Blue Jackets Better Equipped to Overcome Big Injuries

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What if we told you at the beginning of the season that the Columbus Blue Jackets’ top-two centers in late January would be Adam Fantilli and Luca Del Bel Belluz? How would you have reacted to that?

On one hand, that’s a positive development in the case of Fantilli. That meant he played well enough to earn the role. It’s also a positive development for Del Bel Belluz because that meant he did well enough in the AHL to earn a promotion.

On the other hand, where are Boone Jenner, Cole Sillinger and Sean Monahan? Once again in 2024-25, the Blue Jackets are dealing with significant injuries. Jenner has been out since the end of training camp and is now starting to work his way back.

Sillinger has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury. After the Blue Jackets’ morning skate Saturday, he skated on his own in the Ice Haus. That was the first time on the ice since the injury. While he is day-to-day, he could miss a couple more games.

Then there is Monahan. Just after Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings started, the Blue Jackets released a new update on his injury. The news was not good.

The Blue Jackets had hoped that immobilizing Monahan’s wrist for two weeks would help the healing process. Things didn’t go as planned. The team now has to go another 6-8 weeks without their number-one center who was off to one of the best starts in his NHL career.

In past seasons, this laundry list of injuries would have spelled doom to any hope of making the postseason. Things are different now with the Blue Jackets. They’re better equipped to handle difficult injuries.

Overall Depth in Better Place

The Blue Jackets for years have struggled with depth especially at the center ice position. Whether it was inconsistent play from their centers or simply not enough organizational depth, they could not compete with the NHL’s best teams up and down their lineup.

Fast forward to this season. One of GM Don Waddell’s first moves with the Blue Jackets was to make sure depth was no longer an issue.

Previous GM Jarmo Kekalainen didn’t leave the cupboard empty when the team moved on from him. Waddell had plenty to work with. Then he made moves to ensure depth not only at center but all over the ice was addressed.

Up front, the biggest signing was Monahan. He signed a five-year deal in the offseason to immediately address the center depth. His presence has been massive on these Blue Jackets.

Monahan’s play allowed others to play lower in the lineup or on the wing. His signing took on more importance when Jenner’s injury occurred. Early on, the injury showed the Blue Jackets were better equipped to overcome.

Dean Evason Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are better equipped than ever to overcome big injuries. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

That theme kept going as the season went on. Soon after Jenner’s injury, Erik Gudbranson suffered a major injury that would take months to heal. The defense was in a better place too.

Waddell traded for Jordan Harris in the Patrik Laine deal and signed Jack Johnson to a one-year contract. In the event of major injury, the Blue Jackets had reinforcements ready to go.

Waddell wasn’t satisfied. Given the defensive struggles, he saw an opportunity to claim Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators. All he’s done is find a home playing with Zach Werenski. This turned out to be one of the best moves of the season in the NHL.

Waddell also brought Kevin Labanc, Zach Aston-Reese and James van Riemsdyk into the fold to help with the forward depth. The Blue Jackets prepared themselves in case a rash of injuries came. As of late, they’ve been tested.

Denton Mateychuk had to miss time due to illness. So did Jack Johnson. The Blue Jackets didn’t miss a step. The big part to this is how they’ve been able to be in a playoff spot missing their number-one center in Monahan.

The Blue Jackets top-four centers on Saturday night against the Kings were Fantilli, Del Bel Belluz, Justin Danforth and Sean Kuraly. They beat a really good Kings’ team in the process. Had the center depth not been properly addressed in the offseason, who knows what this lineup would have looked like?

The Blue Jackets have another four-game road trip upcoming. Until Sillinger is ready, they will have the same four centers from Saturday night’s win. There is a belief within the locker room that they expect to win on any given night no matter who plays. Their confidence is high according to Fabbro.

“When the going gets tough, a big part of our character is we push back,” Fabbro said. “It’s cool to see. I’ve been in the league for a little bit now, and it doesn’t happen very often that you get a feeling like this in the locker room.”

The Blue Jackets’ depth is healthy in all areas of their team. Once the injured are ready to return, the team will have tough decisions to make regarding who leaves the lineup.

All of this is just the first part of how they’re better equipped to handle big injuries. Enter Dean Evason.

Systems & Structure Matter Too

Teams need depth in the NHL. Injuries are a part of the game. No one is immune to them. The teams that are best able to manage their injuries tend to have the most success.

Part of managing their injuries is making sure the team has a chance to win every night no matter who plays. This is where Evason deserves a lot of credit.

The Blue Jackets on Saturday night hung in against one of the stingiest teams in the NHL at five-on-five. Evason’s system allows the Blue Jackets both the ability to create offense but also limits the opposition’s scoring chances.

Dean Evason Columbus Blue Jackets
Dean Evason’s system allows depth to find success. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

You’ll notice in recent games, outside of the game in Carolina, that the Blue Jackets’ defense and goaltending have been much better of late. They’re making a more concerted effort to stay above the puck which in turn limits what the opposition can do creating high-danger chances.

Elvis Merzlikins is playing some of his best hockey of his career in this recent stretch. The team in front of him is blocking shots and limiting what comes his way. That’s a big reason why he’s 6-1-0 in his last seven starts.

Here’s where Evason gets credit. It’s a simple system anyone can play. It’s black and white. It’s also the same system the Cleveland Monsters play under Trent Vogelhuber. With everything seamless, a call up can come right into the NHL lineup and feel right at home. That is why the depth on these Blue Jackets have been successful. They are more prepared than ever to play and have success. They know exactly what to do.

So Monahan has to miss 6-8 more weeks? It stinks for the team but they have depth at center ice that can carry them until he’s ready to return.

Fantilli is gaining valuable experience as the top center. Del Bel Belluz has eight points in 10 games since being called up. They weren’t ever going to fully replace Monahan. But their depth has allowed them to have an expectation they can win on any given night.

It Takes a Team to Overcome

While several individual performances are worth noting throughout the season, the reason the Blue Jackets are holding a playoff spot is because they have bought completely into the concept of team. Evason brought that with him upon his hiring. The team has responded by becoming closer than ever.

Not many people expected the Blue Jackets to do much this season given how it started with the tragedy and then losing two of their captains to major surgery.

Turns out the Blue Jackets still expected to make a run at the playoffs this season. Their young stars have shined. Their depth has responded. They play a system that allows their depth to find success.

The Blue Jackets are in the midst of developing a winning formula. It’s the kind of formula that can overcome big injuries.

Many expected the Blue Jackets to fall off after Monahan’s injury. Nope. Fantilli stepped up and is doing an admirable job for someone who is about to play his 100th NHL game.

The Blue Jackets of the recent past had major injuries and weren’t prepared to overcome them. The results spoke for themselves. Things are different now. Not only are they prepared to handle them, they expect to win every night. This is why having the right leaders in place matters. They have set the team up for success no matter what challenges present themselves.

The Blue Jackets are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games while missing some of their key players. Only the New York Rangers have been better of the wildcard teams in that stretch. It’s no fluke what the Blue Jackets are doing right now.

Whether or not the Blue Jackets can make the playoffs remains to be seen. But if nothing else, being able to have a winning formula while being able to overcome big injuries only reinforces how bright the team’s future is. No matter who’s in, they expect success.

That’s perhaps the biggest development so far for the Blue Jackets in 2024-25.