Although there was some hope that the 2023-24 Columbus Blue Jackets could surprise the hockey world and make a push for the playoffs — especially after acquiring Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov last offseason — the campaign went off the rails pretty quickly and never got back on track. When the dust settled, the Jackets finished dead last in the Metropolitan Division (and Eastern Conference) with a ghastly 27-43-12 record.
There were a ton of reasons why the team struggled so mightily, but the main culprits were a long-term injury to captain Boone Jenner, who broke his jaw, and sniper Patrik Laine battling injury himself and eventually being placed in the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program in January. By the time the calendar flipped to 2024, the Jackets were already 12-18-8 and virtually out of the running for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The hope is that the roster can stay healthy in 2024-25 as it looks to take another step forward come October. And new general manager Don Waddell, who came over from the Carolina Hurricanes in the offseason, got right to work. He selected young center Cayden Lindstrom from the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League at No. 4 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, before adding veterans Sean Monahan and Jack Johnson in free agency.
Will it be enough to get Columbus out of the basement in the East? Only time will tell, but on paper, this looks like a team that should not be finishing last in either the division or the conference in 2025. Let's get into it.
Blue Jackets reunite Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau
Waddell believes that the Blue Jackets can get back to contention next season, and he said as much shortly after being named general manager back in May.
“With the players that are currently on the roster, and knowing how this organization runs and everybody that's been here, there's no excuse from an ownership standpoint. They give you all the tools, all the resources to make it work,” Waddell said after moving to Ohio, per NHL.com. “The great thing is, there's a lot of a lot of smart hockey people in this organization and we’re going to count on everybody to be part of these discussions and as we make decisions as a group. We'll get this figured out and make everybody here in Columbus proud of the Blue Jackets.”
And Waddell got right to work in free agency, signing Sean Monahan to a five-year, $27.5 million contract on July 1. Monahan played with Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary, helping to form one of the league's best first lines along with Matthew Tkachuk. The Flames won the Pacific Division in 2021-22 before everything went off the rails, but Monahan and Gaudreau's chemistry was undeniable — the latter scored 40 goals that season, after all.
Monahan is coming off an excellent bounce-back campaign of his own after dealing with brutal injuries over the last few seasons. Between the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets in 2023-24, he amassed 26 goals and 59 points. It would be shocking if the two weren't reunited on the top line, and Daily Faceoff projects them starting the season together with Kirill Marchenko on the opposite wing. If Monahan and Gaudreau can find the same type of chemistry they had in Alberta, this club will be hitting the ground running in 2024-25.
“I am really looking forward to being teammates with Johnny again,” Monahan said last week, per NHLPA.com. “Johnny is motivated to have a big season and be a huge part of the team and I’m excited to have the opportunity to reignite the chemistry we had for close to a decade. He is an amazing teammate, person, and friend. I’m looking forward to these next five years.”
Gaudreau has struggled mightily since shockingly signing with the Blue Jackets two seasons ago, and the hope across Ohio is that his close friend can help propel him to the regular-season success he enjoyed earlier in his career.
Jackets add another veteran presence in Jack Johnson
Along with Monahan, Waddell and the front office reunited with another veteran in Jack Johnson, who will be paid just $775,000 over a one-year pact. Although he is nowhere close to the defenseman he once was, the 37-year-old brings a wealth of experience to Columbus, and he was part of the Colorado Avalanche team that won the 2022 Stanley Cup.
He played with the Blue Jackets from 2011-18, where he played some of the best hockey of his career. He should be a calming force on the back end, and figures to slot in on the third pairing come October. Johnson also brings breathing room in case some of the younger defenseman aren't quite ready, including David Jiricek, who was selected No. 6 overall by the franchise in 2022 and figures to make the jump to the NHL fulltime next season.
“Jack Johnson is a consummate professional who has been a very good player and leader in this league for many years and will be a great asset to our team, particularly the young defensemen we have in our organization,” said Waddell shortly after the signing, per NHL.com. “He is in tremendous shape, plays a simple, hard game, has won a Stanley Cup and has great passion for this city and organization and we are thrilled to welcome him back.”
Although he doesn't move the needle too much for this squad, he should be a loud voice in the dressing room and adds a strong veteran presence to a young, talented roster.
Columbus hoping the young guns take another step forward
Adding Monahan and Johnson are decent moves this offseason. But if this team is going to take a real step forward in 2024-25, it's going to be the young guns. We're talking about 19-year-old Adam Fantilli, who who played just 49 games in his rookie season due to injury but put up 12 goals and 27 points in that span.
That also includes Kent Johnson, 21, who was over a point-per-game with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters and should remain in the NHL for good after playing 79 games in 2022-23. Cole Sillinger, who will likely be bumped down to 3C to make room for Monahan and Fantilli, is another potential breakout candidate after chipping in 13 goals and 32 points in 77 games last year.
Here's what The Athletic's Aaron Portzline had to say about the team's free agent frenzy:
“The Blue Jackets had to straddle a line of adding veteran players to a too-young group but not adding too many players on too long a term that would end up getting in the way of their emerging young players. They did that with one significant option on each end of the ice. Sean Monahan … will allow Adam Fantilli, 19, to slot into a No. 2 center’s role and Cole Sillinger to play on a checking line … Meanwhile, on defense, the Blue Jackets have two young defensemen — David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk — who are close to ready for the NHL. But signing Jack Johnson to an NHL-minimum contract gives them breathing room in case those players aren’t ready.”
Although it certainly wasn't a standout free agency by any means, Waddell and the front office made a few shrewd moves to help this team at least be competitive next season. Now it's up to the guys on the roster to prove that Columbus doesn't belong in the basement of the Eastern Conference.
FINAL GRADE: B-
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