Can the Defensive Issues for the Blue Jackets be Fixed by Coaching?

The Blue Jackets have allowed 206 goals (31st in the league) in 55 games, giving them a team goals against average of 3.75 this season. Simply put, unless you're the 1980s Edmonton Oilers, that rate is nowhere near good enough to be a playoff team.

We've talked recently about the mix being entirely wrong for the club, and I do think that's the case. There are too many guys who want the puck on their stick, and not enough guys who are capable of playing actual defense when they don't have it.

They only have two guys who play that defense-first style of hockey. Exacerbating their issues: those guys are Erik Gudbranson and Andrew Peeke. To put it politely, that's not ideal.

Gudbranson is best suited playing third pairing minutes. Say, 14-16 minutes per night. You can count on him to be tough, physical, and fire the occasional rocket towards the net. But trusting him to take on heavy minutes against top opposition, has proven to be too much.

Likewise, with Peeke, you could say the same thing. He doesn't bring much to the table offensively; and defensively we see him frequently out-matched in every facet. He's not even the physical presence they hoped he would become, which is why they added Gudbranson in the first place.

The team's best hope for a quick roster solution here, David Jiricek, is stuck in the AHL to work on his skating. Which is fine for now - it's not like this team is pushing for a playoff spot anyhow.

But all of this led me to wonder: how do they fix this situation? Every defenseman currently on the NHL roster is signed beyond this season, with the lone exception being restricted free agent Jake Bean.

Bean's likely successor, Denton Mateychuk, is a great prospect. He could develop into an elite player from the blue line; but he's yet another guy who wants the puck on his stick. What can they change?