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NHL playoffs 2017: Columbus Blue Jackets preview

By Dave Stevenson

Feb 17, 2017; Columbus, OH, USA; The Columbus Blue Jackets celebrate defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2017; Columbus, OH, USA; The Columbus Blue Jackets celebrate defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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How long will the Columbus Blue Jackets Cinderella run last in the Stanley Cup playoffs? 

Each season, there’s at least one NHL team who surprises everyone by making the postseason. This time, it’s the Columbus Blue Jackets. Many projected the Jackets to finish either at the bottom of the standings or at least close to it. However, energized by a double digit win streak, Columbus has proven everyone wrong by making the playoffs. It’s just the third time in franchise history they’ve done so.

Their balanced scoring is a huge reason for their success. Cam Atkinson is having a season for the ages, leading the team with 34 goals and 61 points. He won over the hearts of all hockey fans during the NHL All-Star Weekend, nearly winning the MVP of the three-on-three tournament. Columbus traded a lot to get Brandon Saad from the Chicago Blackhawks in the summer of 2015. This season, he’s proven to be worth it, providing the young Blue Jackets with leadership and consistency. Saad has 22 goals and 29 assists while playing a huge role on their special teams.

After having one of the worst seasons of his career in 2015-16, captain Nick Foligno is much more comfortable in his role and it shows. He has 25 goals and 24 assists for 49 points. A year after putting up zero power play goals, Foligno has 14 goals on the man advantage. Alexander Wennberg has a career high 13 goals, 44 assists and 57 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets strength lies in their defense. Seth Jones has emerged as a first pairing defenseman and one of the best young defensemen in the NHL. He and rookie teammate Zach Werenski each scored double digit goals. Werenski would be the Calder Trophy winner just about any other season. He’s made a huge impact on the Blue Jackets, providing them with a spark. Most notably, Werenski has made an already great Columbus power play even better.

Sergei Bobrovsky is the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. He should also be getting Hart Trophy votes, especially when one compares his season to Carey Price’s in 2014-15. Bobrovsky’s health was good all season and he carried the Blue Jackets at various points during the season.

John Tortorella has done an amazing job this season. Many considered him to be on the hot seat to start the season, especially after Team USA’s World Cup of Hockey disaster. However, his decision to cancel most morning skates has been key to the Blue Jackets success. Tortorella has pushed all the right buttons.

Why they can win

The Columbus Blue Jackets have shown they can play excellent hockey for an extended stretch. They’ll need to win 16 games to win the Stanley Cup. Columbus had a 16 game winning streak from late November to early January. This shows they can play winning hockey and they can do it for a long period of time.

Also, Bobrovsky is playing some of his best hockey as of late. Since the start of March, he has a .955 save percentage, tops in the NHL. Solid play in net is necessary to win the Stanley Cup and no goalie’s playing better right now than The Bob.

Why they won’t win

While Bobrovsky is great, they rely on him a bit too much. The Blue Jackets have the 15th best SAT percentage at even strength. History shows recent Stanley Cup winners have been excellent possession teams. The 2010-11 Boston Bruins are the only recent champions to not have at least a top 10 SAT percentage. While 2011-12 Los Angeles Kings and 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins both didn’t finish in the top 10, this is due to coaching changes. They were, however, in the top 10 after their respective coaching changes.

The Blue Jackets offense has gone ice cold as well. While slumping going into the postseason isn’t always a bad thing, it’s concerning to say the least. They’ll have to face the Penguins, who can score at will. To beat Pittsburgh (and potentially the Washington Capitals), the Blue Jackets will have to score goals.

X-Factor

Every recent Stanley Cup champion has had a franchise defenseman. They’ve been led by an incredible postseason by one of their blue liners. Jones will have to join an elite group in order for the Blue Jackets to win the Stanley Cup. He’ll be asked to play very tough minutes, especially if Werenski is out long-term.

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Prediction

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ Stanley Cup chances rely heavily on the health of Werenski. A hit from Alex Ovechkin injured him in early April. If they can get him back healthy and they can start scoring again, the Blue Jackets are going to be a very tough team for anyone to beat four times. However, the odds are against Columbus.

The NHL’s playoff format doesn’t necessarily reward the best teams and the Blue Jackets are a perfect example of this. They shouldn’t have to play the second best team in the league, but they have to deal with the hand life has dealt them.