The Columbus Blue Jackets are back after a long summer, and there is a lot to talk about. The Hockey Writers’ Blue Jackets writers Mark Scheig and I, Nicholas Arnold, are here to guide you through everything that happened in training camp and the preseason as the team prepares for opening night on Oct. 10 in Minnesota.
We start with a discussion of who stood out in training camp then a breakdown of the opening night roster. Then mention if there is more drama brewing involving 2022 sixth-overall pick, David Jiricek. Then we looked at the two key injuries up front in Boone Jenner and Dmitri Voronkov. After that, we talk about the new additions to the Blue Jackets over the last month in Kevin Labanc, Zach Aston-Reece, and James van Riemsdyk. After a break, we hop into some predictions, looking at who might score the most points, who will be the team MVP, and where the Blue Jackets may finish in the standings.
Blue Jackets’ Opening Day Roster
A lot has happened to the Blue Jackets’ roster over the past few weeks. A lineup that was already by all accounts ‘a little thin’ got even thinner. A freak incident in a team practice has captain Boone Jenner on the sidelines for the next five or six months – targeting a return in time for the outdoor game at Ohio State. Along with that, Russian youngster Dmitri Voronkov is expected to miss about a month after an incident in a preseason game. So, the Blue Jackets are two more forwards short in a lineup that general manager Don Waddell said was already two bodies short.
There are a couple of interesting pieces that have been added to the lineup since our last episode. First of all, three new additions from outside of the organization. Veteran James van Riemsdyk was added from free agency early in September; he’ll be expected to bring leadership and a calming presence in tough moments. Kevin Labanc was signed after a great preseason with the New Jersey Devils, the 28-year-old showed great promise early in his career and could be a powerplay specialist for the squad. And in the mix of training camp and preseason, Zach Aston-Reece was claimed off of waivers to help shore up the team’s bottom-six forward mix.
A couple of surprises on defense, as more drama could be brewing with top prospect David Jiricek. A weak camp and preseason could have him eating popcorn in the press box, as he was usurped of a top-four role by Jake Christiansen – who has been a standout player with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters over the last few seasons. Status quo in goal, with Elvis Merzlikins looking like the team’s best option to mind the crease for his sixth season.
Blue Jackets’ 2024-25 Predictions
Along with the start of the season and transactions, Mark and I discussed our predictions for the season. Among the topics discussed were who we thought would lead the team in scoring, who would be the most underrated player, and who would be the team’s MVP. We also mentioned who we think is most likely to be traded this season and gave one outlandishly bold prediction about the team. The other thing we discussed was how we expect the overall team’s performance to be.
Related: Blue Jackets’ Signing of Kevin Labanc Is Low Risk
Key takeaways from the discussion included the importance of Sean Monahan to the forward corps, and an overall negative outlook for standings performance. When factoring in all the team’s losses of personnel and how the rest of the Metropolitan Division has improved, it’s going to be an uphill season. It’s likely the team will be getting ready to welcome another top draft pick come June 2025.
With the regular season underway, expect regular drops of the pod from here until April. The Blue Jackets’ regular season gets underway on Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild and then they head to Denver to play the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 12. The team’s home opener is on Oct. 15 when they play the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The night will be held in tribute to the Gaudreau’s with the regular home opener festivities (blue carpet, etc.) being held on Oct. 17 against the Buffalo Sabres.
