2014-15 Columbus Blue Jackets Preview

The biggest has been between the club and restricted free agent Ryan Johansen, who has yet to sign with the Blue Jackets following a breakout season in which he led the team in scoring.

Things have not been pleasant between Columbus and Johansen’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, with shots being fired through the media as the two remain far apart on Johansen’s value.

Depth at center could help the Blue Jackets survive a prolonged absence by the 22-year-old fourth overall pick of the 2010 draft, but his hard stance on a new deal came before it was learned that forward Nathan Horton is in line to miss more time due to a degenerative back injury and Boone Jenner was lost to a broken left hand late in training camp.

The Blue Jackets are hopeful it won’t be a long-term issue, but Horton missing extended time is a possibility. Jenner, meanwhile, could be on the shelf for up to two months.

When all is said and done, Columbus is in line to open the season without its projected top line in Johansen, Jenner and Horton.

That has wiped some of the shine off of Columbus’ big 2013-14 campaign, one that featured the franchise’s first-ever playoff victory. The Blue Jackets gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a bit of a first-round scare — splitting the first four contests — before getting knocked out of the first round in six games.

That series showed that Columbus is, in fact, finally heading in the right direction under general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and head coach Todd Richards, the latter of whom got a two-year contract extension. The duo helped Columbus to franchise bests last season of 43 wins and 93 points while finally getting the club its aforementioned first playoff victory.

Before the Johansen and injury issues, there was no reason not to think the club wouldn’t be better this season. Kekalainen added an on-ice leader and gritty forward in Scott Hartnell to compliment his lineup, getting the Philadelphia Flyers fan-favorite in a trade that only cost the Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger, a buyout candidate anyway, and a 2015 fourth-round draft pick.

Columbus also remains set in goal with Sergei Bobrovsky, but the real reason for optimism is the reward for many years of missing the postseason.

In addition to Johansen’s big season, the 21-year-old Jenner put together a solid rookie campaign and there are other youngsters on the way.

There is room on Columbus’ roster for any of its young players to crack the lineup after the club let free agent defensemen Nikita Nikitin and Nick Schultz, along with forwards Blake Comeau, Derek MacKenzie and Jack Skille all depart.

FORWARDS – The likely absence of Johansen leaves a large but pluggable hole up the middle. Centers Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov — two players acquired from the New York Rangers in the Rick Nash trade back in July, 2012 — could both move up a slot in the depth chart.

Jenner, who played center with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League when Columbus selected him in the second round of the 2011 draft, could have also gotten a look after cracking the lineup last season as a winger due to depth at the pivot spot. He ended up with 16 goals and 29 points in 72 games as a rookie.

Horton missed the start of last campaign following offseason shoulder surgery and then suffered an abdominal injury late in the campaign that caused him to sit out the playoffs. He ended up with 19 points in 36 games and lingering back pain is the last thing the Blue Jackets want with the 29-year-old entering just the second season of a seven-year, $37.1 million contract.

Columbus also was hoping Horton would provide a winning voice in the locker room given the success he had in Boston, but that is a role that Hartnell can fill as well.

The 32-year-old joins Columbus after seven strong seasons in Philadelphia in which he reached at least 20 goals six times, and he’ll add a physical, hard- working presence up front. Hartnell should also have no problem replacing Umberger’s 34-point production from a year ago.

Dubinsky also is a leader and was rewarded with a six-year contract extension after notching 16 goals and a career-high 34 assists last season. He’ll need someone to feed the puck too, whether it be Jenner, Hartnell, Horton or Cam Atkinson, who ranked third on the club a season ago with 21 goals.

The absence of Johansen does open up a spot for either Alexander Wennberg or Marko Dano, with the former having the inside track. Wennberg, the 14th overall pick of the 2013 draft, has added size after putting up impressive numbers in Sweden last season.

Dano, the 27th overall pick of the 2013 draft, is also getting a look, as is winger Kerby Rychel, who was taken eight picks earlier. Both selections were the result of trades: Dano’s pick coming from the Los Angeles Kings in the Jeff Carter deal and Rychel’s slot part of the Nash deal.

Mark Letestu rounds out the center depth and 25-year-old Simon Hjalmarsson has also turned heads after posting 57 goals in 55 games last season in the Swedish Hockey League.

Nick Foligno, Matt Calvert both return and former Pittsburgh winger Brandon Gibbons was signed in the offseason.

DEFENSE – The depth isn’t there as much on defense, though Jack Johnson and Fedor Tyutin make up a solid minutes-eating top pair.

Johnson played nearly 25 minutes a game last season and contributed 33 points, while Tyutin notched 26 points and was a plus-6.

There is hope that 21-year-old Ryan Murray will build off a solid rookie season in which he potted 21 points in 66 games and had only 10 penalty minutes. He’ll team again with James Wisniewski, who notched seven goals to tie a career high and also set personal marks with 44 assists and 51 points.

However, Wisniewski can at times struggle in the defensive zone, putting some added pressure on Murray.

David Savard appears to be a safe candidate for the third pairing, while Dalton Prout will need to hold off Tim Erixon, a former first-round pick still struggling to find a permanent spot in the NHL.

GOALTENDING – Bobrovsky followed up his Vezina Trophy-winning first season in Columbus with another solid campaign last year, going 32-20-5 with a 2.38 goals against average and .923 save percentage.

While his numbers were up a bit, Bobrovsky did show he can be consistent as a starter over a full season. He’ll be motivated again this year as he finishes up his two-year contract signed as a restricted free agent.

Curtis McElhinney was re-signed to a one-year deal to again back up Bobrovsky. He went 10-11-1 with a 2.70 GAA over a career-high 28 games last year and is a stop gap until youngsters Oscar Dansk and Anton Forsberg are NHL ready.

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE – A season set to begin with hope took a nasty turn this summer/fall for the Blue Jackets, who had enough questions with a signed Johansen and a healthy Horton and Jenner in the mix. Hopefully the Blue Jackets can get Johansen back in play before too much time is lost and Horton can finally get healthy. If not, the up-and-coming Blue Jackets may have to give bigger roles to younger players, which would be a small step back in the quest for a second straight playoff berth. Columbus needs to improve offensively on its 12th-place finish from a year ago and that becomes harder without Johansen, Jenner and Horton, but the experience and excitement gained from last season may be an x-factor in the club’s favor.

Categorized in: NHL