With on-ice training camp officially starting in Columbus tomorrow, there is a lot to be determined about how certain players look in certain roles, budding chemistry, and direct competition between teammates.
There are a few particular areas of the team's lineup and roster that are truly up in the air as of right now, and training camp will likely determine how those decisions are made.
Let's start by looking at how a new acquisition will impact the depth at a key position already secured by a star player.
Cam Talbot has the edge for the backup goalie spot, but it's not written in stone
Just days before things get underway, the Blue Jackets made the long-awaited move of adding more goaltender depth and competition after Elvis Merzlikins underwent surgery in August.
Cam Talbot is likely penciled in for the backup goalie spot behind Jet Greaves for now, but don't forget about Columbus' other free agent goalie signing this offseason in Pheonix Copley.
Going into this season, Talbot brings 567 games of NHL experience to the crease, most recently having played with the Detroit Red Wings over the past two seasons.
This past season, Talbot posted a .883 save percentage with a 3.19 goals against average and -13.1 goals saved above expected. These numbers aren't great, but he did average a .907 save percentage with 23.5 goals saved above expected across the two seasons prior.
The Blue Jackets are clearly counting on him to bounce back this year, and it remains to be seen how much gas the 39-year-old has left in the tank.
On the other hand, you have Pheonix Copley, who has played in just ten NHL games across the last three seasons and recorded a .871 save percentage in that time.
However, he's been solid in the AHL the last two years, putting together two seasons with a save percentage above .900 and a goals against average below 2.60 each year. He's also a bit younger, although still on the older side, at 34 years old.
Again, it looks like Talbot has the inside track to the NHL roster spot, but both of these guys should be hungry for the opportunity to prove they've still got it.
With the timetable for Merzlikins still yet to be announced, it's tough to say what the situation looks like when he does return. If one of these two healthy goaltenders performs well enough, the backup spot may be theirs to lose.
On the next slide, we look at another position where the top half of the group is pretty much set, but the last spot or two may be up for grabs.
Add us as a preferred source on Google