The Columbus Blue Jackets have had seasons that were more successful. They’ve had other seasons that ended on inspiring, positive notes, even when they didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
But the 2024-25 Blue Jackets — this collection of players and coaches, in this fall-to-spring, 82-game marathon — will forever hold a special place in the hearts of their most ardent fans, not to mention the fans from across the hockey and sporting world who adopted them along this journey.
Advertisement
It started in October, when everyone wondered how the Blue Jackets would handle the grief that followed the tragic death of star winger Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed, along with his brother, Matthew, just three weeks before training camp.
It will end on Thursday, before anybody wants to say goodbye.
The Blue Jackets were officially eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention on Wednesday when the Montreal Canadiens beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 in Bell Centre, clinching the final spot — the second wild-card spot — in the Eastern Conference.
A furious sprint to the finish — the Blue Jackets have won five in a row in regulation for the first time since 2020 — could only close so much of the gap they created with a 4-11-1 slide from early March into April.
Thus, the tone of Thursday’s home (and season) finale has now changed. If the Canadiens had lost in regulation, the Blue Jackets would have hosted the New York Islanders on Thursday in Nationwide Arena with a chance to earn their first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season.
Instead, they were the last NHL club to be eliminated, which is quite something. Most expected they’d be a lottery club.
There will be no playoff angst on Thursday, only celebration. No matter the result, it will be quite the emotional scene with an over-capacity crowd when the final buzzer sounds, almost certainly to chants of “CBJ! CBJ! CBJ!” or perhaps “Johnny Hockey!”
The love affair between these players and this fan base will end with a heartfelt sendoff, with the fans standing and applauding as the players come together at center ice, their sticks lifted in appreciation, as they spin and survey the crowd, some smiling, some crying, some both.
The Blue Jackets raise a banner for Johnny Gaudreau’s memory and the legacy of No. 13. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/SW526kfhjr
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 15, 2024
Truth be told, the players and the fans lifted each other all season, beginning with a series of vigils and tributes to Gaudreau.
Who will ever forget the hundreds of fans, holding candles on the steps of Nationwide Arena, or 21-year-old Cole Sillinger speaking through tears to the crowd, then falling into the arms of veteran Sean Kuraly beside the stage?
Advertisement
Or the thousands of Calgary Flames fans who surrounded the Saddledome, where Gaudreau first starred in the NHL?
Will there ever be a more poignant tribute than the faceoff of the home opener in Nationwide, when Sean Monahan — Gaudreau’s best friend — tapped the puck to his left, allowing it to come to a rest at a spot on the ice where Gaudreau would have been?
Blue Jackets players, moved by the powerful words of Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny’s wife, found a purpose that nobody thought possible this season. Her directive, delivered in her eulogy at the brothers’ funeral, was for Blue Jackets players to find joy in being together at the rink, and that they bond like never before as teammates.
Boy, did they.
Veteran players and young players alike could only look at Sean Monahan and marvel. Monahan, who signed as a free agent to play with Gaudreau, his best friend, became the very picture of courage and grace, exuding a vulnerability rarely seen among pro athletes.
Gaudreau was a close friend to many in the room, and they bonded together to push forward … not through the grief, but with it.
General manager Don Waddell and coach Dean Evason, newcomers to the organization last summer, helped guide the players and coaches through the anguish with empathy and honesty. Evason implored his players to lean on each other and be open with their feelings, even if that meant tears or anger.
And when the games started, Blue Jackets fans, and fans across the league, saw something they couldn’t believe.
Behind the sudden smoothness of defenseman Zach Werenski, the Blue Jackets were one of the NHL’s most offensively explosive clubs, setting a franchise record for goals scored in a season and scoring six or more goals a whopping 15 times (and counting).
Meanwhile, most of the Blue Jackets’ young players — the fruits of their struggles in recent seasons — took major strides forward, not just as good NHL players, but as bona fide difference-makers. Kirill Marchenko, a 24-year-old winger, has 31 goals. Adam Fantilli, a 20-year-old center, has 30.
