Now for a recap of the last two games:

 

The CBJ got this season's 30th win in Friday's win over Detroit.  But a pair of tough 2-1 losses against Colorado on Saturday and Tampa Bay on Monday have them stuck on that 30 mark going into this weekend's games.

• Saturday's 2-1 loss in regulation to Colorado was tough because it broke the CBJ's 10-game point streak.  But also because the Jackets took a 1-0 lead into the final period, only to see the Avs potent offense net two in the final 10 minutes for a come-from-behind win.  Losing Jones (for the season) and Atkinson (day-to-day) was the frosting on top of the misery cake.
• Monday's 2-1 loss in overtime to Tampa Bay at least came with a regulation standings point, so the CBJ remain tied in points with NYI and in the WC1 spot.  But the Jackets OT woes continued with Werenski getting the puck taken away behind the Jackets net that led to the OT game-winner.

This week's remaining games are Thursday at Buffalo; back home Friday against NYR; then at New Jersey.  Hopefully the Jackets can keep up the effort they had against two of the league's top teams (Colorado and Tampa Bay), against these next three teams below them in the standings.

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/blue-jackets-defensemen-seth-jones/c-314918972

 

 

Quote

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones underwent successful surgery today to repair his injured ankle and is expected to be sidelined approximately eight to 10 weeks, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. The surgery was performed by Dr. Greg Bellisari and Dr. Scott Van Aman at Orthopedic One. Jones suffered a sprain and hairline fracture of his ankle in last Saturday's game vs. Colorado. 

 

I'm sorry...what?  GREG BELLISARI is out here performing surgeries?  LOL

 

Atkinson will miss 2-3 weeks with a reaggravation of his previous high-ankle sprain.

 

Foudy has been emergency recalled again and will play in tonight's game in Buffalo.

The CBJ have been winning alot of one-goal games this season (18 of their 30 wins, which is the most in the NHL).  Now the team is starting to drop some of these close games.  On Thursday, the CBJ dropped a 4-3 OT loss at Buffalo and then a Friday 3-1 loss against NYR that was by a one-goal-plus-empty-netter margin.

 

Since Seth Jones' season-ending injury, the CBJ have had three tight losses to go 0-1-2.  This drops their record since the All-Star break to 3-2-3.  But despite losing our best defenseman, it isn't the defense that hurting the team.  The team has only given up 2.0 GAA in the 8 games since the All-Star break.  But they've only scored 14 goals in those same 8 games for a 1.75 GPG.

 

Despite the recent slide, the CBJ still hold the WC1 spot and are two points above the Eastern playoff line.  But if they can't beat teams below them in the standings - like at New Jersey tonight - they'll drop below that playoff line.

Despite the CBJ pumping a season-high 55 shots at NJ in Sunday's game, the Jackets couldn't stop their recent slide.  NJ's goalie stopped 52 shots and defeated the CBJ in a seven-round shootout period to deny the Jackets a much needed extra standings point.  Rookie d-man Peeke scored his first NHL career goal in the game - which is the 7th CBJ player to get his first NHL career goal this season - the most in the NHL.  Also most in the NHL for the CBJ this season - man-games lost to injury(!)

 

Despite the Jackets riding a five-game losing streak (0-3-2), because three of those losses came in OT/SO, the Jackets gained three standings points and still hold the WC1 spot, are one point above PHI in the WC2 spot, and are two points above CAR at just below the playoff line - with 22 regular-season games remaining for the CBJ.

 

But the Jackets won't stay above the playoff line if they can't start winning.  Especially in the next two games, where they play at PHI tonight and host PHI on Thursday.  These next two games are a golden opportunity for both the CBJ and PHI to help themselves in the standings.

Bad breaks, bad bounces, bad result in a 5-1 loss at PHI tonight.  Bjorkstrand's 20th goal of the season on a second period power play was one of the few things to go right in the Wells Fargo Center for the CBJ.  The Jackets need a win Thursday to stay above the playoff line and prevent a four-game season sweep by PHI.

 

BTW - Peeke (who got his first NHL goal in the previous game) went -3 tonight(!)  Welcome to the NHL.

Of the three major Blue Jackets who have been on IR for some time and have been said to be "close" to returning - Anderson, Murray, Korpisalo - I wouldn't have bet that Korpisalo would be the first one to return.

 

But it looks like he will as the CBJ have loaned Korpisalo to Cleveland to begin a conditioning assignment.

Last night's 4-3 loss in OT to the Flyers might be the game that finished off the Jackets playoff hopes for 2020.

