The offseason continues to slowly chug along, and we continue our Columbus Blue Jackets season preview series here at The Hockey Writers. At least college football is back, right?
Given that most Blue Jackets fans are likely Buckeyes fans, I envy your enjoyment as a Bearcat student and fan, but I digress.
It does help pass the time until hockey returns, and the wait is not much longer. Training camp opens in roughly three weeks, the first preseason game is just 22 days away from the day I’m writing this (Aug. 30), the regular season begins in 40 days, and the home opener follows only four days later.
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We are not far away at all, and what better time for me to drop my three bold predictions for this team looking to build off of last season’s crushing finish.
Blue Jackets Break Playoff Drought
It would be the first time since 2020 and they nearly made it happen last season, in what was the highest scoring season in franchise history with 273 goals.
My colleague, Mark Scheig, here at THW, spoke with captain Boone Jenner earlier this week. He covered plenty of ground, but on improvement and building off last season, he made his points clear.
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“I think we believe in each other in that room where it’s all about the team, the way we built that last year. I think we’re going to continue to grow on that and learn from lessons, whether it’s a point here or there, and how much of a difference that is in November or December, and how that impacts what could be a spot in the playoffs. I think you have to learn from that as a group. I love the way we fought right to the end, but we came up short. For us, it was extremely disappointing. We want to get into the playoffs and do some damage. I think that’s where our heads are at.
We took a good step last year, but we’re taking a bigger one this year. We know it’s going to take a lot of work. That’s what I’m excited for coming to training camp: getting it right I know the guys have been putting in tremendous work this summer, and guys will be ready. We’re going to push each other. We’re going to push ourselves as a group of, let’s go, we have to get in. We have to make some noise this year.”
I think the Blue Jackets could work their way into third place in the…
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