Fansided

Which player will be each NHL team’s superstar in 5 years?

By Griffin Youngs

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 1 - Auston Matthews
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 1 - Auston Matthews /
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COLUMBUS, OH – OCTOBER 23: Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates with the puck against the Arizona Coyotes in the second period on October 23, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – OCTOBER 23: Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates with the puck against the Arizona Coyotes in the second period on October 23, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Columbus Blue Jackets- Seth Jones

The Columbus Blue Jackets are the least successful franchise in the NHL today by being the only team without a playoff series win in their history, and they’re desperately looking for an answer to their playoff woes. They’re getting closer and closer, but what they lack is a true game changing face of the franchise that can be a bogeyman for other teams. Sergei Bobrovsky has been close to that, but signs point to him being on his way out in Columbus. However, Columbus might not have to look far for their savior, especially when they have future Norris winner Seth Jones ready to emerge.

Seth Jones is one of the most satisfying defensemen to watch in all the league. Jones finished fourth in voting for the Norris trophy last season with a 57 point season, and he’s continuing to grow in all aspects of the game. He’s a shutdown guy in his own end, and a threat in the offensive zone, but best of all he’s consistent. Jones personally reminds me of Drew Doughty in his prime, and Jones is still just 24 and putting up better offensive numbers then Doughty was at that point in his career. Five years from now we can be looking at Jones as perhaps a top three defenseman in the league at the rate he’s going.

Jones isn’t a run away pick for Columbus however. Pierre Luc Dubois had a phenomenal first full season with the Blue Jackets with 48 points as a 19 year old and in all likelihood will become the elite first line center that the Blue Jackets have desperately needed forever. However in Seth Jones case, he’s likely going to be competing for awards for several years down the line and Dubois hasn’t proven yet that his potential ceiling can be on that same elite level by comparison. It’s not a slight against Dubois, Jones is just that good.

Nevertheless, it’s only a matter of time before the Blue Jackets end their playoff futility streak with players like Jones and Dubois at the forefront. With Zach Werenski as Jones’s partner and the Blue Jackets amount of depth on all fronts, losing a player like Artemi Panarin might not hurt as much as anticipated, and they can still turn into Cup contenders.

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