 

The OT loss was bad enough - although the one standings point did keep the CBJ nominally in the WC1 spot.  However, they're only one point up on CAR and NYI, who each hold three games-in-hand over the CBJ, and will likely pass us in the standings.  But even more hurtful then the OT loss, is the loss of leading goal scorer Oliver Bjorkstrand for the rest of the regular season(!)

 

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/28750726/blue-jackets-oliver-bjorkstrand-8-10-weeks-ankle-injury

 

Bjorkstrand made a drive for the Flyers goal late in the third period, got knocked off balance, and slammed hard feet first into the end boards.  Bjorkstrand got up and skated very tentatively to the bench and did not return for the OT period.  After the game, the Jackets announced Bjorkstand had suffered a sprained and fractured ankle and would be out 8-10 weeks.

 

This is an almost identical injury that Seth Jones suffered nearly two weeks ago.  So now, after pushing their way through a league-high number of man-games missed, the CBJ are missing their best offensive player and their best defensive player for the remainder of the regular season(!)

Season is done.  Let's tank!

Let's Tank?  Never!

 

Gerbe sez Let's Fight!

 

The CBJ are trying hard to keep their playoff hopes alive - but the overtime and shootout rounds have been unkind this season.

 

Columbus lost 4-3 via an eight-round shootout loss last night at Nashville.  The Jackets are 0-4 in shootout rounds this season.  In both overtime and shootout rounds this season the CBJ are 7-14.

 

The NHL trading deadline is Monday the 24th.  The games after the deadline next week are at home against Ottawa on Monday; at Minnesota on Tuesday; back at home against Minnesota on Friday; and at home against Vancouver on Sunday.

Conventional wisdom going into today's trading deadline was that the CBJ would stand pat - being neither a major buyer or seller.  And it turned out that way.  Although the Jackets did end up making two minor deals today:

 

-- LW Sonny Milano to Anaheim for LW/C Devin Shore -- https://www.jacketscannon.com/2020/2/24/21148991/columbus-blue-jackets-trade-sonny-milano-for-anaheim-ducks-devin-shore

 

-- LW Markus Hannikainen to the Arizona Coyotes for a conditional 2020 seventh round draft pick -- https://www.jacketscannon.com/2020/2/24/21151651/markus-hannikainen-traded-to-the-arizona-coyotes-for-a-conditional-pick

 

 

Oh, and Korpisalo is back with the CBJ after a conditioning start for Cleveland during the weekend:

 

https://www.jacketscannon.com/2020/2/24/21151789/nick-foligno-joonas-korpisalo-lead-black-and-columbus-blue-jackets-to-win-back-in-wild-card-spot-nhl

 

What a bizarre game in Nationwide tonight.  First, the CBJ's opponent - the Ottawa Senators - spent the morning trading away three of its starting forwards.  This left them 2 short of a full 12 forward roster.  So they called up two AHL players, including a newly acquired player.  One of the two didn't arrive until after the first period began.  The other didn't arrive until after the second period began - but his equipment didn't arrive at all(!) - so he never got in the game(!!)  Then Ottawa had two forwards get injured during the game.  So by the third period, the Sens only had 9 forwards available(!!!)

 

The Jackets had their own injury issues during the game.  Nash got injured early in the second period and didn't return.  Then at about the halfway mark, Elvis the goalie hit the back of his head on the ice after a collision at the net.  Elvis went back for concussion protocol and the newly reactivated Joonas Korpisalo had to go cold into the net.  Korpisalo ended up saving 14 of 15 shots to get the OT win.

 

This was the CBJ's third straight overtime game, and their sixth in the last eight games.  But unlike the previous five OT's, this one ended with a CBJ win - although it took them until the final 24 seconds to do it:

The OT win puts the CBJ (31-19-14) back in the WC2 spot for now.  They are tied at 76 points with NYI and two up on CAR.  However, both NYI and CAR hold three games-in-hand over the CBJ.

Now for some less encouraging news on the injury front:

 

https://www.1stohiobattery.com/columbus-blue-jackets-news/2020/02/4607/josh-andersons-injury-believed-to-be-more-long-term-may-not-play-again-this-season

 

The 1st Ohio Battery website reported that Hockey Night In Canada's Eliot Friedman is reporting that Josh Anderson's shoulder injury might be a long-term season-ending type, instead of the shorter-term type was originally thought.  Anderson's injury was initially reported to be 4-6 weeks - but that was 10 weeks ago.

