10 Predictions for the 2014-2015 Columbus Blue Jackets
- Updated: September 4, 2014
September has arrived, and with that I need to start filling up FireTheCannon.com with some new content. Aside from a post about the trade of RJ Umberger and a pre Cannonfest V write up I kept the laptop closed all summer. Now that the players are back in town and camp is about to start, I figured the time has come to get back to work. I could write about Ryan Johansen’s contract, or I would write about prospects, or I could even pretend I know what advanced stats are (they are like stats… but better…), but that’s all old news. I’m going low hanging fruit on this post and giving you my 10 predictions for the Blue Jackets 2014-2015 campaign. As a warning, this is going to trend towards the sunny side. I’m not going to trash anyone, or make a bold prediction about trading RyJo, or anything to incite a riot. This is just what I think will happen, bathed in the sunshine and optimism that a new season provides.
Prediction #1: Come October 9th we’ll have forgotten about how much Ryan Johansen gets paid:
I said I wasn’t talking RyJo’s contract, but it really is where the season starts. You can tell me about holdouts, moving Boone Jenner to Center or trying out a free agent, but I think it’s all summertime cannon fodder. Ryan may miss a week of camp. His agent’s track record suggests that’s a real possibility. I still won’t be worried. Come October 9th Johansen will suit up with the Blue Jackets in Buffalo and lead the charge. Too much is riding on it for both sides. Which leads us to…
Prediction #2: The Jackets (finally) get a fast start to the season:
The lockout shortened 2012-2013 started out dreadfully for the CBJ. It looked like another year down the drain until the team caught fire the last three months and came within a tiebreaker of making the playoffs. Last season started out with a sense of optimism but was met with a cold Blue Jackets squad that didn’t skate like it was on the same page. It took all year to climb out of the hole they dug themselves the first two months. Although the schedule is tough for the Jackets out of the gate, Coach Todd Richards will have his guys ready to go, always reminding them what happened last year.
Prediction #3: The Jackets set a franchise record by topping 100 points next year:
Last season was the most successful in franchise history, tallying 93 points and finishing in the first wildcard spot. With a better start this year’s team will top 100 points for the first time, which leads us to our next prediction…
Prediction #4: The Jackets finish 2nd in the Metro Division:
I could be all sunshine and rainbows (as promised) and give us the Metro division, but I just can’t get there from here. Although the Penguins lit their front office on fire following last season their talent on ice is going to be too much to pass for the division title. The race for second will be between the CBJ and the Rangers, with the Flyers taking a hit with some questionable goaltending and one baffling trade.
Prediction #5: Five Blue Jackets top 20 goals next year:
Last year Ryan Johansen, Artem Anisimov and Cam Atkinson all topped the 20 goal mark, with another five players above 15 goals. This coming season features a healthy Nathan Horton and the new addition of Scott Hartnell, who should both be in that ballpark. If players like Nick Foligno, Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner take the next step the 20 goal scorers start piling up. With 20 goals comes…
Prediction #6: Four Blue Jackets will top 50 points:
Three Blue Jackets reached the 50 point mark last year. Johansen (his name comes up a lot), Brandon Dubinsky and James Wisniewski all reached the milestone. I can see another name being added to that list with someone of Scott Hartnell’s skills being placed directly in front of the goalie. The assists on that line will come fast and furious if Hartnell can approach the 20 goal mark. I can also see a guy like Cam Atkison stepping up his number of assists, jumping him up from his 40 points last year to around 50 next year.
Prediction #7: Three Blue Jackets will make the All Star Team:
I’m probably not stepping too far out on a limb here. The All Star game is here in Columbus on January 25th, and the home team will probably get a little extra consideration. The two names that come immediately to mind are Sergei Bobrovsky and Ryan Johansen (that guy again) for obvious reasons. They rule, plain and simple, and both are expected to have big years. The third leads me to the next prediction…
Prediction #8: The All Star game will be when the World figures out Boone Jenner is awesome:
The third Jacket to make the squad will be Boone Jenner and the NHL will market him as a future star during All Star weekend. Every All Star weekend has to have a hook, and the NHL will be more than happy to go with young, handsome, well-spoken and supremely talented. Boone is going to start out his sophomore campaign strong on the Jackets top line and he’s going to be recognized leading up to All Star weekend as a big part of the youth revolution fueling the Blue Jackets success.
Prediction #9: Alex Wennberg is going to make the Blue Jackets out of training camp:
Speaking of the youth revolution, any chance someone pulls a Boone Jenner and comes straight out of Juniors to start the season with the CBJ and hang with the big club all year? Until the development camp, I was sure that was going to be Kerby Rychel, but I’ve hitched by wagon solidly to Alexander Wennberg. Everything you read about him leads you to believe that when Jarmo & JD allowed players to leave this summer and clear up some roster space they had him in mind.
Prediction #10: Who needs a Captain?:
I hate to end with a whimper but it has to be done. This team hasn’t named a Captain since that one guy, and didn’t do a great job picking them beforehand. Now isn’t the time to rock the boat and name a Captain just for the sake of having a C on a sweater. The Columbus Blue Jackets are going to have another year more successful than the last, continuing to build this team brick by brick. We’re going to pack Nationwide Arena, chant CBJ, raise the 5th line banner, and fire the cannon. We’ll do all that without a Captain, and that’s alright. Unless you are Head Coach Todd Richards, who will still have to answer questions about it. So for him that’s going to suck a little.
So that’s it. My prognostications for the new season will sit out here in the old inter-web for the next seven or eight months, hopefully forgotten when I miss on a few. But the ones I’m right about… Man, that’s going to be sweet! Let me know your thoughts on these, either by commenting below, or tweeting me @jbgrube21. You can tell me your fearless CBJ predictions and I’ll retweet them out, or you can troll me for doing a generic predictions column. Either way I’m good. Until the next time, Let’s Go Jackets!
About Jamie Grube
