It's here. It's finally here.
Friday, Apr. 14 is the day the 2022-23 Columbus Blue Jackets season comes to an end when the Buffalo Sabres comes into Nationwide Arena for the season finale.
The Sabres had a good season but upon being eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday, aren't really playing for anything tonight. Except to be a spoiler.
While the Blue Jackets have long been eliminated from playoff contention, they've been very much in the race for a top-three draft pick, at minimum, and perhaps the No. 1 pick to be announced on May 8 when the NHL lottery commences.
One way or another, the next phase can begin.
After today, everyone can begin to move on and get the ugly taste from this season's hockey team out of their mouths.
From a franchise record amount of injuries and man-games lost, to loss after loss on the docket, there is some good to come along soon. Whoever the Blue Jackets can land with the upcoming NHL draft, they'll have a high-reward prospect, a potentially elite, game-changing player on their hands.
This is possibly the most Blue Jackets thing Ive ever seen. #CBJ https://t.co/RxMUmpqhQc
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) April 14, 2023
Although, there's the question as to what the lottery might look like for the Jackets on May 8 and who they'll be able to select.
After Thursday's overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the eventual regulation losses by the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, and an overtime loss by the Chicago Blackhawks, there is a chance the Jackets might not even have a chance at a top-three pick and Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli.
Currently, the Blue Jackets are 30th in the league standings. A regulation loss tonight would leave them 31st, with the second-best odds at Bedard, and at the very least, a top-four pick. A win tonight and they can all but kiss that opportunity goodbye, as they would overtake the Sharks for 29th in the league, and could select as low sixth.
Not really ideal in the grand scheme, but we'll have to wait and see for now.
As we await further clarity on what lies ahead, the Blue Jackets face a plethora of questions regarding the current makeup of their roster.
Forwards
While the forward crop might be the best part of this team right now, and they're gearing up to draft another one, Dan Dukart wrote about the glut of forwards this week.
Did anyone from the mix including Emil Bemstrom, Carson Meyer, Trey Fix-Wolansky, Liam Foudy, and I could go on, show enough for the future?
Will any of their individual successes translate to next season at the NHL level?
It was only one game but we saw the NHL debuts for Mikael Pyyhtia and Stanislav Svozil on Thursday, including both picking up their first career assists. Tyler Angle also debuted against Pittsburgh. Prospects we’ve heard about whom may be a part of the upcoming future.
Emil Bemstrom (7) (Power Play) Assists: Mikael Pyyhtia (1), Stanislav Svozil (1)pic.twitter.com/G7ffcElzJP #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 14, 2023
Patrik Laine concluded another season riddled with injuries and extended absences from the lineup. While he still put up a respectable 52-point season (22 goals, 30 assists) in 55 games, it’s the second straight season he's failed to play in at least 60 games. He played in 46 games during the shortened-56 game season in 2020-21, including 45 games with the Blue Jackets (one with the Winnipeg Jets).
Count Kent Johnson (16 goals, 24 assists) and Kirill Marchenko (21 goals, four assists) as the few organizational wins this year.
Both rookies showed how capable they can be as NHLers right now and into the future. Johnson registered only the third 40-point campaign by a first-year Blue Jacket and Marchenko set the franchise mark for goals by a rookie.
You hope to see both players only continue the momentum they started this year. But as we know with young players, the second-year wall can hit something fierce.
Cole Sillinger (three goals, eight assists) probably didn't have the most fun during his sophomore season but he seemed to take it all in stride. He's playing in Cleveland as they make their playoff push.
Johnny Gaudreau (20 goals, 53 assists) had a typical Johnny Hockey season and became the fifth different Blue Jacket to record at least 70 points in a season. He has played the second-most games (79) of anyone along with Andrew Peeke.
JOHNNY HOCKEY CALLED GAME! #CBJ pic.twitter.com/cnus6MK0eu
— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) April 14, 2023
Defense
The blue line was at least one area that everyone knew needed work as the season began and it only got worse as injuries ravaged the unit.
The club set a new franchise record for goals allowed (324) after allowing 297 last year.
We saw a few prospects get a chance to show what they can do with 2022 sixth-round draft David Jiricek making his debut in October, Marcus Bjork, Tim Berni, and Billy Sweezey getting in a chunk of games, and Samuel Knazko was the fourth rookie to make his NHL debut on Thursday.
A healthy Zach Werenski will be like acquiring a brand new player and Jiricek might just be a regular on the team next season.
Goaltending
Goaltending was horrendous.
Elvis Merzlikins (7-18-2, 4.23 GAA, .879 SV%) had one of the worst seasons for any goalie. According to MoneyPuck, he's dead last (107th) among every goalie to play a game this season in goals saved above expected (-25.9). He showed some form of promise in the second half of the season but then left the team due to a personal family matter before sustaining another injury in a loss to the Montreal Canadiens in March. That game was his last this season.
What can we expect from him next year?
He'll be 30 years old next April and he has four years left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.4 million.
For Merzlikins, and the club as a whole for that matter, there’s only one direction to go and that's up. But anything is better than this season. And for what the Blue Jackets are paying Merzlikins, they need to see a significant jump in his game.
Daniil Tarasov (4-11-1, 3.91 GAA, .892 SV%) might be his backup due to the fact he won't be able to play in Cleveland without passing through waivers but he also battled injuries this season. This season was supposed to be a full year in Cleveland for Tarasov from a developmental standpoint but he ended up with more NHL games (17) and starts (16) than AHL games (11).
Because of the Blue Jackets relentless injuries, Brad Larsens future with the club wont be assessed by the classic criteria.
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) April 13, 2023
It wouldnt be fair to judge their performance just on points or our record."@Aportzline on how Larsen will be evaluated:https://t.co/U0XRanrYDb
Aaron Portzline reported on Thursday that head coach Brad Larsen and his staff would be evaluated this off-season, but not based on wins and losses considering the teams’ significant injury toll. With one year remaining on Larsen's contract, would the Blue Jackets make a switch now?
Could you imagine the Blue Jackets landing Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli only to ice them on the third line for 9:37 a night, similar to how Johnson and Marchenko started out?
With an off-season of questions to sort out, the first such answer will begin to crystalize pending tonight's outcome against the Sabres. Will the Blue Jackets even have a top-three pick?
Stay tuned.
