The CBJ Writer

 Pyotr Andreyanov, welcome to the Columbus Blue Jackets! Meredith Gaudreau would return with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to announce the Columbus Blue Jackets' second pick in the first round. They would elect to take a goaltender from Cska Jr. of Russia, Pyotr Andreyanov. He wasn't present at the draft, but I'm sure this is a huge moment for him back in Russia.  The young man is in a junior league, but his numbers are impressive. He had a .942 save percentage and a 1.75 goals-against average last season. This combined led him to a 23-6-6 record. Central Scouting has high respect in the league, and Pyotr Andreyanov was ranked first in the pool of international goaltenders. (Source Jeff Svoboda @Jacketsinsider on X.)  I've already seen some fans question taking a goalie with our second, first-round pick. I have to be honest, I think if we'd waited, Pyotr Andreyanov would've been gone with numbers like this. Teams will always need goalies, and again, even as a ju...

Jackson Smith, welcome to the Columbus Blue Jackets! Tonight, in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets have selected a talented, fast, defenseman. He stands at 6'4, with a solid left shot. In his most recent, 2024-25 season with the WHL, he appeared in 68 games and finished with 11 goals and 43 assists for 54 points. Tri-City WHL is no easy league to play in, let alone to nearly achieve a point-per-game season as a defenseman. No doubt, this was an amazing pick for Columbus, and the fact he was still available at 14 overall was a gift.    The game aside, his character was on full display in the moments after he was drafted. Johnny Gaudreau's window, Meredith, announced the pick for her husband's former team. After taking his photo for history with the National Hockey League's Commissioner, Gary Bettman, he hugged and shared a few words with Meredith before accepting his first NHL jersey. After being welcomed to the organization by the Blue Jackets General ...

Over four seasons and 65 total games in net for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Goaltender Daniil Tarasov has had his highs and lows. He will now look for more highs than lows as he travels to Florida to play for the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Panthers. There, he will likely backup another former Blue Jackets goaltender, Vezina winner, and fellow Russian, Sergei Bobrovsky. Personally, I think it's a change of ice that Tarasov needs, and I wish him nothing but the best.  The 26-year-old goalie ends his time in Columbus with an overall 19 wins, 34 losses, and 6 overtime losses. He started 61 of the 65 games he appeared in net for the Jackets. He had a .898 save percentage with 3.44 goals allowed on average over his career here. In his most recent season, 2024-25, he had 7 wins, 9 losses, and 2 overtime losses when starting 19 of the 20 games he appeared in. These numbers weren't far off from his previous season, 2023-24, where he won 8 games, lost 11, and had 3 overtime losses. Aga...

This past season, Sean Monahan was a role model for hockey fans young and old. He'd signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets to come to play with former teammate and best friend, Johnny Gaudreau. No one knew the heartbreak that would occur in August as both Johnny and Mathieu Gaudreau, brothers, would be killed in a senseless drunk driving accident while riding their bikes. Sean Monahan took the ice with the Columbus Blue Jackets at the first home game on October 15th, walking with his best friend's wife, Meradeth Gaudreau, and their two kids, Noa and Johnny Jr. as the team honored Johnny Gaufreau's NHL Legacy cut short. Sean would continue to be by his best friend's side as the team continued to honor Johnny and the family throughout the 2024-25 NHL Season.  In addition to persevering through the loss of his best friend, Sean Monahan's sportsmanship is shown brightly on the ice in games and inside the locker room as a veteran leader. Sean had just 20 penalty minutes i...

Zach Werenski, who finished his first point-per-game season with the Columbus Blue Jackets (23-59-82) appreciated the offer to be part of Team USA again, but originally announced he'd passed on the invitation due to an upcoming summer full of weddings, including his own. However, not long before the puck was set to drop on the worldwide competition, Zach Werenski had a change of heart and joined the team after all. Looking back, I think he'd regret it if he hadn't after Team USA beat Team Suiden today in the Gold Medal Game that went to overtime tied 0-0! Tage Thompson would become the deciding factor at 2:02, winning the whole enchilada for the United States, and on Memorial Day Weekend no less!   It's been over 9 decades since Team USA Mens Hockey could call themselves the best at IIHF Worlds, and now Zach Werenski and Team USA can after so many close calls and devastating losses. In his 7 games played, Zach Werenski would finish with a 1-5-6. For his efforts, he'...

The Columbus Blue Jackets played up to game 81 of an 82-game season before being knocked out of the playoffs with a Montreal Canadians win. The team had a dramatic turnaround compared to the prior season. Many players acquired their career best in points, goals, and assists. Several players had hattricks. Many team and individual records were matched or broken. It was an inspired season led by the memory of gone-but-not-forgotten forward, Johnny Gaudreau, and I look forward to this team rallying to an even better season next year with him never far from their mind. The Columbus Blue Jackets have time before that next season begins on the ice, but the work to ensure the best team is prepared for a cup run in the 2025-26 season began the day after the 2024-25 NHL Season ended. Behind the scenes, player contracts are being worked out as well as potential trades. We will also add many new players in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in late June, but their first overall pick (currently after tonigh...