The 2016–17 Columbus Blue Jackets season was one for the record books – in more ways than one. 1st Ohio Battery looks back at the individual and team records from the campaign.
The way a team bounces back is often more important than the initial downfall.
The Columbus Blue Jackets watched their franchise cornerstone Sergei Bobrovsky struggle at times over the course of the past two seasons. The 2016-17 campaign was a big moment for both the player and the team.
The potential for Bobrovsky has always been huge and when he taps into it, he is able to be the one of the best in the league.
This season his play may have reached it's apex.
The Old Record: Steve Mason in 2008-09 with 33 regular season wins
Here is a player that is often associated with success when thinking about the Blue Jackets.
Then again, Steve Mason had one of the better goaltending seasons in the franchise's history when he came into the NHL as a rookie.
His .916 save percentage during the regular season may not seem like much but it was all that was needed behind a strong forward and defensive corps.
The Calder Trophy winner won 33 games and led the Blue Jackets to their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance. While the Blue Jackets were swept in those playoffs, it was a memorable season with an even more memorable run from their netminder.
Record Breaker: Sergei Bobrovsky with 41 regular season wins
This wasn't just a record that was barely broken. This was a record that was beaten down with a sledge hammer.
Bobrovsky didn't just put up a bunch of wins, he had one of the better overall goalie seasons in recent memory.
To put it into a bit of a historical context, Carey Price, who won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 2014-15 won 44 games.
Crossing the 40 win threshold is very difficult. Especially when considering all the factors that go into it. The goalie needs to be healthy enough to continue to play but also have enough endurance to maintain consistency.
While Bobrovsky is nominated for both the Vezina and the Hart, it'll be a difficult task to take home both. It is a true testament to his great play that he is in the conversation for the league's most valuable player.
John Tortorella acknowledged how rare of a player Bobrovsky was earlier in the season when the Blue Jackets went on their vaunted streak. He threw his name into great company.
“Bobrovsky has a chip on his shoulder,” Tortorella said back in December. “He’s probably one of the hardest, most concentrated players I’ve ever seen. I had a goalie in New York, Lundqvist, very similar. He’s been the backbone of our team. I’m proud of him, because that was hard for him last year. He was either hurt or he was average, and he knew it.”
It took eight seasons for the Blue Jackets and Bobrovsky to break this record, it may be an even longer period of time before we see the record broken again. With Bobrovsky though, counting him out is the last move you want to make.
