The most impactful change to the Blue Jackets lineup for this season may be an upgrade made to the third line center slot. GM Don Waddell was able to acquire veteran pivot Charlie Coyle from the Colorado Avalanche, and we believe he will be a big difference maker.
As a result of this trade and the signing of Isac Lundestrom, the Blue Jackets will enter the new season deeper than they have ever been at the center position. They now have a nice mix of size, skill, experience, speed, and a variety of traits down the middle.
The cost to acquire Charlie Coyle wasn't very steep, all things considered. Waddell was able to pick him and Miles Wood up in exchange for prospect Gavin Brindley, a 2025 third round pick, and a conditional 2027 second rounder. The moment this trade was finalized, Coyle became the oldest, most experienced forward on the team.
When the puck drops on the 2025-26 season, he will be the most seasoned forward to wear the CBJ logo since Jakub Voracek. And, while I don't expect him to lead the team in scoring or set the single season franchise record for assists as Jake did in his first season back in Columbus; I do think Charlie will make a massive impact for the team this year.
A veteran of 950 career NHL games, the 6'3", 215 pound right shot center will make this team much harder to play against. He's averaged 73 games per season over the course of his 13 year career, scoring an average of roughly 15 goals and 37 points per year. This includes the lockout shortened 2019-20 season, as well as his rookie season that included only 37 games. If you exclude those two years, he has an average of more than 78 games played per year.
All of this points to a player that is remarkably durable, who will bring some much needed secondary scoring to an already potent CBJ offense. Charlie is also a much-needed faceoff option for the right side, though his career win rate (48.7%) isn't terrific. This should still be a big help for the team when key draws are on that side of the ice.
This isn't a guy who is going to go out and shift the scales because he's a dominant offensive weapon. Nor is he an elite shutdown center. Instead, I think he helps this team win more games because he's a smart, durable, capable veteran who will slot into an underappreciated role and be a difference maker.
At the very least, I expect him to be a big upgrade over the bottom six options this team has rolled out down the middle throughout its rebuild. He'll probably eat up a lot of the minutes occupied by Cole Sillinger on the third line. I think this will be pivotal for the youngest Sillinger's career, as it opens up the opportunity for him to play elsewhere in the lineup. Notably, not in a shutdown capacity against the opposition's top lines on a shift by shift basis.
I don't expect Charlie to be a dominant shutdown center, but I do think he's capable of holding his own for 14-16 minutes per night against any competition. He will chip in some secondary offense and provide the team with a veteran presence at one of the most important positions in hockey. With him on the ice, they should have the puck more. As a result, they will have a third scoring line.
One bold prediction: Charlie Coyle will exceed 20 goals and 50 points this season.
It will be interesting to see who plays on his line, because there are a lot of good options here. Names like Cole Sillinger, Boone Jenner, Yegor Chinakhov, Mathieu Olivier, and Miles Wood all come up. One of these guys will occupy a spot on the second line. The others will be jockeying for a place on this line alongside Charlie Coyle.
If the team can stay somewhat healthy and rediscover any of its magic from last season, I don't think 20 goals and 50 points are a stretch at all for this player. He's reached both milestones twice in his career, and despite the fact that he's 33 years old; I think there's still some gas left in the tank. As he enters a contract year, this may be his last shot to cash in one more time to close out a solid career.