls the puck during the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Nationwide Arena on December 4, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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Prediction #3: Cole Sillinger emerges as this team’s top line center…

*Looks around the room* … did we jinx him? Maybe. Cole Sillinger stunned us all when he made the team as an 18 year old for the 2021-22 season. Playing with a confident swagger, he scored 16 goals and 31 points for the Jackets, while providing them with surprisingly strong two-way hockey and doing a lot of the little things perfectly.

Feb 12, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger (34) during the warm-up session before the game against Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger (34) during the warm-up session before the game against Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports /

With this team’s lack of depth down the middle, this was honestly one of the predictions I felt best about. Cole seemed like he had the right attitude, and with his overall upside being that of a good two-way center with some skill and a great shot, why wouldn’t he be an ideal fit alongside Johnny Gaudreau?

Unfortunately, he fell flat on his face this season, scoring just 3 goals and 11 points in 64 games before being demoted to Cleveland to finish out the year. Still, the potential here is obvious, and a fresh voice behind the bench may be exactly what the doctor ordered to get Cole back on track.

Prediction #4: Some records fall, but the team still falls short of a playoff berth…

On this one, I can say I was absolutely 100% correct, and there’s nothing you can do to prove me wrong! Of course, the records that fell, just weren’t the ones that I predicted. But, records were broken, and the team did fall short of a playoff berth, so by general terminology, score one for the good guys.

The 2022-23 Jackets surrendered more goals (330) than any other iteration of the team, which shattered the old record by a full 30 (set just one year prior). They were essentially out of playoff contention by mid-November.

TAMPERE, FINLAND – NOVEMBER 05: head coach Brad Larsen of Columbus during the after game interview at the 2022 NHL Global Series – Finland match between Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets at Nokia Arena on November 5, 2022 in Tampere, Finland. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
TAMPERE, FINLAND – NOVEMBER 05: head coach Brad Larsen of Columbus during the after game interview at the 2022 NHL Global Series – Finland match between Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets at Nokia Arena on November 5, 2022 in Tampere, Finland. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) /

As for the specific records I predicted? Well, let’s just say that nobody came close to setting the franchise record for goals in a season. Kent Johnson was fairly close in rookie scoring (40 points, just 8 points shy of Pierre-Luc Dubois); and Gaudreau’s 74 points might have been on enough of an arc to set the record, if anyone else on the team had stayed healthy and productive.

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