Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: The good, bad and ugly of our ‘bold’ preseason predictions

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — A collection of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Columbus Blue Jackets:

Item No. 1: ‘Boldness’ revisited

Before every season, we’re encouraged to make bold predictions about the teams we cover. It’s a chance to show readers how much we know and how closely we’re paying attention, but, more than anything, it’s an opportunity to embarrass ourselves thoroughly months later.

So here goes!

On Oct. 4, 2024, we published “Blue Jackets bold predictions: Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson ready to take off.” OK, so far so good. Here’s what we saw coming and where we hit and missed, graded on a four-point scale: 1. Victory Dance, 2. Round of Applause, 3. Meh and 4. Next Question.

1. Out of the cellar

The prediction: “Not only will (the Blue Jackets) not finish last overall, but they also won’t finish last in the Eastern Conference. And now we’re going to take it a step further: They won’t finish last in the Metropolitan Division. I’m not saying who will finish last because I don’t want hate mail from New York Islanders, Washington Capitals or Philadelphia Flyers fans. We’re not predicting the playoffs. We’re not saying the Blue Jackets don’t have a long way to go. But we suspect they’ll play over their heads — and way over expectations — this season.”

The result: You’re welcome. The Blue Jackets finished ahead of 12 other teams in the overall standings. They were ninth in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the Metro. They did, in fact, play “way over expectations” this season. If we’d only shut up before that second sentence. The Capitals were the best team in the East.

Grade: Round of Applause

2. Make March matter

The prediction: “I’ve been saying this for a while now, that a proper goal for this season is to still be within sniffing distance of a wild-card spot when the NHL Stadium Series game between the Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings is staged in Ohio Stadium on March 1. That’s probably a bigger ‘ask’ than the first bold prediction. But my hunch is that the Blue Jackets-Red Wings game will have implications.”

The result: Vegas, anyone? Part of what made that atmosphere so incredible was the fact Detroit and Columbus were tied in the standings and both in playoff spots when the puck dropped. The Blue Jackets, with the win, jumped the Red Wings into seventh place.

Grade: Victory Dance.

THE GAME WINNER AT OHIO STADIUM!!!!@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/R8rqW8GB9N

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 2, 2025

3. ‘Adamo’ Dynamo

The prediction: “It says here that Adamo “Adam” Fantilli, who will be the Blue Jackets’ second-line center — he’s skating with James van Riemsdyk and Kent Johnson — will lead the club in assists and points this season. He’s also playing a significant role on the power play.”

The result: Fantilli had 31-23-54 — a very good sophomore season, especially when you consider he missed half of his rookie year with an injury. But he was seventh on the club in assists and fifth in points. His 31 goals were tied with Marchenko for the team lead.

Grade: Next Question

4. Marchenko: 33 goals

The prediction: “So far in camp, Marchenko has skated on the right side of the No. 1 line, with Jenner now at left wing and Sean Monahan at center. That line should start with the puck and possess more than Blue Jackets fans are used to seeing, and Marchenko — a part of that, to be sure — can only benefit. The Jackets asked Marchenko to be harder on pucks and more reliable in his defensive zone. Considerable progress has been shown on both fronts.”

The result: So close, but the spirit of this prediction was bang-on. Marchenko stayed on the No. 1 line all season, but with a rotating cast to his left. He had 31 goals, but finished the season on a season-long nine-game goal-less streak. I’m taking that personally.

Grade: Meh

5. Won’t be denied

The prediction: “It’s impossible to watch the Blue Jackets over the past two weeks and conclude that Denton Mateychuk isn’t already one of the organization’s top six defensemen. He’s incredibly poised for a 20-year-old facing NHL competition for the first time. He’s rarely out of position and makes smart, quick passes, often short and subtle. The Blue Jackets do not want to rush their prospects, and (GM Don) Waddell is particularly averse to this. But there are exceptions to every rule, and Mateychuk might deserve to be the exception. We’re not saying he’s going to open the season in Columbus, though that’s not out of the question. But Mateychuk will play for a long time in the NHL, and he’ll get 40-plus games in Columbus this season.”