 

Just the way its been going injury-wise for the CBJ this season.  Anderson and Murray out for longer-term than expected.  Jones and Bjorkstrand suffer season-ending broken ankles.  Texier and Kukan with likely season-ending injuries.  Atkinson and Wennberg are out.  Nash and Elvis go down in tonight's game.  The team leads the league in man-games lost to injury.

 

Its amazing that the CBJ even hold a playoff spot with under 20 games remaining.  Even team captain Nick Foligno - who is not on the injured list - took a puck to the face and looks like this(!)

 

From https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueJackets/comments/f9m8ru/got_a_really_bad_feeling_about_this/ - a modified screen shot from Tuesday's CBJ broadcast showing the current injury list.  And it doesn't even include Dubinsky, who has been out for the whole season and might not ever return(!)

 

More injury news:

 

Bad news involving Josh Anderson:

 

Good news involving Alexander Wennberg:

 

With only 16 games remaining in the regular season, its looking like the amount of injuries is finally beginning to crush the playoffs hopes for the CBJ.  Despite a pair of away-and-home losses against MIN, the CBJ are still clinging to the WC2 spot.  But CAR is only 2 points behind with 3 games-in-hand and has a game tonight.  A CAR win tonight will vault them into the WC2 spot.

 

And we're now also getting pressured by a late surge from NYR.  The Rangers are only 2 points behind the CBJ with 2 games-in-hand.  Although NYR suffered their own major injury last night when top forward Kreider got a puck to his left boot and suffered a broken foot - out for the remainder of the regular season.

 

Tomorrow's opponent VAN is playing a Leap Day game tonight at Toronto - which should give the CBJ an advantage for Sunday's game.  Although it wasn't much of an advantage against MIN last night(!)  Still, a win tomorrow would be helpful leading into the team's Western Canadian road trip next week.

Still more injury news:

 

Bad news involving Nathan Gerbe:

 

Good news involving Ryan Murray -- seriously Ryan Murray(!)

 

The CBJ got win #3 in the Sunday C-BUS Sports Trifecta today(!)

 

But with about 8 minutes left in the third period, it didn't look like they would.  VAN was up 3-1 and the CBJ looked dead in the water - until a Nash goal with 7:21 left via some sweet passes from Werenski to Murray to Nash made it 3-2.  Then a Werenski power-play goal with 4:54 left tied it up 3-3.  Then a Bemstrom power-play goal with only 1:37 left for a 4-3 lead.  A Nyquist empty-netter clinched it with 11 seconds remaining for a 5-3 win.

 

Confirmation of the previous reporting about the extent of Josh Anderson's shoulder injury:

 

Based on who is travelling on the Western Canadian road trip, it looks like Elvis is close to returning - but Atkinson is not:

The CBJ play at Calgary on Wednesday - then are off until a back-to-back on the weekend when they play at Edmonton on Saturday and at Vancouver on Sunday.

Whilst perusing https://www.jacketscannon.com/2020/3/4/21163720/game-68-preview-jackets-hope-to-maintain-last-games-spark-against-the-flames in prep for tonight's game, I came across these tidbits about the remaining schedule:

Quote

 

Apparently the Jackets have the 2nd hardest SOS going forward.  These west coast games are perhaps the easiest stretch we have left (and they all have playoff positions).

http://powerrankingsguru.com/nhl/strength-of-schedule.php

Posted  by bfskinner  on Mar 4, 2020 | 12:39 PM

 

On top of all the injuries, they also have to deal with the toughest remaining schedule of any team in the league, a 0.74 win disadvantage that drops them from bubble team to long shot.  Just five of their 15 remaining games are at home (one of the worst ratios in the league) and the Blue Jackets face the second-most difficult collection of teams in the league, with an average expected win percentage of .536, an actual win percentage of .551 and a goal difference of plus-20.  With their current injury woes working against them, Columbus is favoured in just one (1) of its remaining games, an away game against the Devils – the only team Columbus will face that isn’t in the playoffs or fighting for a playoff spot.

Posted  by walterc1  on Mar 4, 2020 | 1:02 PM

 

 

Oof.  But why should anything about this season be easy?

The Jackets got a road point in the first game of their three-game Western Canada swing.  Not bad, but they came close to getting the full two points.

 

The CBJ opened a 2-0 lead with two goals in the first.  Then held on to that lead until Calgary got two goals in the third - with 8:46 left at even strength and 1:53 left with an extra attacker - to send it into overtime.  In the OT, Calgary scored with only 11 seconds remaining.

