2021-22
Record: 37-38-7 81p (6th in Metropolitan)
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Losses
F – Kevin Stenlund (WIN), F – Oliver Bjorkstrand (Trade – SEA), D – Gabriel Carlsson (WAS), D – Scott Harrington, D – Dean Kukan
Key Additions
F – Johnny Gaudreau, D – Erik Gudbranson, F – Mathieu Oliver
2022-23 Preview
After a respectable season under first year head coach Brad Larsen, the Columbus Blue Jackets are looking to improve upon their below .500 2021-22 season. Coming into the 2022-23 season the Blue Jackets added grit on their blue line with the signing of Erik Gudbranson, and then won the free agent lottery when they signed Johnny Gaudreau to a seven year deal. With the addition of Johnny Hockey to Columbus the Jackets will look to increase their offensive production this season with a team that is still primarily intact, minus a couple moves.
In goal Elvis Merzlikins will look to continue his development as the start for the Jackets with Joonas Korpisalo in the backup role once again, but could Korpisalo be trade bait at the deadline this season if the Blue Jackets are not in the playoff picture? How the team continues to grow and develop will dictate that decision.
This season I do see the Blue Jackets making a push for the playoffs, but I’m interested in seeing how Gaudreau and Patrik Laine will mesh together.
The Xperience Hockey Talk 