Adam Fantilli has his first career 30-goal season‼️
Fantilli was picked No. 3 overall in the 2023 NHL draft behind Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson.
He is the first of the three to reach the goal mark! pic.twitter.com/cPm7pqXnGG
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 16, 2025
The playmaking of Kent Johnson, the power of Dmitry Voronkov, the tenacity of Sillinger, and the quiet precision of defenseman Denton Mateychuk — it was all on display this season. It wasn’t until the final weeks of the season that goaltender Jet Greaves was recalled from AHL Cleveland, but he was a major driver of their strong finish that kept the heat on Montreal.
Advertisement
Blue Jackets fans have long been asked to wait for brighter days, but there has never been such a reason for optimism as there is now.
On Wednesday, after the Blue Jackets held an optional practice and before the Montreal game settled the standings, Werenski talked about the enormous growth that occurred this season and the dividends these meaningful games will pay.
“Either way, this has been an incredible run here and an incredible season,” Werenski said. “We’re going to be a better team, no matter what the outcome is.”
Waddell is expected to be busy this summer. There are tough decisions to make, but there will be some aggressive moves, especially on defense and in goal. But Waddell has said that this season has shown him there’s a much better foundation in place than many would have expected.
As much as fans are anticipating a bright future, there’s a reluctance to let this season go. It will not end with a playoff berth, but the memories — the tribute these players, coaches and fans paid to No. 13 — will endure forever.
(Photo: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Marcos Rocha inicia processo de transição física na Academia de Futebol do Palmeiras e fica próximo de retorno
O Palmeiras pode ter em breve uma grande novidade em seu elenco para a sequência da temporada. O lateral-direito Marcos Rocha começou nesta terça-feira (29) em atividade na Academia de Futebol a transição física, uma das últimas etapas antes do jogador poder estar apto a jogar Quando volta? Segundo o Lance!, o atleta segue com seu cronograma de trabalhos para se recuperar de problema (edema) na panturrilha esquerda. Ainda não há data confirmada, mas é possível que, no começo de maio, o lateral já possa começar a trabalhar de vez com o restante do grupo e estar à disposição de Abel Ferreira. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Com isso posto, Marcos Rocha será mais uma vez ausência do Verdão na partida desta quarta-feira, contra o Ceará, pela Copa do Brasil. Enquanto não retorna ao time, mais uma vez Giay poderá ter a chance […]
Sormani indica técnico promissor do futebol brasileiro: “Aposta legal”
Sormani falou sobre o novo técnico do Santos (Reprodução) No programa “Opinião Placar”, o comentarista Fábio Sormani repercutiu a chegada de Cléber Xavier para comandar o Santos. O ex-auxiliar de Tite está muito próximo de ser anunciado oficialmente como o novo técnico do Peixe, substituindo Pedro Caixinha. Na opinião do jornalista da Placar TV, a aposta no comandante pode ser válida, ainda mais pela falta de opções no mercado. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Ninguém queria treinar o Santos, ninguém queria. Diante desse cenário caótico, eu acho que a contratação do Cléber Xavier é uma aposta legal. Não sei se vai dar certo, mas não torço o nariz”, iniciou. Sormani relembra casos de sucesso Na sequência, Sormani relembra alguns exemplos de auxiliares que se tornaram treinadores e tiveram sucesso, tanto no futebol, quanto no basquete. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O maior técnico de basquete de […]
Joey Logano responds to Chipper Jones’ criticism after Talladega dust-up with Austin Cindric
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — MLB Hall of Famer Chipper Jones is no fan of defending NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano, something the former Atlanta Braves third baseman made abundantly clear in several messages posted on X following Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. This was a fact Logano himself didn’t realize until Tuesday morning, but while he now understands, the Team Penske driver still doesn’t know exactly why.Advertisement“I’ve never met him. I don’t have a reason to dislike him outside of now, but oh well. I guess I’m not rooting for the Braves, anytime soon,” a laughing Logano said Tuesday afternoon at North Wilkesboro Speedway, site of next month’s All-Star Race where he is the defending champion.Jones posted his first message against Logano shortly after Austin Cindric, Logano’s Penske teammate, won Sunday’s race. In the message, Jones defended Cindric and […]
