In the second half of our two-part series this week, we are talking about things that have not improved. Today we have the glass-half-empty side of things: here are 5 reasons the Columbus Blue Jackets might actually be worse next season.
As we said at the beginning of yesterday's glass-half-full article: there haven't been many changes to the CBJ lineup. That worked in a positive light, but it also makes sense in a negative light, as you will see in this perspective.
1. The magic goes away.
The Blue Jackets were far better than a lot of people predicted last season, and a lot of that was due to the team's incredible chemistry. From top to bottom, the entire organization banded together and helped each other through tragedy. The result was nothing short of magical.
One of the biggest things that could hold this team back as they try to move ahead: that cohesion coming apart. It doesn't seem like this is likely to happen because there is a strong leadership group here; and they have been through some serious things together. But, it is very possible.
Last year, every player on the roster found a role suited for their talents. The veterans accepted their roles, and the youngsters were allowed to learn through their mistakes. As part of that development, a lot of those young players stepped up in bigger ways, resulting in a much improved team overall.
Most importantly: everyone had the back of the guy next to him on the bench. If one guy was struggling, someone was there to pick him up. They weren't negative to each other. If a scrum ensued, everyone was jumping in. That kind of culture results in everyone's value coming up, and it's the kind of magic that teams search for years to find.
If that chemistry goes away for the Blue Jackets next season, they could find themselves in a draft lottery spot. This roster simply doesn't have the kind of talent to win games if they aren't showing up ready to compete for one another, each and every night. They will have to win together if they are going to be successful.
But, that bond might still not be enough. There are a lot of roster question marks. We'll dive into the first one on the next page.