Blue Jackets Riding Wave of Momentum Heading into Stadium Series

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Welcome to Stadium Series week. For the Columbus Blue Jackets, they have a lot of things going for them. Momentum is clearly on their side on a few different things.

But in the midst of a heated playoff race, there is a fine line the Blue Jackets have to ride. On one hand, the Stadium Series game with the Detroit Red Wings is Saturday night. With a crowd that could exceed 90,000 fans, it will be a night many will remember for a long time.

Then on the other hand, it’s a huge game in the standings. Once the game itself gets started, it’s business as usual trying to get a big win.

The Blue Jackets have an opportunity to make a big week even bigger by getting wins. They have a pair of games this week before they get to the big game at Ohio Stadium. If they want to go three-for-three this week, they must turn their momentum into results.

4-Nations Bump

Why do the Blue Jackets have so much momentum? That’s because a few things are going their way at the same time. The first thing is Zach Werenski’s recent performance at the 4-Nations Faceoff.

An argument could be made that Werenski was the best overall player at the 4-Nations. One model in particular by the Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn showed this.

Werenski was everywhere at the tournament. He led the 4-Nations in scoring with six points all assists. He logged heavy minutes while playing an important role on Team USA.

As we recently wrote about, Werenski finally got his chance on the big stage. He delivered in the same way he’s delivered for the Blue Jackets all season.

Although Team USA lost in overtime, the momentum from this performance carried over into Saturday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Werenski recorded a goal and two assists to help the Blue Jackets to an important 5-1 win in front of 18,809 fans at a sold out Nationwide Arena.

Not only was momentum there for Werenski, it’s there for the Blue Jackets’ fans too. His performance at the 4-Nations has energized the fan base. They were already excited with the Stadium Series coming up. But now that’s been dialed up a few notches.

Columbus Blue Jackets, Zach Werenski, 2025 Stadium Series
Zach Werenski has given the Blue Jackets a lot of momentum. (Photo credit: Taylor McHale/Fanatics)

At the national level, Werenski got more well-deserved attention with his play. He’s in the thick of the Norris Trophy race while even turning some heads for the Hart Trophy. He’ll get another chance on national TV Saturday night to show how important he is to the Blue Jackets.

Stadium Series Bump

Another obvious reason why there is momentum around the Blue Jackets is because of the big game itself. Having an outdoor game in Columbus has been five years in the making. It’s even longer if you consider how long the desire has been there.

Think of what the atmosphere is going to look like come Saturday night. Famed Ohio Stadium is going to host an NHL hockey game. As Sean Kuraly put it on Monday, they’re playing hockey “on hollowed ground.”

To be the center of the hockey universe naturally comes with momentum. The players will have friends and family at the game. There will be that extra incentive to win this game in front of a mostly Blue Jackets’ crowd. Energy should not be hard to find.

The Stadium Series is also a chance for Columbus to show itself off. They had that chance before when the NHL All-Star Game was in town. The overwhelming response to that was positive. It should be a similar experience this time as well.

With the expected boost that the Stadium Series will provide, that will create more momentum for fans to tune into Blue Jackets’ hockey not only now but in the future. Excitement is off the charts with the fans. They will create one of the better atmospheres for an outdoor game once everyone is settled into their seats. They’ve waited a long time for this opportunity.

Playoff Race Bump

Outdoor games of the past have had playoff implications as Dean Evason said on Monday. This Saturday will be no different. As of Monday afternoon, the Red Wings hold a two-point lead on the Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference standings. With two games against each other this week, it could significantly impact how the race shakes out.

The Blue Jackets are treating every game like it’s a playoff game given the standings. If the playoffs were to start today, they’d be on the outside looking in. That’s all the motivation they need knowing how important this game is.

Aiding in the playoff race bump is the return of some of their injured players. Captain Boone Jenner returned to the lineup on Saturday night. He recorded an assist.

Kirill Marchenko came back on Saturday after suffering a broken jaw just three weeks ago. He returned ahead of schedule. Dante Fabbro returned to taking an elbow to the face. Having their captain, top-line winger and first-pair defenseman come back is a momentum boost. More help could be on the horizon.

Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson are skating. While it is unknown what an exact timeframe looks like, they could each be back later in March. Then consider the trade deadline and you have a situation in which the roster would be a huge momentum boost.

Need Results Now

The Blue Jackets have a lot of momentum on their side. However, the only way the momentum matters is if they do something good with it. They have to get results in the form of wins.

The Blue Jackets are one prolonged losing streak away from being out of the playoff race. They know and understand the importance not only for this week but for their remaining 25 games.

The team should be feeling good about themselves given everything that’s happening. Now it’s up to them to parlay all of the good into something more meaningful. How great a story would it be if the Blue Jackets shocked the world and made the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season?

The Blue Jackets have the momentum. But they want a lot more. It starts this week by taking care of business against the Stars and Red Wings.

Just win. That should be the Blue Jackets’ slogan in the midst of the momentum and excitement of what’s to come.