In this edition of The Hockey Writers’ Columbus Blue Jackets Union Junction Podcast, Mark Scheig and Nicholas Arnold discussed the Blue Jackets, who are still in the mix for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and looked at their schedule through the last 12 games of the regular season.
That was followed by a conversation about reinforcements returning to the lineup. Forwards Sean Monahan and Cole Sillinger, along with defenders Erik Gudbranson and Jake Christiansen, should be on the ice to help the team down the stretch. Scheig and Arnold asked a key question: What will the lines look like now that the team is at full strength for the first time this season? Someone will have to come out. The podcast also included updates about Cayden Lindstrom, three entry-level contracts signed by the team, and the Gaudreau family’s foundation’s efforts in the community.
Blue Jackets’ Playoff Hopes
The Blue Jackets have had a slight fall. After holding firmly onto a wild-card spot just two weeks ago, their grip has weakened, and they are now on the outside looking in. Despite having the worst record in the last ten games of any team in the playoff race (2-7-1), reinforcements have helped them get back in the win column. It worked already, with Monahan and Gudbranson helping propel the Jackets to their first win in seven games.
Also returning is forward Cole Sillinger, who has grown into his middle-six forward role this season, and Jake Christiansen, who provides a little more depth on the backend. With only 12 games remaining, Columbus sits two points out of the second wild-card spot. It’s not an insurmountable deficit, but they’ll have to beat the other five teams that also still have a shot at it.
Blue Jackets’ College Free Agent Signings
The Blue Jackets signed a few prospects over the past couple of days. Two are college free agents. Jack Williams is a center out of Northeastern University who has been a leader everywhere he’s gone. He wore the “C” with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and with his college team this season. The Biddeford, Maine, native has been a point-per-game player in each of his final two seasons in college.
Blue Jackets general manager (GM) Don Waddell described him in the organization’s press release as “a skilled, hard-working player with a passion for the game, who was a very productive player and leader during his time at Northeastern.”
Related: Blue Jackets Add Depth, Potential With Jack Williams Signing
The team also added defender Caleb MacDonald from the University of North Dakota (UND). MacDonald is a big-bodied, 6-foot-4, 225-pound, left-shot defender. He spent a lot of time this season playing his off-side, playing right on the team’s top-pairing with Jake Livanavage.
He was also a UND teammate of Blue Jackets’ prospect Andrew Strathmann. In his final season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), he was the leading scorer and a point-per-game player for his Whitecourt Wolverines and was named the league’s defenseman of the year. He, along with Charlie Elick, who was also signed this week from the Western Hockey League (WHL), will be brought in as bigger and more physical defenders whose game each has a more defensive focus.
Listener Blue Jackets Questions on Union Junction:
- Does Zach Werenski still have a shot at winning the James Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman?
- Should Waddell do anything about the Blue Jackets’ goaltending?
- How would Scheig and Arnold set the Blue Jackets’ bottom-six forward lines?
- What’s your favorite thing to do in central Ohio?
- Major League Baseball opening-day thoughts.
The Blue Jackets are back in action at home on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks, then visit the Canadian capital on Saturday to play the Ottawa Senators. Six of their final ten games will be in Nationwide Arena, which should benefit them down the stretch run as they’ve been significantly better there (20-9-5) than on the road (12-20-4).