The result: (Pats self on back) Mateychuk did not start the season in Columbus, but, no, he would not be denied. After lighting up the NHL, Mateychuk was recalled in mid-December and stuck in the NHL the rest of the way, playing 45 games. He averaged 18:02 per game, too, which is quite impressive for a 20-year-old.

Grade: Victory Dance

6. Coach’s impression

The prediction: “(Dean) Evason isn’t as loquacious as (Ken) Hitchcock. He’s not as easily provoked as (John) Tortorella. But there’s a fire that burns below the surface, and there will be times when his passion bubbles to the surface. Fans can’t get enough of that. Mostly, though, his players will do the talking with their play for Evason, and that’s enough. There will likely be some explosive nights in Nationwide (Arena) this season.”

The result: If we missed here, we may have missed low. Fans quickly became attached to Evason, not just for his fiery attitude on the bench — poor Scott Ford — but also for his genuine emotion in helping navigate the Blue Jackets through the Johnny Gaudreau tragedy. As noted, this town loves coaches. Evason worked his way in quickly.

Grade: Round of Applause

Dean’s legendary cellys have made their way to the #CBJ bench! 👊

Congrats on the first of many with us! @drinkgaragebeer | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/2d0smciPNz

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 13, 2024

7. PIMs on the way

The prediction: “Over the past three seasons, the Jackets have finished 27th (2021-22), 25th (2022-23) and 24th (2023-24) in penalty minutes. Evason’s Minnesota Wild teams, by contrast, were fourth, sixth and third, respectively. It hurt to play the Wild. I know, I know. PIMs are not a measure of greatness. But they can be a reflection of the style of play. The Blue Jackets, under Evason, will play with a different energy than you’ve seen in three or four seasons.”

The result: This wasn’t the most forthright prediction, but the spirit of the prognostication was clear. The Blue Jackets did pick up the pace and the physicality under Evason. They ranked 16th in the NHL with 676 PIMs, thanks largely to Mathieu Olivier, who led the league in fights and was second in the league in PIMs (139). In a general sense, though, if you watched these Blue Jackets, you know the pace was faster than anything we’ve seen since 2019-20.

Grade: Round of Applause

8. Johnson poised to break out

The prediction: “After a massive summer, (Kent) Johnson showed up at camp looking noticeably thicker and stronger. Once he stepped on the ice, you could see how he’s gotten a step quicker, too. He has been, simply put, the Blue Jackets’ best player through much of camp. The guy who had 16 goals, 24 assists and 40 points as a rookie two seasons ago looks ready to justify his No. 5 selection in 2021. If anyone challenges Fantilli for the assists lead, it will likely be Johnson.”

The result: The art of conversation, it is said, is to say a little less than you wish. The art of prediction, it seems, is to stop one sentence short. This is pretty much on target: Johnson did “justify” his draft spot with 24-33-57 in 68 games, career highs across the board. He was fourth on the club in assists.

Grade: Round of Applause

9. Active at the deadline

The prediction: “The Blue Jackets have several players heading into their final contract years with unrestricted free agency looming in the summer of 2025. I’m not saying Waddell will part ways with all of those players. He values veteran players in the dressing room, so some will probably stay. They might even sign extensions before the trade deadline. But surely some veterans will be on the move, especially if the younger players push the veterans for playing time, as the organization hopes.”

The result: Waddell not only kept all of his UFAs, he added two others — Luke Kunin and Christian Fischer — at the deadline. The Blue Jackets were in a playoff position when the trade deadline arrived in early March, and Waddell opted not to take any veterans out of the room. The only vet who signed an extension (so far) is Zachary Aston-Reese, who is signed through 2025-26.

Grade: Next Question

10. Sillinger siblings

The prediction: “Since the creation of the NHL in 1917, 47 sets of brothers have played on the same team in at least one game. At some point this season, we predict Cole Sillinger and his older brother, Owen, will make it 48. We’re not saying it’s going to happen by the Oct. 10 regular-season opener, although it could. But it’s going to happen at some point this season, and it’ll be a franchise first.”

