The CBJ Writer

After last night's 2025 Kids Takeover Game at Nationwide Arena, which ended with a 7-6 victory in a shootout against the Vancouver Canucks, the Blue Jackets would look to snatch more points tonight. This game at the Ottawa Senators has two important components: Win points for ourselves and keep points from the Senators who hold the 1st Wild Card spot in the Eastern Division. A Senators' charge on net at 7:24 would give the home team an early 1-0 lead, thanks to R, Greig's twelfth goal this season. T, Chabot would add his twenty-ninth assist this season on the primary, while S, Pinto would add his thirteenth on the secondary. Seconds later, Blue Jackets' Captain, Boone Jenter, would add his fifth goal this season at 7:55. Zach Werenski would continue his team lead in assists, adding his fifty-first on this goal primary assist. The secondary would go to Denton Mateychuk, his sixth in a season that has seen him improve leaps and bounds. Sadly, the Senators would break the ...

This was a wild game. Period one would see three goals, none of which would belong to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Vancouver Canucks would score two powerplay goals and one at even strength. The first would come at 8:51 and belong to L. Karlsson, making his second goal of the season. The primary assist on this goal would be number sixteen this season for K. Sherwood, and the secondary assist would be number twenty-six this season for C. Garland. Less than two minutes later, at 10:35, B. Boesser would pop one past Elvis Merzlikins to gain goal twenty-four of his season. Q. Hghes would add his fifty-third assist this season on the primary while P. Sutter would add his eighteenth assist this season on the secondary. This second goal was the only Canucks goal this period not on the powerplay advantage. The third goal of this period would be the final for this twenty-minute block. It would belong to J. Debrusk and would become goal twenty-four of his season. B. Boeser would add assist num...

It's been a rough few games for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but, this morning, the team got some great news. Forward Sean Monahan and defenseman Erik Gudbrandson would rejoin the team tonight in New York at the Islanders. Sean Monahan has been absent since the start of the year after having surgery to repair a wrist injury while Erik Gudbranson barely played at all this season, going out just a few games in and requiring shoulder surgery and a lengthy recovery period. It's so good to hear their names announced during play, and having them back tonight, I think, added a jolt to this talented but struggling team. Let's recap some hockey, 5th Line! Period one wouldn't go the Blue Jackets way, but, before you lose faith, be a life-long fan and stick around and don't get discouraged. That said, we have to get through this period to get to the good stuff, okay? The Islanders would get on the board first with a goal at 13:16 from P. Engvall, and this would become goal six o...

The last time the Blue Jackets went to Pittsburgh they came home with their first road win there in 15 games, spanning years. Tonight, they'd be in search of any points they could add to their 71 this season as many teams remain in the hunt for those two coveted Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference. Tonight would be a back-to-back after they lost in overtime last night, but gained a point, against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. The final score was 1-0. Tonight would also show Elvis Merzzlikins starting in his first back-to-back games situation since 2020. With a lot on the line, let's recap a high-scoring game.  The Penguins would prove early on that they had no problems invading Elvis Merzlikins' space. Even with his acrobatic saves early into this game, the Penguins would still score twice. The first goal would come from E. Malkin as he'd scored his fourteenth goal this season at the 5:28 mark. The primary assist would become number eleven t...

First and foremost, congratulations to Elvis Merzlikins, his wife Aleksandra, and their oldest son, Knox, on the newest member of their family, Jaxon, who arrived on March 16th! Also, congratulations to Scott Foard, a member of our coaching staff who also welcomed a baby this past Tuesday, March 18th! So much joy this week, and the only thing to make it better? Points tonight, because the Blue Jackets desperately need them to stay in the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff conversation.    Let's be honest, the last few games haven't been the best for the Columbus Blue Jackets. But after a narrow 2-1 loss against the New Jersey Devils earlier this week, Head Coach Dean Evanson made it known he thought that game was a 'turning point' after back-to-back shutouts and three consecutive losses. I believed the same. Tonight proved Dean Evanson right. If you wanted to watch two incredible goaltenders in their prime, this was the game for you because Panthers goaltender (and former Blu...

