2024-25
Record: 40-33-9, 4th in Metropolitan Division
Playoffs: Missed Stanley Cup Playoffs
Key Losses
Sean Kuraly (F – Signed with BOS), James van Riemsdyk (F – Signed with DET), Daniil Tarasov (G – Trade with FLA), Justin Danworth (F – Signed with BUF), and Jack Johnson (D – UFA)
Key Additions
Charlie Coyle (F – Trade with COL), Miles Wood (F – Trade with COL), Isac Lundestrom (F – Signed via FA), and Christian Jaros (D – Signed via FA)
2025-26 Preview
A Fresh Start
A full year after the tragic loss of superstar Johnny Gaudreau, the Columbus Blue Jackets faced the 2024-25 season with purpose through mourning. They played for Johnny, but also perservered over the loss of their star player.
For their 25th anniversary season, the Blue Jackets look to 2025-26 as a fresh start. New faces in forwards Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood, and Isac Lundestrom look to help revitalize the Blue Jackets bottom-six, and energize the lineup.
“I’ve been a fan of them from afar, just knowing that these guys are going to be a team to reckon with as we go on here,” Coyle said. “Being able to join a team like that, it’s an exciting thing. This team has been up and coming for a few years now. They’re right on the cusp, and I want to come in and just try to help out with that. That’s all. Bring my game and ease into this team and see what we can accomplish.”
“They’ve made huge strides over the past few years here,” Wood added. “For them to view me as a player that can help them try to be a playoff team consistently, that’s what I want to do, and I can’t wait to help them.”
“We’ve been – on faceoffs – a lefty team, and we wanted to get a righty,” Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said. “Obviously (Coyle is) a big body and plays a 200-foot game on both ends of the ice, very responsible. We’ve been looking for that right-shot guy all summer, so when that opportunity came up, we had to jump on it.”
“That was a great story,” said Wood, who played with Matthew Gaudreau at Boston College. “The Blue Jackets had an unbelievable year, and they did it for Johnny and the Gaudreau family.”
“It’s a young team, a lot of young players who are very skilled and work hard,” Coyle said. “With experience and years under their belt, you only get better and better through that, and that’s what this team has. I know these guys can feel it. You can see it. So to be in that locker room and try to add to it with the little that I bring, it’s an exciting feeling. Even talking about it gets you going.”
How’s the Goaltending?
One major question for the Blue Jackets will be between the pipes as they’ll be looking to see if Elvis Merzlikins will come back to his number one form, but also to see if Jet Greaves is the real deal.
For Merzlikins, he was selected to represent Latvia at the 2026 Olympic Games, so the pressure for him to perform at a high level will be on him this season. However, for Greaves, who played very well near the end of the season, will need to prove that he can challenge Merzlikins for the top spot in goal.
If the Blue Jackets get the Elvis Merzlikins that dominated for them from 2019-20 through 2021-22, this could very well be a playoff team once again.
Projected Lineup
Offense
Dmitri Voronkov — Sean Monahan — Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner — Adam Fantilli — Kent Johnson
Yegor Chinakhov — Charlie Coyle — Mathieu Olivier
Cole Sillinger — Isac Lundestrom — Miles Wood
Defense
Zach Werenski — Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk — Ivan Provorov
Damon Severson — Erik Gudbranson
Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves
Resources
- McNally, Jane. Coyle, Wood see a bright future in Columbus, June 30, 2025. https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/charlie-coyle-miles-wood-excited-after-trade-to-blue-jackets.
TXHT may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through Cool Hockey and Oats Over Night ads/links in this article.