The result: So close. Owen Sillinger made his NHL debut on Jan. 9 vs. Seattle, but ironically went into the Blue Jackets lineup because Cole Sillinger was out with injury. A month later, Owen had season-ending knee surgery, and now he’s an unrestricted free agent. So, the chance that it happens again is murky. They may have to settle for being the second set of brothers to play for the Blue Jackets. Kris and Ryan Russell both played for Columbus, but, like the Sillingers, never played in the same game.

Grade: Next Question

Item No. 2: Kuraly’s future

Thursday’s 6-1 win over the Islanders was the final game of the season, and quite possibly the end of Sean Kuraly’s time with the Blue Jackets. He scored a goal, had a plus-2 rating, had a hit, blocked a shot and was credited with three takeaways.

Kuraly said he took some time to savor the evening, just in case he plays elsewhere next season. He’s one of nine unrestricted free agents for the Blue Jackets, but stands out given he was raised (and still lives) in the Columbus suburb of Dublin.

“I just tried to go out there and enjoy it, soak it all in, maybe take a few more looks than you normally do,” Kuraly said. “You never really know what’s next, so how do you stay in the moment? I realize there is some reality to some of these things.

“It was a fun night to enjoy it with my teammates and the fans, and for the most part, we did that.”

THE HOMETOWN KID! 🚨@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/cmT2euENTg

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 18, 2025

Kuraly signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2021, a difficult time for the organization. Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky had left via free agency two years earlier; Nick Foligno, Seth Jones, Cam Atkinson and David Savard had all been traded; and the franchise’s winningest coach, John Tortorella, had moved along.

One of the reasons Kuraly chose Columbus over numerous free-agent suitors, he said, was to help the organization stay afloat after the mass exodus of talent.

It was not an easy four years, but they ended with a crescendo. The Blue Jackets didn’t make the playoffs, but they hung in the race all season, and the franchise seems to have finally found its footing. Kuraly said he could take pride in the progress.

“Not a lot of people get a chance to do what I did the last four years,” Kuraly said. “What an incredible experience playing in front of so many family and friends, and this whole city. They really rally behind this team, and it’s been super special.

“Like anything, you’d like the progress to be linear, increasingly better each year. But I’ve learned throughout not just my NHL career, but my hockey career and life, that’s just not how it goes. It was a great single season for us, but also a culmination of efforts that we put together for a lot of years. The pieces came together for us this year better than they have in the last few years.”

Kuraly’s ice time plunged by almost two minutes per game under Evason, from 13:44 in 2023-24 to 11:45 this season. There was a long stretch of the season in which Kuraly was missing from the penalty kill, even as the Blue Jackets struggled to kill penalties.

Waddell mentioned UFA defensemen Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro as players the club is interested in re-signing, but said there were others as well. So, nobody can say for sure where things are headed with Kuraly.

The other UFAs are Justin Danforth, van Riemsdyk, Kevin Labanc, Fischer, Kunin and Jack Johnson.

Item No. 3: Snacks

• Blue Jackets assistant coaches Niklas Bäckström (goaltending), Jared Boll and Steve McCarthy have contracts that expire this summer, but there’s no word yet about their futures. All three were holdovers from the previous staff when Evason was hired. Evason then brought in two of his own guys, hiring Ford, who had been a longtime AHL assistant coach in the Nashville Predators organization, and promoting veteran coach Mike Haviland from AHL Cleveland.

• As of today, the Blue Jackets have the 13th and 20th picks in this summer’s draft. We say “as of today” because both could change. The Jackets, as one of 16 non-playoff teams, have a chance to “win” the lottery, but they cannot win the No. 1 pick. The most a team can move up is 10 spots, so the best the Blue Jackets could do is pick No. 3. They have a 2 percent chance of “winning,” but a 2.5 percent chance of sliding down one spot. That’s the combined odds of the three non-playoff teams that finished ahead of them in the standings: Utah (1.5 percent), Vancouver (0.5) and Montreal via Calgary (0.5). The Wild’s pick could fluctuate as the playoffs move along.

• Elvis Merzlikins acknowledged at his end-of-season media scrum that he suffered a concussion that knocked him out of the final five games. He was back with the Blue Jackets for the last day of the season, but dressed in a temporary locker stall in the middle of the dressing room because all other stalls were taken.