The Columbus Blue Jackets would be looking for their first goal in three games and first win in four tonight in Nationwide Arena. With Elvis Merzlikins out of the game to be with his family as they expect baby number two any day, Jet Greaves would take his turn in the Blue Jackets' home net. The first period would end 0-0 after some great play, but the ice would turn in period two, and not in the Blue Jackets' favor.  T. Meler would open the scoring, putting the Red Wings up 1-0 at 13:35 with goal twenty of his season. This goal would result from the Blue Jackets not being in the right places at the right time. The primary assist would become number sixteen this season for S. Noesen and the secondary would become number twenty-five this season for N. Hischier. J. Bratt would add his twentieth after a bad bounce from Jet Greaves, who was trying to recover the puck from behind the net at 14:14. B, Dumoulin would add his sixteenth assist this season on the primary while C, Glass w...

Tonight would again not be the Columbus Blue Jackets night. A, Lafeniere would catch Daniil Tarasov out of the net, attempting to move the puck away from his goal, and pop the puck past him just 1:43 into the game. The only assist on A. Lafreniere's fifteenth goal this season belonged to M. Zibanejad, his thirty-fourth this season. The opening period would end with two failed attempts on the powerplay for the Blue Jackets, and a Rangers 1-0 lead.  The Blue Jackets would come out fired up, but even with multiple good chances on net, none would convert for the home team. Wrose, former Blue Jacket, A. Panarin. would score his twenty-ninth goal this season at 11:36. A. Lafreniere would add an assist to his goal, his twenty-third this season on the primary while W, Borgen would add his seventh on the secondary. This period would have no other goals, and the Blue Jackets would face a fight not to be shut out again at home.  Period three would be a repeat of period two, many chances ...

This was an odd game, 5th Line, not gonna lie. The Blue Jackets would have over eighteen shots, roughly 8 of them on net before the visiting Golden Knights would get even one attempt on Elvis Merzlikins' net. The Blue Jackets would be flying but even with amazing control and shots, the Golden Knights' defense and goaltending would be a wall. Then, unfortunately, that first one would count as goal nine this season for N, Roy, and on a powerplay after Justin Danforth sat for two minutes for tripping. J. Eichel would add his fifty-ninth assist on this goal with the primary while T, Hertl would add his twenty-sixth with the secondary. That goal would come at 12:00 thanks to an easy tip in. Then, at 19:01, former Jacket, B. Saad would add his twelfth goal of the season. R. Smith, who returned to the Golden Knights via a trade before the deadline, would have the primary assist on this goal, marking his twenty-first this season. The secondary assist would be the second point tonight, ...

The Columbus Blue Jackets would go from a high-intensity win at the New York Rangers, where they won 7-3, to the New Jersey Devils. This was another vital game to win as the Devils are just points ahead of the Jackets in the third playoff spot. Aside from catching the Devils, the two points up for grabs tonight were more important in the effort to fight off those teams close behind us in the playoff race, like the New York Rangers who also play tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. Let me start by saying period one did not go as planned. A goal by Devils N. Hischier would put the home team up 1-0 at 6:37. This would become his twenty-seventh goal of the season and on the powerplay after Dante Fabro was called for tripping. The Jackets would also have a powerplay, thanks to P. Cutten for holding Denton Mateychuk. Unfortunately, the Jackets wouldn't convert and a vengeful P. Cutten would come out of the box as if he was shot from our cannon in Nationwide Arena. He'd charge down the ...

Tonight, the Columbus Blue Jackets would look to win their first game on this road trip after losing their last two at the Tampa Bay Lightning and, most recently, the Florida Panthers. The Blue Jackets would go into tonight in the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference after the Ottawa Senators took their first Wild Card spot from them after winning their last game, in overtime, at home, against the New York Rangers last night. A win tonight would put the Jackets back into the first Wild Card spot and put a bit more ice between themselves and the New York Rangers who are still nipping at their skates. So, with no further buildup needed, let's recap some hockey in MSG! At 5:56, Blue Jackets history would be made as Justin Danforth would be the first to score a goal in this game. This goal would become his seventh this season and give Zach Werenski his forty-seventh assist this season; the only assist on this goal. Why is this historic? This assist marks number 259 of Zach W...

Yes, I know this post is a bit late, but with all the deals going through later on Friday I waited to be sure we were done and then worked yesterday. So, here is the delayed post for Luke Kunin, who joined the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday afternoon. Luke spent his first three seasons in the NHL with the team that drafted him, the Minnesota Wild. They selected him 15th overall in the First Round back in the 2016 NHL Draft. In his 132 games with them he had 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points. His next two seasons in the league would be spent with the Nashville Predators where he played 120 games, including his first full 82 game season during the 2021-22 NHL Season. In his time with the Predators he had another 23 goals and 18 assists for 41 points. His last two full seasons in the league and this current one up till he was traded were spent with the San Jose Sharks. He appeared in 171 games with the Sharks, giving them 27 goals and 49 assists for 76 points, his most with any team ...

