The Columbus Blue Jackets have solely performed six video games this season and at the moment sit at a 3-3 file. Regardless of the numerous accidents already plaguing the roster, they’ve performed competitively most nights and have exceeded expectations thus far. That makes this crew excellent for hypothesis and overreactions to early success. Whereas it’s very attainable that each one of those sizzling takes could possibly be wildly off in a pair months, there are a couple of traits that could possibly be very fascinating in the event that they proceed. Listed here are three predictions the Blue Jackets will see this season.
Daniil Tarasov Will Take Over the Web
The goalie place has been a weak point for the Blue Jackets since Sergei Bobrovsky left in 2019. Whereas having some good moments in web, Elvis Merzlikins has had a reasonably tough journey in his time in Columbus. Whereas he started because the starter for the season opener, an early minor damage has left him with solely two begins by means of the six video games. Sadly for him, these begins weren’t notably spectacular both. He has allowed seven objectives with a .854 save share (SV%) and misplaced each video games he began. This was definitely not the begin to the season that the Blue Jackets had been hoping to see from the beleaguered netminder.
“We would have liked a powerful begin to the sport, and I believe we did a reasonably good job with that.”
Goaltender Daniil Tarasov tells Dave Maetzold that it was an unbelievable effort for the Columbus Blue Jackets to earn a victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/iX29wIIZhN
— FanDuel Sports activities Community Columbus (@FanDuelSN_CBUS) October 23, 2024
However his poor begin has opened the door for Daniil Tarasov. In 4 begins, he has posted a .888 SV%, permitting 13 objectives and getting three wins. On the floor, these stats don’t appear too completely different. However when you take a look at the underlying statistics, he’s considerably outperforming Merzlikins. Per MoneyPuck, he has a objectives saved above anticipated stat of 0.2. Meaning he’s making virtually precisely the quantity of saves he must be. In the meantime, Merzlikins has a minus-3.6 objectives saved above anticipated, which implies he has given up virtually 4 extra objectives than he ought to have in simply two video games. Tarasov is objectively doing a greater job in web. Whereas Blue Jackets’ basic supervisor Don Waddell overtly spoke this summer time about needing to get Merzlikins again on observe (from ‘Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzlikins is staying, says Don Waddell: no commerce, no buyout’, The Athletic, 6/20/24), it’s in the end as much as the goalies to earn their begins. If each of them hold taking part in like they’ve, Tarasov would be the starter, and Merzlikins can be on his approach to a buyout subsequent summer time.
Kirill Marchenko Will Be a Level Per Sport Participant
The Blue Jackets have solely had one participant rating 82 factors or extra in a season. Artemi Panarin completed that feat in each seasons that he performed for the Blue Jackets, placing up 82 and 87 factors. Per Elite Prospects, the Blue Jackets have solely had two different gamers who even averaged a degree per sport in a season the place they performed greater than six video games. Rick Nash did it twice with 79 factors in 78 video games and 54 factors in 54 video games. Patrik Laine did it as soon as with 56 factors in 56 video games. This season at the moment has six Blue Jackets averaging a degree per sport or increased in Kirill Marchenko with 1.33 points-per-game (P/G), Kent Johnson with 1.25 P/G, Yegor Chinakhov with 1.17 P/G, Sean Monahan with 1.17 P/G, Justin Danforth with 1.00 P/G, and Zach Werenski with 1.00 P/G.
Whereas definitely not all of these gamers will end at their present scoring charges, Marchenko looks like the almost definitely candidate to remain at or above a degree per sport. He has been glorious at carrying the puck into the zone, in addition to utilizing his physique to maintain possession in tighter areas. He has all the time possessed an elite shot, however he’s doing extra now to generate his personal probabilities and arrange others as effectively. His line with Monahan and Chinakhov was one of many top-producing strains throughout the complete NHL earlier than they had been cut up up because of crew accidents. He has continued to point out progress as a participant, and this season appears to be a giant breakout for the 24-year-old winger.
The Blue Jackets Will End Sixth or Higher within the Metro
Most followers and specialists alike anticipated the Blue Jackets to complete final within the Metro this season, and sure within the backside three of the NHL. Nevertheless, they’ve really had one in all their finest begins in latest seasons. Below new head coach Dean Evason, they’ve performed competitively virtually each evening, their offensive manufacturing thus far really set a franchise file with 24 objectives within the first six video games, they usually could also be discovering a greater reply in web. In the meantime, the Philadelphia Flyers have had a brutal begin to the season, going 1-5-1 by means of their first seven video games. The growing old Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t a lot better with a 3-5-1 file by means of 9 video games. The New York Islanders are 3-2-2 by means of seven video games and want their goalie Ilya Sorokin to proceed to play at an elite degree, even after coming off of surgical procedure (from ‘Ilya Sorokin discovered approach to be unbothered by surgery-altered preseason’, New York Put up, 10/16/24). Even the New Jersey Devils are sitting at a mere 5-4-2 by means of 11 video games.
Associated: Blue Jackets Consider Protection is Trending within the Proper Path
The Metro has some large query marks this season. The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers are almost definitely playoff locks. The Washington Capitals have been off to a surprisingly sizzling begin, however they’ll seemingly come again right down to earth in some unspecified time in the future. If the Blue Jackets can hold their high-flying offense whereas persevering with to tighten up their objectives towards, they’ll escape the cellar of the Metro and will even be competing for a playoff spot late within the season. A sixth-place end within the Metro is greater than cheap to count on from this squad.
Wild Overreactions or Spot-on Predictions?
Whereas the info could also be restricted, early indicators have been very constructive for the Blue Jackets this season. They might want to hold taking part in with the identical depth to realize any of those predictions, however it isn’t loopy to assume they may do it. An skilled head coach paired with a gifted younger roster might ship plenty of surprising and constructive outcomes. One factor everybody can agree on about this Blue Jackets crew: they’ve been enjoyable to look at.
