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John Buccigross still wonders what the Blue Jackets are this season. (Photo by Gabriel Christus / ESPN Images)

ESPN’s John Buccigross Discusses State of the Blue Jackets

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Mark Scheig | Last updated Nov 17, 2025 5:20 PM ET

For almost 30 years, John Buccigross has been a staple on ESPN. While he’s spent a lot of time on the anchor desk of Sportscenter, fans universally know him for his vast hockey coverage over the years.

In recent years since the NHL has returned to ESPN, Buccigross has been one of their main play-by-play voices. You’ll hear him call games on the networks of ESPN during the regular season and the early rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This past Thursday, Buccigross and analyst AJ Mleczko were on the ESPN+ call of the game between the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets. It was a rematch from three days before when the Oilers stunned the Blue Jackets in overtime thanks to a late regulation goal scored while shorthanded.

The rematch was just as exciting. The Blue Jackets held off the late Oilers push to win 5-4 in regulation. For Buccigross, being able to call a game in Columbus is special.

Buccigross hails from Steubenville, OH which is about 40 miles outside of Pittsburgh, PA. With his Ohio roots, it’s easy to see why he has a soft spot for the Blue Jackets.

Buccigross can be seen on social media posting a lot about the Blue Jackets. He’s made it no secret that he believes in the direction they’re going. He was kind enough to spend a few minutes on Thursday morning with the Hockey Writers to talk about the state of the Blue Jackets from his national perspective.

The first question we posed to him. Are the Blue Jackets truly on the way up to you?

Buccigross Reflects on Blue Jackets

“Certainly, I thought they were in the bubble mix this year,” Buccigross said. “They’re anywhere from an 87 to 94-point team. Will Adam Fantilli get to 35-40 goals? Will Marchenko continue his ascent as a legitimate first-line guy? The new additions, will they come together quickly? Will they get good goaltending? I’ve been thinking about it myself. I still don’t quite understand what are they as a team. What are they?”

“There doesn’t seem to be real line meshing yet. I know Fantilli was just moved. Now he’s starting to produce. And the third line, that’s a good line. But now (Boone) Jenner’s hurt and then Johnson gets scratched. Now where does he fit? Chinakhov wants to get traded. Where does he (fit?) So, I still think there’s some question marks now which could put a drag on accumulating enough points early. I’m a little concerned that the congealing hasn’t quite happened yet. And is it going to be something that they’re battling all year?”

The lines had to be adjusted since Jenner’s injury. He was placed on injured reserve by the Blue Jackets. The expectation according to a source is that it’s a week-to-week injury. At this point, surgery is not needed.

But without their captain, the Blue Jackets have to get multiple players to step up. Who will be able to do that? Here’s Buccigross.

“You like to have that one guy. Like in Boston, it’s now Pastrňak. He’s really taken that. They don’t have a captain, but you can tell I think he wants to be the captain. And I think first they were trying to anoint McAvoy, but now I think Pastrňak is probably, he relishes that, right?”

“It was Marchand before he was traded. And Bergeron was there. So Pastrňak could just stay in the back a little bit and be like a Marchenko. I’ve compared Marchenko’s game to Pastrňak. I think he legitimately could be maybe not 60 goals, but he could be a 45-goal guy. He got all the weapons to be as good as Pastrňak. Right in that ballpark.”

“Fantilli is 21. But he’s probably the guy you’re anointing to be the leader. Every team has one or two guys. When Aho walks into Carolina. Or when now it’s probably Horvat becoming that guy for the Islanders and obviously MacKinnon (for the Avalanche) and getting great support from Landeskog. Someone does have to (step up). You want it to be one of your better players. Marchenko, is that his personality? And is Fantilli too young?”

Werenski’s Impact

This is where a player like Zach Werenski will have to step up like he did last season when the team lost Jenner in training camp. Buccigross had some glowing remarks for what Werenski could eventually become with the Blue Jackets.

“Werenski is the best player on the team,” Buccigross said. “And he’s really grown into a good leadership role. It really does start with him on the back end for sure. And he’s such a sublime player, just an unbelievably great player. As he continues his ascent, pretty soon, he’s got a chance to be the best Blue Jacket ever. We’re starting to have that conversation already. He might be supplanting Rick Nash as being the best Blue Jacket ever, especially if he stays here for another seven years.”

Quick Hitters

Buccigross is also known for his love of college hockey. When many people think of him today outside of his NHL impact, cawlidge hockey is where it’s at.

The last question we asked him was to give his thoughts on four players in the organization at different levels. It was two from the NHL and two in college hockey.

Here is what Buccigross said about Denton Mateychuk, Dmitri Voronkov, Cayden Lindstrom and Jackson Smith.

Mateychuk: “Well, I love Mateychuk. He’s one of my favorite players because he’s so smart. I like smart, competitive players. He’s not obviously big and not an elite skater like Zach. That’s why they go certain places in the draft. But his smarts and his competitiveness, I love.”

Voronkov: “Voronkov’s just a big, huge body who’s that classic NHL guy you win with especially in the playoffs. Just big space in front. That year when everything goes right and the puck finds his stick, he could have a big 35-goal year some year. He’ll have one of those years if he just keeps playing this way.”

Buccigross believes Voronkov’s impact will be felt in the playoffs. (Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)

Lindstrom: “I love Lindstrom. I did one of his games with BU, Michigan State. Saw him walk around in his shorts and T-shirt. So I can see he’s just got those bowlegged hockey legs. He’s going to be a classic number-two center behind Fantilli. That’s how I see him slotted. Not big but thick. He’ll be a little smaller than Charlie Coyle, but right around Charlie Coyle type of build.”

Smith: “I’m looking forward to seeing Jackson. They say he’s just an unbelievable skater. Just gorgeous, right? Maybe he can become like that Jay Bouwmeester kind of just shut down great skating defender. Maybe not an elite offensive power. Again, he would have gone third or fourth. John Tortorella compared someone recently to a guy who reminds him of Bouwmeester, and I was like, ‘That’s a great comparison because you don’t need to score a lot, but you can be so effective as a great defender.”

Buccigross’ Final Thoughts

While Buccigross likes the general direction of the Blue Jackets, there are still significant questions the team has to answer. How long does he think it’ll take them to be an annual playoff contender?

“I think the future is really good, and I know they want it to be this year. But it might still be another two, three years when Fantilli’s 24. He should be probably the captain at that point, right? And then Marchenko hopefully signs a long-term deal after this incredible value deal they have for him. The best in the league.
Now they’re going. Then you bring these young guys in as secondary people as opposed to asking some of these guys like Johnson and Fantilli to be in now. So overall, I would just say it’s a bit of a mishmash that needs to come together quickly here because they’re going to run out of time fast (this season.)”