I'll open this blog by warning you, tonight was not the Columbus Blue Jackets night.  The game would start off potent with an ugly crosscheck to Kent Johnson by a Panthers player. Kent Johnson was fine and the play was legal, it was just a really hard hit. Due to the hard hit, James van Riemsdyk would feel the need to step up for Kent Johnson, and I fully supported this, but it would result in him going to the penalty box just 00:50 into the game. The official call was roughing. The good news was that the Jackets would kill off this penalty. The bad news was that Denton Mateychuk would go off not long after. At 4:52, due to a holding penalty. On this Florida Powerplay, S. Reinhart would score goal thirty-two of his season, the primary assist would be number forty-one this season for A. Barkov and the secondary assist would be number twenty-nine for A. Ekblad. The goal, scored at 5:58, would be challenged by the Blue Jackets as they claimed the puck hit the netting behind the visito...

Don Waddell spoke about shopping for an extra forward before the 3:00 p.m. trade deadline on Friday, March 7th. He didn't have to do much shopping as he picked up a right-shot forward on waivers from the Detroit Red Wings, meaning that we gave up no assets to gain this player. His name is Christian Fischer; he was picked in the second round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, 32nd overall. After seven seasons with the team, he went to the Detroit Red Wings where he's played his last two NHL Seasons. His first, 2023-24, he appeared in 79 games and had 5 goals and 14 assists for 19 points and a +/- of 0. This season he's appeared in only 45 games and had 1 goal and 6 assists for 7 points and a +/- of -5. Across his career he's appeared in 522 games and achieved a decent 137 with 62 goals and 75 assists.   All in all, he doesn't sound like a bad player and I look forward to seeing where he slots into our lineup with Mikael Pyyhtia being sent back to the...

Mathieu Olivier saw his shadow in Columbus and decided six more years of CBJ hockey is where he wants to be, and I'm thrilled. With 113 penalty minutes, he's the enforcer this team needs, but he also contributes to the score column. This season has been his best by far in the NHL, giving the Blue Jackets 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points across 61 games. This far exceeded his first season with us where he had 81 penalty minutes across 66 games while contributing 5 goals and 10 assists for 15 points and last season where he had 70 penalty minutes across 54 games with 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points. It's been amazing watching Mathieu Oliver flourish this season along with the rest of the Blue Jackets who currently hold the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference to start March, something that hasn't happened for many seasons. With a six-year deal that will pay him $3,000,000 AAV each season, it's great to see yet another player who wants to stay and mak...

Last night, the Tampa Bay Lightning played at the Florida Panthers and lost 2-1. So, to say they were fired up to win at home on Pride Night was a massive understatement. They made a statement at 00:30 with a goal from M. Chaffee that Elvis Merzlikins had zero chance of stopping. This would become his twelfth goal this season and give teammates E. Lilleberg his fourteenth assist on the primary and D.Raddysh his twenty-second on the secondary. Just over a minute would pass until the Lightning would pop another puck past Merzlikins by way of N. Kucherov, giving him twenty-eight goals this season. The only assist on this goal at 1:27 would go to J, Guenttzel, his thirty-first this season. Zach Werenski would come back with his nineteenth goal this season, cutting the Lightning lead to a goal at 17:20. This goal would be all his own with no assists and bring us to a 2-1 Lightning lead after the opening period.  The Lightning would get to work again quickly in the middle period with J. ...

It was a sight out of a dream, if you've been a lifelong fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets Franchise or a fan since the start of this season, to honor the late, great, Johnny Gaudreau. It was a packed 90,000+ crowd for the first hockey game in The Horseshoe, and it was apparent most of those fans were for the home team! After watching the Gaudreau family escort the Columbus Blue Jackets over, seeing the Ohio State Athletic Band perform Script OHIO, watching the National Anthem and fly over, it was already a stunning display and we hadn't even played hockey yet.   The opening period would be full of good goal opportunities but neither team would score. It was apparent that both the Red Wings and Blue Jackets were getting used to the built ice rink inside The Horseshoe. That said, period two, both teams would prove that they'd figured it out, particularly the Blue Jackets!  After a rockin' mini concert by the Ohio-based band, Twenty-One Pilots, the puck would drop on an ev...