The Columbus Blue Jackets are not going to make the 2023-24 NHL Playoffs. They could however alter how the playoffs eventually look.
Welcome to Part 2 of our Blue Jackets post All-Star mini series. In case you missed Part 1, we listed out three reasons why Kent Johnson needs to play in the top-six for most of if not all of their last 32 games.
This series is attempting to answer the question what needs to be seen in the Blue Jackets’ remaining games in 2023-24? While there are many individual performances that fans would like to see, they’d like to see maximum effort in every game.
In some games, effort and motivation could be hard to find. In other games, motivation will come easily, especially if their opponent has the playoffs on their mind.
While the Blue Jackets are playing out the string, many of their opponents will be fighting just to make the playoffs. Some could be looking to maximize their position. These teams may see the Blue Jackets on their schedule and take it easy.
Those are the games in which the Blue Jackets could have a say in how playoff positioning and seeding will work out. Vancouver, Toronto and Boston are examples of teams that lost to them this season.
If anyone tries looking past the Blue Jackets, they could be in for a rude awakening.
Blue Jackets’ Schedule
While certainly not every game will have playoff implications, a good number of games could have a direct effect. In the not-so-distant future, the Blue Jackets face the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers twice and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Then flip the calendar to a busy March. Games await against the Vegas Golden Knights twice, the Pittsburgh Penguins three times, the Edmonton Oilers, the Nashville Predators, the Winnipeg Jets, the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche. It’s a good mix of teams battling for position and those fighting just to get in.
In April to wrap the season up, all eight games are against teams either in the playoffs or just outside the playoffs. All you have to do is think back to last season and what the Chicago Blackhawks did to the Pittsburgh Penguins. This game eventually helped the Florida Panthers make the playoffs and then eventually to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Blue Jackets will get test after test after test against quality competition. In these last games of 2023-24, the team needs to not only get up for these games, but be competitive in these games. They’ll have opportunities to steal wins from teams that desperately need them.
Why Games Matter to Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets would much rather be in the playoffs or chasing a playoff spot than where they’re at now well outside the playoffs and in the NHL Draft Lottery. But it doesn’t diminish the importance of these games from their perspective.
Every game is another chance to gain valuable experience for a young team. Playing against high-quality competition now should help them in the long run. Imagine if Tampa Bay or Philadelphia or Nashville needs to defeat the Blue Jackets in April. The games won’t exactly simulate the playoffs. But it will get close given how desperate those teams could be.
Don’t try telling the Blue Jackets the games don’t matter. They’re still trying to find an identity. They’re trying to grow together as a group. They’ve already beaten a couple of the NHL’s top teams. If the opposition has something on the line, the Blue Jackets won’t back down.
What We Want to See
The Blue Jackets are certainly not going to get every result down the stretch. It’s a tough schedule. However it’s reasonable to expect them to be ready for these games and give maximum effort. That should be a given. But it will be a test since the team will be mathematically eliminated at some point.
The Blue Jackets should be able to be in most of these games. We want to see them not only getting a lead but holding on to the lead, especially in the third period when the opposition will throw the kitchen sink at them. There needs to be tangible, visible progress in the areas of struggle. This includes showing continued progress on the defensive end.
When the season is over, the record is not going to look good. But if they can at least show well in these games while stealing some wins, that should give them much needed momentum going into the offseason.
And if teams aren’t careful, the Blue Jackets could sneak up on teams and alter their playoff fate. Stay tuned for Part 3 of this mini series when we turn to the playoff chase for the Cleveland Monsters and how the team could help them.
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