Well, if you watched the Coumbus Blue Jackets get their teeth kicked in by their rivals this week, you probably didn't have a whole lot of fun.
It's not breaking news that this team isn't very good.
After Johnny Gaudreau's first-period goal only one minute into Tuesday's contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Penguins overpowered Columbus with three second-period goals to win 4-1.
If you remember NBCSN pitting the Blue Jackets and Sabres together during the days of Wednesday Night Rivalry in 2017, you get the joke at the top. Against those Sabres on Wednesday's TNT national broadcast this week, Columbus was done in by Tage Thompson's first-period hat trick and five goals, a 6-0 first-period deficit, and ultimately a 9-4 loss.
Thompson also had an assist to complete the six-point night and he set a Sabres record with seven first-period shots on goal, while also scoring the second-fastest four goals in NHL history (four goals in 16:40). His four first-period goals tied an NHL record and he's the fourth player to have four tallies in the opening frame.
There's being bad. There's being embarrassed once in a while. There's being quite obviously bad which this Blue Jackets team appears to be. Certainly squelching the pre-season hype that Gaudreau's signing brought to a team looking to sniff playoff conversations after an upbeat and surprising year last year.
To quote former NFL head coach Jim Mora, "playoffs?!"
Ok, so where do things go from here?
That's to be determined by the team on the ice and the people in charge of the important decisions up in the suites. You can imagine the type of response the players will have for the Calgary Flames tonight.
For now, we bring you five things to look forward to with this team and the rest of the hockey season.
1. Play The Kids!
Development is key. The Blue Jackets have pieces and the future appears bright. But what you don't want to do is stunt the growth of players like Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, and the rest of the budding young core.
How about them @BluejacketsNHL? @johngaudreau03 and Kent Johnson connect for Johnson's sixth NHL goal. pic.twitter.com/nZG2989soI
— NHL (@NHL) December 5, 2022
Are mistakes going to be made? Yes.
Is there the possibility of playing guys in situations that expose them, their flaws, and their struggles? Probably so. But it's the NHL and we've seen countless other talents get the chance to showcase themselves.
What else does the team have to play for at this point?
That was the case before the season, to develop the future, and it's even more apparent now as you make your way toward the halfway point of a tough season.
2. Marvel At Johnny Hockey
No telling what's going through Gaudreau's mind right about now, but fortunately, it's not showing through on the ice.
Johnny Gaudreau picks top shelf with a gorgeous wrist shot just 60 seconds into the game!#CBJ pic.twitter.com/rWB1G75X65
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) December 7, 2022
Arguably the best player in the franchise's history already, based on his NHL track record, Gaudreau is riding a season-best six-game point streak (two goals, eight assists) and he has points in 10 of his last 11 games.
Put it this way.
He has only gone pointless in seven games this season, and only three times since Nov. 5.
The franchise mark for most points in a season belongs to Artemi Panarin's 82 in 2017-18 and the high water mark of 87 in 2018-19. Currently leading the team with 28 points and 19 assists, and co-leading the team with nine goals, the race could be on for Gaudreau to become just the second player to register an 80-point season in a Blue Jackets sweater.
3. Connor Bedard Watch
We get it. Losses aren't fun. At least there could be a silver lining at the end of the road.
With an absolutely star-studded NHL draft next summer, Connor Bedard—leading the Regina Pats and WHL with 64 points (27 goals, 37 assists) in 28 games—is the odds-on-favorite to be taken No. 1 by whichever team gets so lucky to be chosen in the upcoming NHL Draft Lottery.
Bedard backhand toe between the legs to avoid the secondary defender. Nasty handles pic.twitter.com/fk7xyO4H0M
— Pavel Barber (@HeyBarber) December 5, 2022
But it's a lottery so there's no guarantee, of course. The Colorado Avalanche had a league-low 48 points in 2016-17 when they finished 22-56-4 and they came away with the fourth pick. That pick became the eventual Hobey Baker Award winner and 2022 Conn Smythe Winner, Cale Makar.
The Detroit Red Wings finished the shortened 2019-20 season with a league-low 39 points and a 17-49-5 mark. They selected Lucas Raymond with the fourth pick.
Alongside Bedard, there are other notable talents like another center, Adam Fantilli at the University of Michigan. So buckle up and watch how that race for the No. 1 pick plays out. The Anaheim Ducks are at the bottom of the league standings with 17 points while the Chicago Blackhawks are tied with Columbus and the Arizona Coyotes with 18 points.
4. Non-Blue Jackets Hockey
Winter Classic
Okay, a Penguins and Boston Bruins Winter Classic on Jan. 2 might not scream must-watch for Blue Jackets fans or any of the other fanbases, but the Winter Classic is still fun.
All-Star Game
The All-Star Game will feature at least one of the Blue Jackets—probably only Gaudreau but you can make a case for Johnson and Boone Jenner—in Florida on Feb. 4. Regardless of records, it's a nice reprieve to get away from the Blue Jackets' woes and just have fun watching the leagues' best all make jokes with one another and have fun for a weekend before the intensity ratchets back up for the second half.
World Juniors
A glimpse of the future can be seen when Jordan Dumais (19 goals, 35 assists)—second among points (54) in the CHL behind Bedard—gets his shot to compete for a roster spot on Team Canada for the 2023 World Juniors Team Selection Camp on Dec. 9-12. The World Juniors are scheduled to take place from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.
Defenseman Aidan Hreschuk, acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in the Max Domi trade, has been playing at Boston College (pointless in 14 games) and will be given a look for Team USA.
Jordan Dumais is #WorldJuniors bound https://t.co/wSyfTYYs6J
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 7, 2022
New Year's Eve
The New Year's Eve showdown between the Blue Jackets and the Blackhawks has been changed to a 1:00 start. The change accommodates the Peach Bowl playoff tilt between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs at 8:00 pm ET.
5. Calder Watch?
He's probably not going to win it, but Johnson continues to play well this season.
Among rookies, he's tied for eighth with New Jersey Devils' forward Fabian Zetterlund with 13 points, and Johnson is tied with Sabres' Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka for fourth with six goals.
You just want to see Johnson continue his strong play and take that next step. Playing with Gaudreau more often would be a nice opportunity for him.