Concerning fantasy baseball 2025 performances from Roki Sasaki, Cody Bellinger and more
We’re a month into the season. It’s time to worry.I’m not exactly an optimist. As the joke goes, some people see the glass as half empty, some as half full — I don’t even see the glass.I find that in this virtual game we play, cynicism pays off. The conventional wisdom is that everyone eventually plays to the back of their baseball card. And that is likely. But with struggling players, we need to identify the reasons their performance has cratered and determine the extent to which it’s actionable, especially in mixed leagues, where you basically trade with the waiver wire. That’s a better practice than reflexively holding guys forever and counting on everything to work out in the end.AdvertisementI’m not saying that worry is necessarily a cause for action. It is one for investigation. My criterion for this worry […]
Super Bowl 2026 odds: Eagles favored post-draft; Chiefs, Cowboys fall
<!--> While the Super Bowl LIX result was one few expected, it's time to forget about it and look ahead to next year, especially now that the 2025 NFL Draft is complete.Super Bowl LX will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California — home of the San Francisco 49ers — on Feb. 8, 2026. Here are the early odds for next year's NFL title game as of April 29 at DraftKings Sportsbook.Super Bowl LX oddsEagles: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Bills: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)Ravens: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)Chiefs: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Lions: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)Commanders: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Bengals: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)49ers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Packers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Rams: […]
Auch das noch … – Nächster Real-Schock! Verteidiger fällt lange aus
Nur 10 Minuten dauerte sein Comeback ... Im Finale der Copa del Rey musste Ferland Mendy (29) verletzungsbedingt ausgewechselt werden. Bitter: Der Real-Star wird erneut lange ausfallen – nachdem er gerade erst zurückgekehrt war. Wie der Klub bekannt gab, hat sich der Franzose einen Sehnenriss im hinteren rechten Oberschenkel zugezogen. Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Demnach soll Mendy mindestens zwei Monate lang fehlen. Das Aus für die restliche La-Liga-Saison! Auch die Klub-Weltmeisertschaft (14. Juni bis 13. Juli) wird er verpassen. Ein Schock für Real. Im Finale der Copa del Rey hatte Real mit 2:3 nach Verlängerung gegen Erzrivale Barcelona verloren. Während Barça das Tripple eintüten kann, kämpft Real jetzt um wenigstens einen Titel in dieser Saison. Allerdings haben die Los Blancos in der Liga vier Punkte Rückstand auf Tabellenführer Barça. Mendys Verletzung kommt da mehr als ungelegen. Denn: neben dem Linksverteidiger fehlen bis […]
Related
Marcos Rocha inicia processo de transição física na Academia de Futebol do Palmeiras e fica próximo de retorno
O Palmeiras pode ter em breve uma grande novidade em seu elenco para a sequência da temporada. O lateral-direito Marcos Rocha começou nesta terça-feira (29) em atividade na Academia de Futebol a transição física, uma das últimas etapas antes do jogador poder estar apto a jogar Quando volta? Segundo o Lance!, o atleta segue com seu cronograma de trabalhos para se recuperar de problema (edema) na panturrilha esquerda. Ainda não há data confirmada, mas é possível que, no começo de maio, o lateral já possa começar a trabalhar de vez com o restante do grupo e estar à disposição de Abel Ferreira. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Com isso posto, Marcos Rocha será mais uma vez ausência do Verdão na partida desta quarta-feira, contra o Ceará, pela Copa do Brasil. Enquanto não retorna ao time, mais uma vez Giay poderá ter a chance […]
Sormani indica técnico promissor do futebol brasileiro: “Aposta legal”
