The Columbus Blue Jackets turned a lot of heads a year ago when they finished with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, the two teams with better records both resided in the Metropolitan division. The Washington Capitals won the Presidents trophy with 118 points. That left Columbus matched up against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs. The Blue Jackets reloaded in the offseason intent on taking another step forward in 2017-18. It will be interesting to see if they did enough to contend for a Stanley Cup this season.
How They Finished Last Season
After an impressive regular season run, Columbus was no match for the Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs. The Blue Jackets were outscored 17-8 in four losses and lost the series in five games. It was a valuable learning experience for a young roster that has the potential to take another step forward in 2017-18. In order to reach that next level, they will need to prove they can compete with teams like Pittsburgh when it matters the most in the postseason.
What Changed In The Offseason
Columbus turned a number of heads with the acquisition of Artemi Panarin from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Brandon Saad and Anton Forsberg. Panarin has registered 151 points in his first 162 NHL games. While he won’t have the opportunity to play with Patrick Kane like he did in Chicago, Panarin will be given every opportunity to succeed on the top line and top powerplay units for the Blue Jackets. Columbus didn’t change much else from a year ago. The Blue Jackets have some intriguing young talent that appears primed to play bigger roles this year, including 2013 third-round pick Oliver Bjorkstrand, who could be primed for a breakout season. The Blue Jackets remained committed to their core group this offseason with the lone exception being the addition of an offensive upgrade in Panarin.
Most Valuable Fantasy Hockey Asset
While Panarin could turn out to be the most valuable fantasy hockey asset in Columbus this season, it’s hard to argue against goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky getting that title for now. Bobrovsky went 41-17-5 with a 2.06 goals against average and a .931 save percentage to earn a Vezina trophy nod last season. Columbus will need a similar performance out of Bobrovsky to take another step forward in 2017-18.
Rising Star
One player to keep an eye on with the Blue Jackets is youngster Pierre-Luc Dubois. The 19-year-old is expected to make his NHL debut at some point this season. He was drafted third overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft – a draft that only saw Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine go ahead of him. He’s clearly the top prospect in the organization.
So what are we to expect? Dubois has dominated the QMJHL in the last three seasons, which is why he was selected so high. He has 199 points (73 goals) in his last 164 games in the Q.
The Blue Jackets are a team that can be elite. We saw that last season when they won 16 games in a row. But they still look like they’re a cut below, mostly because of their offense. They have some nice pieces this year – Panarin is a quality addition – but they need to find more pop to get them through in the playoffs. We saw it last year when they scored two goals or less in three of their five playoff games. Someone like Dubois could step in and give the secondary units a boost – if his game translates well to the NHL. Keep an eye on him as a player of interest on this rising Blue Jackets squad.
Regular Season Win Total Outlook
The NHL futures win total for Columbus has been set at 46.5, which is actually 3.5 fewer wins than they record last season. The big question surrounding the Blue Jackets is whether or not they can sustain the level of success they had a year ago. A tough division won’t make things any easier for John Tortorella’s group, but they have the talent to make some noise in the Metropolitan division once again. Columbus should contend for a playoff spot once again in 2017-18, just don’t expect them to finish with 108 points like they did last season.
Pick: Under 101.5 Points
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