Columbus Blue Jackets 2023-24 Season Preview: Johnny Gaudreau

After a very solid first year in Columbus that saw him lead the Blue Jackets in scoring by 22 points, Johnny Gaudreau enters his second season in Central Ohio with even greater expectations. With a new head coach, some new faces, and a (hopefully) more healthy roster; can Johnny Hockey rewrite the CBJ record books this season?

LW Johnny Gaudreau

5’9″, 165 pounds

2022-23 stats: 80GP, 21G, 53A, 74Pts, -33, 22PIMs

Acquired: Signed as a free agent, July 2022

(Originally drafted 4th round, #104 overall, 2011 NHL Draft)

Contract: $9.75M AAV through 2028-29

Role: first line LW

It will be difficult for Gaudreau to score more than 80 points this season (the team record is 87), but I don’t think it’s impossible. The team still lacks a true first line center, at least for now. But he was very productive last season with Boone Jenner filling in that role, and this year the team should be more prepared, play with better structure, and with more support all over the ice.

New head coach Mike Babcock will certainly hold everyone more accountable. He’ll also have an offensive scheme that will have Gaudreau as the centerpiece. Johnny is already one of the premier playmaking wingers in the NHL, and if this system gets players into the right places for him to dish out passes, it should work pretty well in theory.

There isn’t much to say about Johnny that hasn’t already been said. Though undersized, he’s stayed remarkably healthy throughout his career – even playing in almost every game for the Jackets last season. He’s not the fastest guy on the ice, but when the puck is on his stick he has that rare knack for slowing the game down and knowing where everyone else is, allowing him to make things happen. He can score goals, but really, his game is best suited when he’s given open space to make passes – something we’re all hoping to see more of this season.

Three keys to success:

1. Help. No really, someone needs to help him. He led the team in scoring by 22 points last season. Part of that is because the second leading scorer (Patrik Laine) played just 55 games. If some of the guys can stay healthy this year and help him out, Johnny will be fine.
2. Adapt. This isn’t really as much of a concern, but it is still something that has to happen. Babcock wants his team to have the puck. Gaudreau is at his best when he has the puck. It should work right away, but any adjusting needs to happen quickly.
3. Drive the offense. When he’s on his game, Gaudreau is a top-10 scoring winger in the NHL. He can almost single-handedly create offense, and will be expected to carry the bulk of that load for the Jackets this season. He can do it.

As far as answering our opening question, can Johnny exceed 87 points this season? Absolutely. But, a lot has to go right. First and foremost, I think the sooner Adam Fantilli owns the first line center spot, the quicker this team is going to improve – most importantly, the offense. Not to slight Boone Jenner, who has done a terrific job in that role; but this team needs someone with higher upside to play in that spot. Whether it’s Laine or Kirill Marchenko on that opposite wing, Gaudreau is going to create plenty of offense. I don’t see him breaking the record this season personally; but if he can gain chemistry with some linemates this season, the sky is the limit moving forward.