All too often, the Columbus Blue Jackets have stacked up two competitive periods to open games only to stumble in the third. We haven’t seen a regulation win from the Blue Jackets in over two weeks, dating back to a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 13.
The Blue Jackets had two regulation wins in all of November, and their schedule only gets more difficult in December. For a team expected to push for a playoff spot this season, why can’t they hold onto their early leads?
Blue Jackets Need Offensive Structure in the Third Period
One key reason is a lack of offensive structure. The Blue Jackets currently rank 25th in the NHL in third-period goal differential at minus-11. The bigger problem lies in the lack of trust among the Blue Jackets on the ice in critical moments. Head coach Dean Evason has often resorted to shortening his bench to three forward lines in the final frame, leaving the team and certain key players vulnerable to a late push from their opponents.
How does Columbus right the ship? They must first implement an offensive structure to keep pressuring the puck. The Blue Jackets get stuck in the defensive zone too often and have to resort to dumping the puck in rather than going on the attack.
For the first two periods of most games, the Blue Jackets have a solid offensive zone structure that leads to high-quality looks and one of the highest expected goals for percentages in the NHL. However, they cannot afford to let up on that pressure. It has to continue through the final 20 minutes as well.
When we look at what Columbus does well in the offensive zone, they constantly have a player in front of the net to screen the goaltender, and consistently move the puck around the half wall, near the hash marks. They need to apply this structure for 60 minutes if they want more success.
Blue Jackets Must Stop Allowing Odd-Man Rushes
Far too often in these games, Columbus’s defensemen jump up into the play as an extra attacker. However, different circumstances call for different structures. Too often, these plays lead to an odd-man rush the opposite way. The Blue Jackets have fallen victim to this many times.
They haven’t been able to figure out how to be strategically aggressive in the most precious moments of a game. Sure, some of this stems from having a young roster, but in that same vein, the Blue Jackets have to understand situational awareness and not give up high-danger chances with the clock ticking down.
#CBJ in November games lost six points in games where they had a third period lead and lost. (Isles, 1st Oilers game, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Penguins.)
— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) November 29, 2025
Had they won these games, they'd be tied for first in Metro in points with NJD.
They wake up today last in the Metro.
What’s frustrating is that these games add up quickly. The Blue Jackets could be, and probably should be, at least tied for the Metropolitan Division lead right now, but instead they are battling their way out of last place. They have to figure out how to stay aggressive offensively while playing mature and structurally sound defense.
Key to Columbus’s defensive machine is 2025 Norris Trophy runner-up Zach Werenski, and he can’t be the only defender consistently stepping up in these games towards the final horn. To right the ship, the Blue Jackets need to lean on Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov, and youngster Denton Mateychuk to step up.
Blue Jackets Must Stop Relying on Goaltenders to Bail Out Defense
When the Blue Jackets are out of position defensively, too often during this stretch, they have been forced to rely on goaltenders Jet Greaves or Elvis Merzlikins to bail them out. They must start allowing their goaltenders to find their rhythm and not have to perform miracles to keep the team in games.
Greaves has been a star in most of these games this season, and Columbus needs to let him continue to be great. It all starts with avoiding breakdowns in the defensive zone when trying to exit with the puck. The team has played well enough to win games, but they only have six regulation wins through 25 games this season. That should be the only reality check they need.
Projected 2025-26 NHL standings at American Thanksgiving. pic.twitter.com/XKjhHzs7bv
— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) November 27, 2025
So, how does Columbus respond? They have to play smart defensively, and they have to be more efficient on the forecheck. Efficient is not the same as aggressive, and the Blue Jackets must avoid being overly aggressive and getting caught out of position. This leads to the backcheck. Again, by playing a structurally sound 60 minutes, the Blue Jackets will give themselves a chance to keep everything in front and take the burden off their goaltenders to perform miracles.
We are only a quarter of the way through the season. If the Blue Jackets can implement these three fixes to start closing out games when they have the lead, they will be much closer to a playoff spot than they are now.