The Jackets split the final two games of the Western Canada road swing over the weekend -- 4-1 loss at EDM; 2-1 win at VAN.

 

Going into their final 12 games of the regular season, the CBJ still hold the WC1 spot in the East.  At 81 points, Columbus is two points up on both CAR and NYI.  But both teams hold three games-in-hand over the CBJ.

 

The Jackets host PIT on Thursday and NSH on Saturday - two of their five remaining home games on the schedule.

Today's announcement regarding the upcoming home game schedule from the CBJ:

 

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/blue-jackets-statement-regarding-upcoming-game-schedule/c-316128078

 

"The Columbus Blue Jackets are aware of Governor DeWine's announcement today that an order prohibiting mass gatherings in the state of Ohio is forthcoming.  We have been in contact with the National Hockey League regarding this matter and will abide by the state's mandate.  Remaining home games while the order is in effect, including tomorrow vs. Pittsburgh, will be played as scheduled, but with restricted attendance in compliance with today's announcement."
 
"Admission to games will be limited to home and visiting club personnel, credentialed media and broadcast partners, essential club and arena staff and NHL officials.  The games will be closed to the public."

 

^I highly suspect that the NHL will follow the NBA and suspend the regular season.  Going to be a scheduling nightmare, but they could bump everything back about a month.  The harder part, practically speaking, for the NHL is that the ice sheets in arenas do really poorly in warmer weather so it might not be as easy as saying, "hey, move everything back a month" because that bumps late playoff games into July.  We'll see though.

3 hours ago, DarkandStormy said:

^I highly suspect that the NHL will follow the NBA and suspend the regular season. 

 

They have:  https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/28891430/sources-nhl-suspending-play-immediately-due-virus

The suspended 2019-20 NHL season is still suspended -- but the CBJ made a couple of contract signings over the past week.

 

Here's the first, and more minor, of the two:  https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200420/blue-jacketsrsquo-signing-of-mikhail-grigorenko-on-hold-after-nhl-rejects-deal

 

The CBJ signed 26-year-old KHL player Mikhail Grigorenko to a one-year, $1.2 million contract Monday to play the 2020-21 season for Columbus.  Although, technically, he is not officially signed despite putting his name on a contract - because the NHL ruled that the contract won't be valid until July 1, which is the annual start of free agency.  However, there’s a chance the FA start might be delayed because of the ongoing pause in the 2019-20 season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Grigorenko was the former 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft by Buffalo.  He turned out to be a bust in his first three seasons with Buffalo and wasn't any better with two seasons in Colorado after being traded.  But since 2017, the 6'-2" Grigorenko revitalized his career in the Russian KHL, becoming one of the league's top scorers.  A potentially interesting low-risk, high-reward signing for the CBJ.

The second signing was a two-year contract extension for goalie Joonas Korpisalo:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200417/joonas-korpisalo-signs-two-year-contract-extension-with-blue-jackets

https://www.jacketscannon.com/2020/4/17/21225758/joonas-korpisalo-signs-2-year-extension-columbus-blue-jackets

 

The biggest question mark going into this (still suspended) season was finding out if either 25-year-old Joonas Korpisalo or 26-year-old Elvis Merzlikins could replace Bob as our #1 goaltender.  It turned out that both players showed capable of being a #1 goalie(!)

 

Elvis flopped early in the season and Korpi got the #1 job - going 17-10-4 with a 2.49 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and two shutouts plus an All-Star invitation - before suffering a knee injury that cost him nearly two months.  During Korpi's injury, Elvis took over the #1 spot and did even better -  going 13-5-4 with a 1.97 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and five shutouts(!).

 

Going into this season, both Korpi and Elvis were signed to one-year deals that ended as RFA's under team control.  Now Korpi has signed a two-year deal that will pay him $2.2 million next season and $3.4 million in 2021-22 - for an annual cap hit of $2.8 million.  That's a good increase from his $1.15 million salary this season - but still under market value for an All-Star goaltender.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with Elvis now.  It is thought that the CBJ will try to sign Elvis to a very similar deal as Korpi's - and then use both goalies in a 1A/1B role next season.  Basically using next season as more time to figure which goaltender to commit to a longer-term contract.

On 4/22/2020 at 11:53 AM, Columbo said:

It will be interesting to see what happens with Elvis now.  It is thought that the CBJ will try to sign Elvis to a very similar deal as Korpi's - and then use both goalies in a 1A/1B role next season.  Basically using next season as more time to figure which goaltender to commit to a longer-term contract.

