Columbus Blue Jackets can take big steps forward this summer

The Columbus Blue Jackets were looking to take big steps last season after signing the top free agent in Johnny Gaudreau, but they weren’t even close.

Instead of contending for a playoff spot, they were contending for the draft lottery, and now they’re hoping that a top three pick, along with a much healthier team next season and a new head coach, will allow them to take that next step.

Tyler Yaremchuk and Mike McKenna talked about the Columbus Blue Jackets offseason on Daily Faceoff Live, and looked at what moves they need to make to be closer to playoff contention next season.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I think the big holes for this group that Jarmo Kekalainen needs to focus on in the offseason is defense and maybe taking a look the goaltending. Merzlikins and Tarasov, can you trust them? What’s your read on this Blue Jackets organization heading into the summer?

Mike McKenna: Well, you nailed it about being healthy, that’s going to make the team better in the first place. When John Tortorella left, they stayed in-house with Brad Larsen as head coach, and to me coaching is actually the big question mark when it comes to the Blue Jackets. I don’t think they’ll stay in-house again. They do have Pascal Vincent who has been there for a couple years, I don’t think he’s going to be the answer.

I wonder if Peter Laviolette doesn’t get a good look there in Columbus, I don’t think he’d be scared of trying to turn that team around. But I think of those names out there, the big name is Andrew Brunette, the assistant coach of the Devils, he’s on everybody’s radar right now. I’d like to see two guys get a strong look, Jay Leach, who’s the assistant with the Seattle Kraken, and Spencer Carbery, assistant of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I like both of those two for that fit there.

But beyond coaching, goaltending was terrible last year. Merzlikins didn’t stop anything, and he’s got to retool completely. They will have an entirely new coaching staff at goaltending as well, so I’m curious who they bring in that. I don’t think they’re going to be able to get different goaltending.

What they really need is a center and they need a bit of help on the blueline, and they do have money to spend. They’re probably going to have about $17 million worth of cap space. The question for me is who do you get at center if that’s what you’re targeting? There’s not a lot out there. Ryan O’Reilly’s 32, probably not him. Is it J.T. Compher? Do you roll the dice on Sean Monahan, hopefully he’s healthy. Maybe Erik Haula.

So that’s why I really think coaching is going to be the key, because there are players available they can spend on, but I don’t think they’re real game-changers. If they get somebody that can get this team going again behind the bench, and they’re healthy, I think they can be adequate, but Merzlikins has to overhaul his game as well, or you hope that Tarasov takes over the crease.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Yeah one of those two. I love the group they have forming up front. I agree they probably need another solid centreman, you look on the wings, Gaudreau, Laine, a guy like Alexandre Texier is expected to be back with the organization next year. Down the middle, Boone Jenner, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger. I forgot to mention Kirill Marchenko, who had a great year on the wing. They have the makings of this really good forward group. If they draft Leo Carlsson third overall, boom, there’s another young centreman that you can add to the organization.

But I agree, get a veteran centreman to insulate some of these young guys and then go spend however much cap space you have on the best defenseman you can find on the open market, because that blueline last year was just flat out not good enough.

You can watch the full episode here…