Sormani falou sobre o novo técnico do Santos (Reprodução) No programa “Opinião Placar”, o comentarista Fábio Sormani repercutiu a chegada de Cléber Xavier para comandar o Santos. O ex-auxiliar de Tite está muito próximo de ser anunciado oficialmente como o novo técnico do Peixe, substituindo Pedro Caixinha. Na opinião do jornalista da Placar TV, a aposta no comandante pode ser válida, ainda mais pela falta de opções no mercado. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Ninguém queria treinar o Santos, ninguém queria. Diante desse cenário caótico, eu acho que a contratação do Cléber Xavier é uma aposta legal. Não sei se vai dar certo, mas não torço o nariz”, iniciou. Sormani relembra casos de sucesso Na sequência, Sormani relembra alguns exemplos de auxiliares que se tornaram treinadores e tiveram sucesso, tanto no futebol, quanto no basquete. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O maior técnico de basquete de […]
Joey Logano responds to Chipper Jones’ criticism after Talladega dust-up with Austin Cindric
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — MLB Hall of Famer Chipper Jones is no fan of defending NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano, something the former Atlanta Braves third baseman made abundantly clear in several messages posted on X following Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. This was a fact Logano himself didn’t realize until Tuesday morning, but while he now understands, the Team Penske driver still doesn’t know exactly why.Advertisement“I’ve never met him. I don’t have a reason to dislike him outside of now, but oh well. I guess I’m not rooting for the Braves, anytime soon,” a laughing Logano said Tuesday afternoon at North Wilkesboro Speedway, site of next month’s All-Star Race where he is the defending champion.Jones posted his first message against Logano shortly after Austin Cindric, Logano’s Penske teammate, won Sunday’s race. In the message, Jones defended Cindric and […]
Concerning fantasy baseball 2025 performances from Roki Sasaki, Cody Bellinger and more
We’re a month into the season. It’s time to worry.I’m not exactly an optimist. As the joke goes, some people see the glass as half empty, some as half full — I don’t even see the glass.I find that in this virtual game we play, cynicism pays off. The conventional wisdom is that everyone eventually plays to the back of their baseball card. And that is likely. But with struggling players, we need to identify the reasons their performance has cratered and determine the extent to which it’s actionable, especially in mixed leagues, where you basically trade with the waiver wire. That’s a better practice than reflexively holding guys forever and counting on everything to work out in the end.AdvertisementI’m not saying that worry is necessarily a cause for action. It is one for investigation. My criterion for this worry […]
Super Bowl 2026 odds: Eagles favored post-draft; Chiefs, Cowboys fall
<!--> While the Super Bowl LIX result was one few expected, it's time to forget about it and look ahead to next year, especially now that the 2025 NFL Draft is complete.Super Bowl LX will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California — home of the San Francisco 49ers — on Feb. 8, 2026. Here are the early odds for next year's NFL title game as of April 29 at DraftKings Sportsbook.Super Bowl LX oddsEagles: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Bills: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)Ravens: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)Chiefs: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Lions: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)Commanders: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Bengals: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)49ers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Packers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Rams: […]
Auch das noch … – Nächster Real-Schock! Verteidiger fällt lange aus
Nur 10 Minuten dauerte sein Comeback ... Im Finale der Copa del Rey musste Ferland Mendy (29) verletzungsbedingt ausgewechselt werden. Bitter: Der Real-Star wird erneut lange ausfallen – nachdem er gerade erst zurückgekehrt war. Wie der Klub bekannt gab, hat sich der Franzose einen Sehnenriss im hinteren rechten Oberschenkel zugezogen. Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Demnach soll Mendy mindestens zwei Monate lang fehlen. Das Aus für die restliche La-Liga-Saison! Auch die Klub-Weltmeisertschaft (14. Juni bis 13. Juli) wird er verpassen. Ein Schock für Real. Im Finale der Copa del Rey hatte Real mit 2:3 nach Verlängerung gegen Erzrivale Barcelona verloren. Während Barça das Tripple eintüten kann, kämpft Real jetzt um wenigstens einen Titel in dieser Saison. Allerdings haben die Los Blancos in der Liga vier Punkte Rückstand auf Tabellenführer Barça. Mendys Verletzung kommt da mehr als ungelegen. Denn: neben dem Linksverteidiger fehlen bis […]
Be the first to leave a comment