It isn’t the season the Columbus Blue Jackets hoped for.
The beginning of 2023 won’t change this.
The Blue Jackets have just 11 wins from their first 35 games. They kick off the new Year with 16 games in January.
There are few games — if any — that Columbus will be favored in.
It begins innocently enough with a Tuesday match against the.500 Ottawa Senators, who are from north of the border on the 3rd of January. But four of the next five come in an eight-day stretch and feature two each against the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals. Each series has one home game and one away game. There’s no reprieve in the fifth game against the Lightning.
There are five more games over the next eight days. Between January 14th to January 21st, Detroit, New York (Rangers), Nashville and Anaheim will be contested by the Blue Jackets. Nationwide Arena hosts the two last games. These are the only two teams in the set, and the two remaining games of the month, that face an opponent with a losing record.
The western Canada swing (Calgary and Edmonton) is the last five-game stretch. Next, the Blue Jackets make their second ever trip to Seattle to face the Kraken. The last game of the month — on the last Day of the month — brings Columbus back home for their third meeting of the month against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.
If you are a tank person (or if it isn’t, you might want to reconsider), then the first month could prove to be a stretch that solidifies Columbus’ position near the bottom.
With that mindset, a difficult start can be a blessing in disguise. Anaheim and Columbus have 24 points each, four more than Chicago. They’re separating themselves from the other teams that are struggling — the next-worst record belongs to San Jose, who is at 31 points and seven clear of the Blue Jackets and Ducks.
The data strongly suggest that this is the final day in 2022. #CBJ It is possible to look forward. Columbus would actually need to double its point total in order to tie for a wildcard slot.
Columbus would be in last place if it lost to Chicago today. pic.twitter.com/bgb1cRvJzT
— CBJ Stats (@BlueJacketStats) December 31, 2022
It is obvious that Connor Bedard, the prize in the 2023 draft, is the player to watch. He is likely to be a franchise-changing player. Another center, Adam Fantilli, is likely the second pick — and the Michigan standout would go #1 overall in most other years. Even Leo Carlsson (yet another center) is someone who has top-pick potential in most seasons.
If Columbus finishes the league with the worst record, they’ll be guaranteed one of the top-three picks and therefore, one among the three elite-elite centers. The Blue Jackets draft luck is not historically good.
Competitive losses — 4-3 games against good teams, let’s say — may be the best thing for the long-term success of this franchise. It’s a sign that the young players have done well, and it’s not as demoralizing this season as other (e.g., Buffalo) losses.
January, whether it is competitive or not will offer many opportunities for valuable losses.