 

The other shoe dropped with the CBJ's goaltending duo and Elvis is signed to his own rwo-year deal:

 

https://www.jacketscannon.com/2020/4/23/21233357/columbus-blue-jackets-elvis-extends-show-schedule-in-columbus

 

While the 2019-20 NHL season is still suspended, many Blue Jacket fans have alot of time on their hands.  Here are a couple of CBJ jersey concepts created by reddit users.

 

The first one is a redo of the existing home jersey.  I don't think there's anything wrong with the current primary jersey, but I really do like this.  (Just don't touch the alternate cannon jersey!)

 

From https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueJackets/comments/giss4o/a_blue_jackets_concept_uniform_i_made/

 

The second jersey concept posted at reddit was this Columbus Chill inspired jersey for a 90's throwback night.  Although I personally don't think this jersey is particularly attractive, I do like the idea behind it.  The Chill wasn't the first minor hockey league in C-BUS (the Checkers, Golden Seals and Owls operated from the late 60's into the 70's).  But outside of our AAA baseball teams (Red Birds/Jets/Clippers), the Chill was the most successful minor league franchise the city's history.

 

And it can definitely be argued that the success of the Chill from 1991-99 paved the way for both of our current pro teams - first the Crew and then the Blue Jackets.  So bring on Chill night at Nationwide Arena!

 

From https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueJackets/comments/gj8kc2/throwback_night/

 

RIP C-bus Chill, Dayton Bombers,  and Toledo Storm

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200618/blue-jackets-activate-seth-jones-dean-kukan-from-injured-reserve

 

While the NHL pauses and hopefully returns in the next month, the injury-ravished CBJ lineup has been getting healthy.  Yesterday, the team announced two players with long-term injuries had been removed from the IR.

 

Defensemen Seth Jones and Dean Kukan have been activated from injured reserve.  All-Star and top-line d-man Jones missed the final 14 games of the regular season and was set to be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks after fracturing his right ankle on Feb. 8.  Meanwhile, third-line d-man Kukan had missed the last 29 games after he tore the medial meniscus and suffered articular cartilage damage in his left knee.

Training camp opened yesterday in C-BUS:

 

Torts is a finalist for NHL coach of the year:

 

Getting closer to the start of the NHL Playoffs ... er Qualifying Rounds .. whatever, hockey will soon return:

 

The team is back together after four months apart.  Some things have changed...

 

...while some things never change. (NSFW language in the twitter video below)

 

This doesn't necessarily mean that Anderson will be able to suit up against Toronto because he's still doing individual skating apart from the rest of team.  But wouldn't it be great if he could(!)  Outside of Dubinsky on LTIR, Anderson was the only injured player not off the IR for the CBJ.

The CBJ have traveled to Toronto -- or as we say in this COVID-19 era -- they have entered the NHL bubble:

 

 

Here is the CBJ official Toronto bubble roster:  17 forwards; 11 defensemen; 3 goalies

 

All of which means:

 

11 hours ago, Columbo said:

Here is the CBJ official Toronto bubble roster:  17 forwards; 11 defensemen; 3 goalies

 

 

Jakob Lilja didn't make the cut?

 

EDIT - guess he signed in the KHL last month.

Edited July 27, 20204 yr by DarkandStormy

Jackets getting off the bus today for their first practice inside the NHL Eastern Conference bubble.  Check out the team tees:

 

Here's the TV schedule for upcoming series with Toronto (and the tune-up exhibition game with Boston):

Before the Jackets exhibition game with Boston tonight:

 

 Here was the CBJ lineup for tonight's exhibition game:

Because it was an exhibition match, an extra forward and d-man were allowed to play.  Kukan and Nutivaara are competing for the final d-pairing with Murray.  Gerbe is probably the first replacement forward for the CBJ.  Korp and Elvis split time evenly in the net.

 

It's hard to project from an exhibition match -- but the Jackets looked good, winning 4-1.  Three of those goals were in the first period.  Two of them were power play goals.  The final goal an empty-netter.  Korpi and Elvis looked equally good in the net.

The NHL returned to play yesterday with the first five games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Now, its the Jackets turn with Game 1 of their qualifying series against Toronto tonight:

 

Here's the CBJ lineup for tonight:

It's Korpi over Elvis in goal, and Kukan over Nuti on the third d-line with Murray.  Probably a coin flip for both lineup choices - particularly the Korpi/Elvis choice in goal.  Both goalies are deserving, and neither seemed to have a decisive edge over the other.  Hope it goes well!!