After back-to-back dead last finishes in the Metropolitan Division, the Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping to finally climb out of the basement in 2024-25. Despite some hope that the team could take the next step forward last season, the roster was riddled with injuries and overall bad luck.
Patrik Laine played just 18 games before shoulder surgery and a trip to the NHL/NHLPA Player's Assistance Program ended his campaign. Captain Boone Jenner broke his jaw and missed 24 contests of his own, while rookie sensation Adam Fantilli, after being selected No. 3 overall, played only 49 games after lacerating his calf on January 28.
It was pretty clear in Ohio by the time the calendar flipped to 2024 that this club was not going to be anywhere near a postseason spot. When the dust settled, it was a ghastly 27-43-12 record and a fourth straight year without a Stanley Cup Playoff appearance. But heading into a new season, the Blue Jackets have made a couple of nice tweaks to the roster — most notably signing Sean Monahan in NHL free agency. Still, there are a few glaring concerns for this squad on paper. Let's discuss.
Will Patrik Laine still be a Blue Jacket come training camp?
The first and most important problem with this roster is that Laine is still on it. The 26-year-old has requested a move out of Columbus, and now that he's out of the player's assistance program, potential suitors have the green light to inquire about the former 44-goal scorer.
Multiple teams are reportedly interested in the Finnish forward's services, although new general manager Don Waddell has not yet pulled the trigger on any kind of deal. It's certainly a difficult trade to facilitate, as Laine is coming off surgery and making $8.7 million in each of the next two seasons.
If the sniper is indeed moved, there would certainly be at least one roster player coming back to Ohio, although it's all speculation at this point. It will be intriguing to see if Laine gets a change of scenery before the year starts, but whether or not that happens, he's still a bounce back candidate in 2024-25.
The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft is a former point-per-game player; he scored 56 points in 56 games with Columbus in 2021-22, and followed it up with 52 points in 55 contests the next year. His best campaign remains the 2017-18 season as a sophomore, when Laine exploded for 44 goals and 70 points over a full 82-game slate.
Although the player himself isn't a concern, it's up in the air how invested Laine will be if he is still part of the equation come training camp. For that reason, Waddell should be trying to get him traded before mid-September so that whoever comes back can begin to mesh with the rest of the team ahead of the season.
“We might end up eating some money,” the GM told The Columbus Dispatch recently. “If I wanted to eat half, I could’ve traded him by now, but that’s not my first choice.”
Certainly a storyline to keep an eye on during the dog days of the NHL offseason.
Johnny Gaudreau badly needs a return to form
Besides Laine, if the Blue Jackets hope to have any kind of success, they need their best player to be their best player. And Johnny Gaudreau has been far from that, following up an insane 40-goal, 115-point season with the Calgary Flames with back-to-back futile campaigns.
After shockingly signing with Columbus two offseasons ago, Gaudreau registered a solid 74 points in 80 games in 2022-23, but he scored just 21 goals. It wasn't a bad season by any means, but probably not what anyone was expecting in the first season of a massive seven-year, $68.25 million contract.
And last season was even worse. Gaudreau scored a paltry 12 goals in 80 games, adding 48 assists for his lowest points total in half a decade. He was also a -27. The New Jersey native needs to be much better if the Blue Jackets hope to come out of the Metro basement. The good news is, he now has one of the linemates that helped him have a career season with the Flames in 2021-22. Waddell signed Monahan in free agency, reuniting him with his good friend and former teammate on a five-year deal.
“I am really looking forward to being teammates with Johnny again,” Monahan said to 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.”
Those two figure to run the top line and powerplay unit right from opening night, and Monahan could be just the player to help Gaudreau find his earlier career form. As it stands, Gaudreau's declining play and enormous contract is a serious concern in Ohio. But if he can find his form, that will be a huge question mark erased.
Can Elvis Merzlikins bounce back from consecutive rough seasons?
On paper, the Jackets have a solid group of young players who are looking to make their mark in the NHL — Fantilli, Kent Johnson and David Jiricek, just to name a few. Those guys will be relied upon as the club tries to come out of the rebuild, but one absolute key is the play between the pipes.
After a solid showing as a rookie in 2019-20, Elvis Merzlikins has struggled mightily in Ohio. He won just 13 of his 41 starts last year, posting a discouraging 3.45 goals-against average and .897 save percentage on a bad Blue Jackets team. The year before, he was even worse, sporting a 4.23 GAA and .876 SV% while winning just seven tilts. If Columbus hopes to take a step forward, the 30-year-old Latvian is going to need to be a ton better.
On the bright side, Daniil Tarasov looks ready for a starting role if Merzlikins continues to struggle, and the two should both challenge for the job in training camp. But as it stands, the Blue Jackets will need much better goaltending if they hope to finally put eighth place in the division in the rearview mirror.
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