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The Columbus Blue Jackets finished near the bottom of the NHL standings in 2022-23. It was a rather disappointing turn of events given the hype around the team heading into the season. Columbus had a very promising top line led by Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. And the team had some interesting young players to pair with the established vets.
Things just didn't go their way a year ago. The Blue Jackets certainly hope that changes this upcoming season. Columbus has a new head coach, though that didn't come without some drama in its own right. Still, a new perspective can do wonders for any team looking to turn things around.
If the Blue Jackets want to turn things around, they'll need major contributions from some of their younger players. And the team has a few promising prospects to keep your eye on. For this piece, we're going to identify one potential breakout candidate for the Columbus Blue Jackets as the 2023-24 NHL season finds its footing.
Names to watch
One candidate fans should keep an eye on is a bit obvious. Kent Johnson came into the 2021 NHL Draft as a human highlight reel. He dazzled the college ranks while at the University of Michigan. And he became the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft because of it. The 20-year-old could find himself in the top-six this season, which will give him all the opportunity in the world to light up the scoresheet.
Another name to keep an eye on is Kirill Marchenko. The 23-year-old came into the organization as a second-round pick all the way back in 2018. Marchenko didn't make his NHL debut until last season, but he made a rather promising impression. The Russian forward scored 21 goals and 25 points in 59 games. This season, he already has three assists in three games. Marchenko is currently a fixture on the second line. If he can play like he did a year ago, perhaps Marchenko could find himself near the 30-goal mark.
Both of these players are worthy players to highlight for a piece like this. However, there is one other player I am personally keying in on as someone for Blue Jackets fans to watch. Another former first-round pick who has had a rather impressive start to the season already.
Blue Jackets breakout candidate
The biggest breakout candidate for the Columbus Blue Jackets is forward Cole Sillinger. Sillinger hasn't made the biggest statistical impact this season, recording one assist in three games. However, he has passed the eye test thus far, and that's the first hurdle for the 20-year-old to clear.
It was a feel-good story in 2021 when the Blue Jackets made the Columbus native the 12th overall pick in the NHL Draft. That continued into the 2021-22 season when he made the roster as an 18-year-old. Sillinger turned in a rather impressive performance that season, scoring 16 goals and 31 points.
However, things did not go to plan in 2022-23. Sophomore slumps are a real thing and can happen to the most promising prospects in any sport. But Sillinger experienced it on a whole different level. He went from 16 goals in his rookie year to just three goals last season. He recorded just 11 points in 64 games, as well.
Sillinger has the talent to become a regular NHL contributor, and I think he shows that starting this season. Look for Sillinger to take advantage of a new coaching staff and establish himself as one of the building blocks for future Blue Jackets teams moving forward.