• One cool note: The Blue Jackets had rookie Jack Williams in a temporary locker stall paired with Merzlikins in the middle of the dressing room. But when Jack Johnson, a veteran of 1,228 NHL games, learned that Williams was making his NHL debut that night, he asked the training staff to put Williams in his stall and let him take the temporary, since he was a healthy scratch. He wanted Williams’ first experience to be the real deal. Classy move.

• Expect news soon regarding which Blue Jackets players will take part in the IIHF World Championship, which runs May 9-25 in Stockholm, Sweden and Herning, Denmark. In recent seasons, Blue Jackets players would already have been invited and made their decisions clear, but staying in the playoff race so long delayed those conversations. Zach Werenski has already ruled out playing for Team USA, citing a busy summer that includes his wedding.

• Four Blue Jackets played in all 82 games this season: Fantilli, Kuraly, Olivier and Provorov. That last player should not be a surprise: Provorov has played 696 games without missing a game to injury. The only three games he’s missed were in 2021-22 due to a positive COVID-19 test. This was Provorov’s sixth 82-game season. Impressive. Only twice before have four Blue Jackets players dressed in every game of an 82-game season: 2018-19 — Josh Anderson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Savard and Werenski; and 2016-17 — Atkinson, Boone Jenner, Jack Johnson and Brandon Saad.

• Speaking of Savard, raise a glass for the former Blue Jackets defenseman, who announced this week he’ll be retiring after this season, or whenever the Montreal Canadiens’ playoff run ends. Savard, 34, played in 597 games for the Blue Jackets, the fifth-most in franchise history and tops (for now) among defensemen. His 958 blocked shots are tops on the franchise list, and his 1,117 hits are fourth all-time, tops among blueliners. He scored 40 goals in the regular season for Columbus and only one in 37 playoff games, but it was a freakin’ beauty, part of the Blue Jackets’ come-from-behind win in Game 1 of their sweep over the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019.

• Sunday Gathering trivia: The Blue Jackets (40-33-9, 89 points) made a 23-point improvement this season from their 2023-24 record (27-43-12, 66 points). That’s the second-largest improvement from one season to the next in franchise history. In what season did they make their biggest climb?

• AHL Cleveland will play the Toronto Marlies in a best-of-three first-round series to open the AHL playoffs. Game 1 is Thursday in Cleveland, while Games 2 (Saturday) and 3 (Sunday, if necessary) are in Toronto. The winner advances to play the Laval Rocket, which finished with the AHL’s best record under former Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent.

• Luca Del Bel Belluz led the Cleveland Monsters with 27 goals, finishing 27-26-53 in 61 games. That’s the third-highest goal total for a Monsters player since the franchise became affiliated with Columbus in 2015, trailing only Zac Dalpe (33, 2018-19) and Trey Fix-Wolansky (29, 2022-23). Pretty impressive totals, considering Del Bel Belluz spent a month (Jan. 9 to Feb. 8) with the Blue Jackets when they were crushed with injuries to centers Monahan and Cole Sillinger while Jenner was still recovering from shoulder surgery. Del Bel Belluz was a second-round pick (No. 44) in 2022.

• Goaltender Evan Gardner, the Blue Jackets’ second-round pick (No. 60) last summer, made his pro debut for Cleveland on Saturday, stopping 16 of 19 in a 3-0 loss. Gardner signed an amateur tryout agreement with Cleveland earlier this month. He’s still eligible to return to his junior club, the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, for another junior season in 2025-26.

• For the third straight season, Fix-Wolansky was Cleveland’s leading point-getter, totaling 26-34-60 in 65 games. The one difference this season: no NHL recalls for Fix-Wolansky, who will be a UFA this summer because of his age (25) and because he’s played fewer than 80 NHL games (26). If he decides to move along, he will have made quite an impact in Cleveland. Fix-Wolansky is the franchise’s all-time record-holder in goals (112), assists (147), points (259), power-play goals (34), game-winning goals (22) and single-season points (71, 2022-23). He’s also third in games played (289).

• Trivia answer: In 2016-17, the Blue Jackets finished with a franchise-record 108 points (50-24-8), a 32-point improvement over the 2015-16 club, which had 76 points (34-40-8).

(Photo of Kent Johnson: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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