The Columbus Blue Jackets finished the 2024-25 season with a bittersweet taste in their mouths. After jumping 23 points in the standings and narrowly missing the playoffs by just two points, the franchise finds itself in an unfamiliar position—carrying genuine expectations into a new campaign. The leap from lottery team to playoff contender was significant, but falling short of postseason hockey left the organization hungry for more. As the 2025-26 season unfolds, several key trends have emerged that could determine whether Columbus finally breaks their five-year playoff drought or faces another year of disappointment.
The Blue Jackets’ roster continuity, combined with strategic additions and a renewed focus on specific areas of improvement, has set the stage for what could be a breakthrough year. With 19 returning players who accounted for 84 percent of last season’s points, the team has stability that few franchises can match. Yet stability alone won’t secure a playoff berth in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division. The organization has identified four critical trends that need to be addressed and improved upon if they hope to take the next step from playoff contender to legitimate postseason participant.
Establishing a relentless forecheck to create offensive opportunities for the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets have made improving their forecheck a cornerstone of their 2025-26 season preparation. Head coach Dean Evason has emphasized that Columbus needs to emulate successful teams like the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, who have built championship-caliber rosters on the foundation of aggressive, relentless forechecking. The desire to pressure opponents into mistakes and create turnovers has become a regular part of team meetings throughout training camp and the preseason.
Evason hasn’t been shy about his expectations for a more aggressive approach. Following a preseason game against Washington where puck management and forechecking were issues, he told reporters that the team needs to be the one “that pushes the pace, forechecks, neutral-zone checking, just being aggressive, turning pucks over so that we can use our skill set to translate it to offense.” This philosophy represents a shift from last season, where the team sometimes pulled back on forechecking intensity, particularly during back-to-back games.
The personnel additions made during the offseason directly support this strategic emphasis. Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood, acquired via trade, along with free agent signing Isac Lundeström, bring forechecking pedigree to the bottom six. Wood, whose 24.82 mph skating speed led the entire NHL last season, possesses the speed necessary to disrupt opposing defensemen before they can make clean breakouts. Coyle brings 13 years of experience and has made the playoffs every season of his career, understanding what it takes to win at the highest level.
The players themselves recognize the importance of this adjustment. Miles Wood explained that an effective forecheck “wears down their D. It puts pressure on their team. You can turn the puck over and do a quick strike and try to score a goal that way.” Mathieu Olivier, who signed a six-year extension after scoring 18 goals and leading the NHL in fighting majors last season, emphasized that execution requires all five players to be “in sync” with everyone “100% sure of your job.”
Perhaps most importantly for the Blue Jackets’ forechecking improvement, Evason discussed addressing a specific issue from last season—the tendency to ease off during back-to-back games. Columbus struggled notably in the second game of back-to-backs, contributing to stretches like a six-game losing streak and a nine-losses-in-ten-games span that ultimately cost them a playoff spot. By making tactical adjustments to maintain forechecking intensity even when fatigued, the team believes they can capture the additional wins needed to secure a postseason berth.
The integration of these new players and systems has been evident in the early-season progress the team has shown. With four lines capable of applying pressure, Columbus now has the depth to maintain an aggressive forechecking mentality for full 60-minute efforts. If this trend continues throughout the campaign, it could be the difference-maker in close games and tight playoff races.
Defensive consistency and structural improvements throughout the Columbus Blue Jackets lineup
The Blue Jackets finished 25th in the NHL in team defense during the 2024-25 season, marking the fifth consecutive year Columbus placed in the bottom quarter of the league in goals against. This statistical reality stands as the most glaring weakness preventing the franchise from returning to playoff contention. However, the second half of last season provided a glimpse of what’s possible when the defensive structure solidifies—from January 9 through season’s end, Columbus allowed 2.90 goals per game, good for 14th in the league.
The organization is banking heavily on continuity to drive improvement. All seven of the team’s top defensemen from last season return, providing familiarity and chemistry that should translate to better on-ice results. The Zach Werenski-Dante Fabbro pairing developed into one of the NHL’s best after Fabbro joined the team in November, and they’ll anchor the defensive corps once again. Werenski, who finished as the Norris Trophy runner-up after posting 82 points, led the entire NHL in average ice time at 26:45 per game and has evolved from perennial All-Star to genuine elite defenseman.
Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson bring veteran stability to the second pairing, both capable of moving the puck effectively and providing defensive reliability. The addition of Denton Mateychuk, who made the NHL’s all-rookie team, gives Columbus a mobile, skilled option entering his second full season. Meanwhile, alternate captain Erik Gudbranson returns from an injury-shortened campaign to provide physical presence and leadership to the blue line. Jake Christiansen rounds out the defensive depth after a strong training camp following his first full NHL season.
The defensive improvement trend extends beyond just personnel. Another year in Evason’s system should naturally lead to better execution of defensive zone coverage, gap control, and transition defense. Young players like Mateychuk, Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, and Cole Sillinger all have 200-foot games that continue to develop, and their defensive responsibility will be crucial in limiting high-danger chances against. The coaching staff has emphasized accountability in all three zones, and the players have embraced the reality that offensive talent alone won’t be enough to achieve their playoff aspirations.
Special teams defense also requires attention. Columbus finished 22nd in penalty kill success rate at 77.0 percent, a statistic that directly correlates with winning. The additions of Coyle, Wood, and Lundeström—all experienced penalty killers—should provide immediate upgrades. Lundeström in particular brings defensive responsibility, having accumulated just 22 penalty minutes over the past four seasons, the lowest total among NHL players with at least 250 games played during that span.
The defensive zone has become a focal point of the team’s identity shift. As the roster matures and gains experience, the expectation is that defensive structure will become second nature rather than something that requires constant coaching reinforcement. If Columbus can maintain their second-half defensive performance from last season over a full 82-game schedule, they would project as a playoff team based on their offensive firepower alone.
Maintaining offensive production and depth scoring for the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets shattered franchise records on offense during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 267 goals to tie for seventh in the entire NHL. Even more impressive, their 161 home goals led the league, as the goal cannon at Nationwide Arena fired with remarkable frequency. With players accounting for 87.3 percent of those goals returning to the organization, offensive production should remain a significant strength. However, the challenge lies in maintaining that level while also addressing consistency issues that plagued the team throughout last season.
Columbus tied a franchise record with five players scoring 20 or more goals, led by Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli, who both reached 31 goals. Marchenko’s 74 points tied for sixth in team history, and he became just the second Blue Jackets player to post at least 30 goals and 40 assists in a single season. Fantilli, meanwhile, became the youngest player in the NHL to reach 30 goals, announcing himself as a legitimate star in just his second professional season. Both players are expected to build on those performances, with Marchenko centering the top line alongside Sean Monahan and Dmitri Voronkov.
The depth scoring provides Columbus with a significant advantage over many competitors. Kent Johnson established himself with 24 goals and a career-high point total, showcasing the creativity and skill that made him a high draft pick. Voronkov contributed 23 goals in his rookie campaign, using his 6-foot-4 frame effectively around the net. Even Werenski from the blue line chipped in 23 goals, setting a franchise record for defensemen. This diverse scoring threat makes it difficult for opponents to focus their defensive attention on any single line or player.
Sean Monahan’s impact cannot be overstated. The veteran center notched 57 points in just 54 games, recording the most points in franchise history for a player in their first 54 contests with the team. His presence as a stabilizing force and faceoff specialist (particularly important with the addition of fellow right-handed faceoff taker Coyle) provides the Blue Jackets with legitimate center depth that rivals any team in the Metropolitan Division. Captain Boone Jenner, who sits one goal shy of 200 for his career, adds another dimension as a power forward who can contribute in all situations.
The consistency challenge presents itself in stark contrast to the offensive brilliance. While Columbus scored six or more goals a franchise-record 16 times, they were also shut out nine times, tied for the second-most in the NHL. This feast-or-famine approach suggests that when the offense clicked, it was unstoppable, but when opposing defenses or goaltenders found answers, the Blue Jackets struggled to adjust. Addressing this trend requires better situational awareness, secondary scoring when top lines are contained, and the ability to win low-scoring, grinding games.
The additions to the bottom six should help in this regard. While Coyle, Wood, and Lundeström weren’t brought in primarily for their offensive contributions, all three have proven capable of chipping in goals at crucial moments. Wood has averaged 15 goals per 82 games throughout his career, while Lundeström showed scoring touch in 2021-22 with Anaheim. Having genuine threats on all four lines prevents opponents from matching their top defensive pairs exclusively against Columbus’s top scorers, creating more favorable matchups throughout the lineup.
