Twelve video games into the 2024-25 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets are forward of the place many pundits thought they might be. After a robust begin, the staff has begun to slip within the different path with three straight losses. Now sitting at precisely .500 with a 5-5-2 document and even in objective differential (40 targets for and 40 targets in opposition to). The staff is at a essential fork within the proverbial street and have to get again above even by stringing collectively a couple of wins. In the event that they wish to be enjoying significant hockey late into the season, they’re going to need to do to this dropping streak as Barney Fife used to say: “Nip it within the bud.”
Blue Jackets Had a Enhance to Begin the Yr
The staff had performed most of their video games in Nationwide Area by October and at the moment are on an prolonged street journey whereas they catch up in away video games. The issue for the staff this season is that they’re considerably higher at residence than on the street. Their information are 4-3-0 at residence and 1-2-2 on the street. Therefore we’ve seen a continued dip in the previous couple of video games after a stronger document proper off the hop.
There could possibly be a distinction suggesting if the disparity in residence and away information is because of causation or correlation. It could possibly be the staff had been using an emotional wave from the occasions within the offseason and was met with a brand new head coach in Dean Evason who was capable of assist them channel that vitality into on-ice outcomes.
Now the Blue Jackets Are on a Shedding Skid
For the reason that calendar turned to November, it’s been a tricky go for the Blue Jackets. In three video games performed, they’ve been outscored 15-5. A little bit of grace could possibly be given in regard to the primary two video games as they have been in opposition to two of the most popular groups within the NHL.
The Winnipeg Jets have a .923 factors share by their first 13 video games. So you’ll be able to perceive why the Blue Jackets bought shelled 6-2 and have been outshot 44-22. It was truly a feather within the staff’s cap that they have been capable of maintain the sport shut by the primary half, earlier than the Jets kicked within the afterburners within the third interval.
Associated: Blue Jackets Nonetheless Have A Lot to Determine Out This Season
Subsequent, they performed the red-hot Washington Capitals, who’ve been buoyed by 39-year-old Alexander Ovechkin enjoying like 25-year-old Alexander Ovechkin. In most metrics Columbus was the higher staff, outshooting the Capitals 36 to 22, profitable 60 p.c of faceoffs, and having extra hits and takeaways and fewer giveaways. The one place they weren’t higher was the one which mattered – the scoreboard. The Capitals put up a landing and transformed a kick by the uprights for a 7-2 win over the Blue Jackets.
The place this stretch turned from a few robust video games in opposition to good groups and right into a dropping skid was San Jose. The worst staff within the league by the primary tenth of the season ought to’ve been a straightforward two factors for the Blue Jackets. They took a exceptional 50 photographs on the evening, however have been merely “goalied” by the Sharks Vitek Vanecek. Regardless of trailing by a lot of the recreation, they have been capable of finding a gap within the Czech netminder about 50 minutes in and compelled extra time. Nonetheless, they misplaced off of a wrist shot from Blue Jackets alum Alexander Wennberg.
Developing on this West Coast street journey, the staff will face three very beatable groups. The Los Angeles Kings will likely be their most tough foe this weekend, particularly contemplating they haven’t misplaced at residence in regulation but this season. They comply with that with a recreation in opposition to the Anaheim Geese, who’ve appeared misplaced many instances thus far. Their offense has been impotent and most of their high scorers are at or beneath half a degree per recreation. They shut with a recreation on Tuesday in opposition to the Seattle Kraken who’re close to the underside of the Pacific Division standings.
If the Blue Jackets wish to maintain constructing on their comparatively robust begin to the season, they’ll have to get again above .500 by the tip of this street journey. That’ll give them an excellent probability to maintain some momentum once they return to Nationwide Area – the place they’ve been actually good thus far – on Nov. 15 in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the event that they lose these subsequent three video games, it could possibly be the spiral that places them behind and makes this one other in a protracted record of “write-off” seasons in staff historical past.
