Columbus Blue Jackets Are Stanley Cup Contenders
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a bit of a mystery to the NHL. They’ve had their ups and downs, but this season has proven to be one of their best yet.
So what makes the Columbus Blue Jackets as good as they are? After all, last season, they only started to play good hockey towards the end of the regular season.
In the postseason, the Blue Jackets ran into the eventual Stanley Cup champions of 2017- the Pittsburgh Penguins. So, while they didn’t look like too much of an offensive threat in that series, there was a good reason, considering the team they were up against.
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This season was predicted to be great for the Blue Jackets by most analysts. And so far, they’re living up to those expectations. Though the Blue Jackets aren’t in first place in the Metropolitan Division entering Dec. 17, they’ve played two fewer games than the division-leading Washington Capitals and trail them by just two points.
How exactly have they managed to do it? It starts with their talented offense, so that’ll be the first topic of discussion on the road to figuring out how they’ve been so good.
The talent starts with their captain, center Nick Foligno. At 30 years old, he’s in the prime of his career. His seven goals and six assists for 13 points are only the statistics part of everything he does with and without the puck for his team.
Other skilled players include the likes of Cam Atkinson and Alexander Wennberg. You know you have a great roster on your hands when players as good as those can be spread across multiple lines. Artemi Panarin has fit in immediately and Josh Anderson’s given their offense a huge boost. Young forward Oliver Bjorkstand is having a breakout year with 22 points in 33 games. Pierre-Luc Dubois has been picking up his play as of late. The rookie center has 14 points in 33 games.
The Defense
It’s important to note that this team has an average age of 25.8. The average league age of 27.6. That said, it’s easy to recognize that the Blue Jackets will have some difficulty being consistent at one point or another.
Zach Werenski (20 years old) and Seth Jones (23 years old) are perfect examples of this. They are both young and skilled but at times make mistakes. However, their passion and talent are what’s driving them and making the team as good as it is.
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It’s important to keep in mind that they don’t necessarily have all the assets of a typical “Stanley Cup contending” team. They don’t have the leadership they need…or the typical coaching style. But what they do have is great energy and speed. How long they can keep it up is anybody’s guess, though.