Special teams excellence as a difference-maker for the Columbus Blue Jackets’ playoff push
Special teams often serve as the deciding factor in close games and tight playoff races, and the Blue Jackets understand that improvement in both power play and penalty kill efficiency could be worth several additional wins over an 82-game season. Columbus finished 22nd in both categories last season—19.5 percent on the power play and 77.0 percent on the penalty kill—leaving significant room for growth. The encouraging sign is that the talent exists to be much better, particularly with a healthy roster.
The power play showed flashes of excellence before injuries disrupted chemistry. At midseason, Columbus ranked in the NHL’s top 10 in power play success rate, but injuries to key players like Jenner and Monahan derailed that momentum. The belief within the organization is that the top unit could rank among the league’s best when fully operational. The personnel creates a nightmare for opposing penalty kills: Jenner’s net-front presence, Monahan’s playmaking in the middle, Werenski’s point shot and vision, Marchenko’s lethal one-timer from the left circle, and Johnson’s creativity on the right side.
Werenski’s development as a power play quarterback has been particularly important. His 59 assists last season tied Artemi Panarin’s franchise record set in 2018-19, many of which came on the man advantage. His ability to walk the blue line, find shooting and passing lanes, and distribute the puck to his talented forwards gives Columbus a dynamic weapon that can punish opponents for taking penalties. The second power play unit, likely featuring players like Fantilli, Voronkov, Sillinger, and Fabbro, also possesses enough skill to be productive.
The penalty kill improvement represents a more pressing concern. Allowing goals on nearly one-quarter of opponent power plays puts tremendous pressure on both goaltenders and team defense. The Metropolitan Division title contention will likely be decided by narrow margins, and every shorthanded situation successfully navigated could prove crucial. The additions of Coyle, Wood, and Lundeström specifically address this weakness—all three bring extensive penalty-killing experience from their previous teams.
Coyle’s defensive responsibility has been a hallmark of his 13-year NHL career, consistently taking on tough matchups and penalty-killing duties for every team he’s played for. Wood’s speed allows him to create shorthanded pressure and close gaps quickly, disrupting passing lanes and forcing hurried decisions. Lundeström’s disciplined approach (those 22 penalty minutes in four years demonstrate his positional awareness) makes him an ideal fit for killing penalties without risking additional infractions.
System adjustments and commitment will also play roles in special teams improvement. Evason and his staff have had an offseason to analyze what worked and what failed during penalty kills last season. Better communication, stronger netfront coverage, and more aggressive stick work could all contribute to incremental improvements that add up over 82 games. Similarly, power play adjustments—movement, additional shooting threats, quicker puck rotation—can make the difference between a middling unit and a genuinely threatening one.
The underlying talent exists for Columbus to boast top-10 special teams in both categories. Achieving that standard would dramatically improve their playoff probability. Teams that excel at special teams typically win close games, build momentum during crucial stretches, and force opponents to play more cautiously. If the Blue Jackets can climb from 22nd to even 15th in both power play and penalty kill, the impact on their win total could be the difference between watching the playoffs from home or participating in them.
The Columbus Blue Jackets stand at a crossroads entering the 2025-26 season. The foundation laid during last year’s 23-point improvement provides genuine optimism, but translating potential into playoff results requires addressing the four trends outlined above. Improved forechecking, defensive consistency, maintained offensive production, and special teams excellence aren’t just nice-to-have qualities—they’re essential elements that separate playoff teams from pretenders. The roster continuity, strategic additions, and coaching emphasis on these areas suggest the organization understands exactly what needs to improve.
The pressure is on, and the Blue Jackets have embraced it. Players have spoken openly about the expectations they’ve set for themselves, and the coaching staff has made adjustments designed to extract maximum performance from a talented roster. With young stars continuing their development, veterans providing leadership and stability, and a clear identity emerging around aggressive play and offensive creativity, Columbus has positioned itself for success. Whether these four trends materialize into tangible improvements will determine if the franchise finally ends its playoff drought or spends another spring wondering what might have been. The time for potential has passed—now comes the time for results.
Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.