The Columbus Blue Jackets are the ultimate feel-good story. They have rallied around each other in the face of unimaginable tragedy, coming out of nowhere in recent weeks to join the crowded field of wild-card hopefuls in the Eastern Conference.
Columbus, which has not qualified for the post-season since 2020, has won 10 of its past 15 games (10-3-2). The Blue Jackets continue a critical, road-heavy stretch Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I definitely look (at the standings),” Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson told reporters. “It’s fun to look at it now. I didn’t look too much the last couple years.”
Under new coach Dean Evason, the Blue Jackets have ramped up the aggressiveness. As The Athletic explained at the start of the season, Evason’s system “starts with a two-man forecheck, which, ideally, pressures the puck while opponents are just starting to make their way out of the zone.”
That approach has paid off. Opponents have learned the hard way that the Blue Jackets will make them pay for their mistakes. Columbus has scored a league-high 68 goals within 10 seconds of a turnover, including 27 within five seconds of a giveaway (which ranks second). Kirill Marchenko, who is in the midst of a breakout season with 18 goals and 50 points, and Mathieu Olivier share the team lead with eight goals each off turnovers.
The Blue Jackets’ recent surge has highlighted the play of Zach Werenski, who is more than deserving of Norris Trophy consideration. (Just ask Olivier.)
Werenski’s league-leading 26:49 of ice time per game is a full minute more than the second skater on the list (Utah’s Mikhail Sergachev). The American defenceman, who will represent the country at the 4 Nations Face-Off next month, has logged 30 minutes in six games this season — twice as many as the next closest players (Minnesota’s Brock Faber, Colorado’s Cale Makar and Philadelphia’s Travis Sanheim).
Most importantly, Werenski has provided steady leadership following the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau in August. (Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has also not played this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October.)
In Werenski and Marchenko, Columbus has multiple 50-point scorers through 47 games for the first time in franchise history. Werenski is on pace to shatter the single-season franchise record for scoring by a defenceman, which he shares with Seth Jones (57 points).
About a month into the season, Evason shook up his No. 1 line, putting veteran centre Sean Monahan between young wingers Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov. In doing so, Evason created one of the league’s most dynamic lines. Voronkov, Monahan and Marchenko have outscored opponents 22-5 and generated 65.3 per cent of the expected goals at 5-on-5 — the latter of which ranks 11th out of 127 qualified forward lines (minimum 100 minutes played).
“(It’s) almost the perfect line,” Evason told NHL.com. “You’ve got a big, strong guy that goes to the net (in the 6-foot-5, 227-pound Voronkov). You’ve got a guy that plays hard, that is good on faceoffs, good defensively, good passer (in Monahan). And then you’ve got a goal-scorer that competes his butt off (in Marchenko).”
Monahan recently landed on injured reserve with a sprained right wrist, leading Evason to promote Adam Fantilli to the top line. It has not missed a beat; Voronkov, Fantilli and Marchenko have outscored opponents 4-1 and out-chanced them 35-25 at 5-on-5 over the past six games without Monahan.
Over the past 15 games, the Blue Jackets’ playoff chances have improved from 18.5 per cent to 31.2 per cent. If they can defy the odds and reach the post-season after all they have endured, it would be a remarkable feat.
“I don’t think anyone really knows how good we are,” Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger told NHL.com. “I think it’s starting to click in with some other teams now that we’re in a playoff spot and we’re holding our ground. We’re gaining respect.”
All stats via Sportlogiq
