The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin tonight, and with all due respect to our friends over at ESPN, TNT and TBS, Jarmo Kekalainen is not excited to have to watch on television for the third year in a row.
With that in mind, the Blue Jackets general manager begins the 2023 offseason with an eye on improving his team -- and doing so rapidly.
"We want to get back into the playoffs," Kekalainen said Saturday, shortly after the Blue Jackets made the decision to relieve head coach Brad Larsen of his duties. "We've had enough of being on the outside looking in and watching the playoffs on TV. We got a taste of it for a few years in a row, and not enough taste of success. We want to get back in there.
Blue Jackets remain bullish on future even after frustrating season
A crucial offseason looms, but the hope is to turn things around sooner rather than later
"The reason why we did this reset or whatever you want to call it is to do it the right way to get to the next level and be able to compete for the Stanley Cup. And we need to get there soon, and we need to improve in all areas to get there."
So, how quickly can the Blue Jackets go from one point out of the NHL's basement to contention for the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Despite where the team finished this past season, it might not take very long -- if the Blue Jackets can stay healthy. Columbus lost a franchise-record 563 man-games to injury, and not a single player was able to skate in all 82 games, leading to a cascade of issues that prevented the team from ever finding its groove.
The good news is plenty of players had to step into bigger roles than they ever imagined this past season, gaining experience that should serve them well down the road. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets feel good about the veterans on the roster -- such names as Boone Jenner, Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, Zach Werenski, Sean Kuraly and Erik Gudbranson -- that bring both experience and talent.
Then there's a cadre of young players, including six first-round picks taken in the past three seasons, who are starting to come into their own. Four of those first-rounders -- Yegor Chinakhov, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger and David Jiricek -- have made it to the NHL already, and that list doesn't even include Kirill Marchenko, who set a CBJ rookie record with 21 goals on the season. More are on the way, as well, as the Blue Jackets' prospect pool has been rated in the top five by observers.
So there's a lot to like already in place assuming the Blue Jackets make some improvements in health next season, but Kekalainen doesn't sound like someone who is going to stand pat this summer.
"I think once we get everybody healthy, even the guys that are here, we're going to look like a completely different team, but there's going to be some changes, too," Kekalainen said. "We're going to look at every position, and we're going to make the necessary changes."
Columbus will also add a top-four pick in the NHL draft this summer and owns two first-round selections, and the Blue Jackets are in a solid position with the salary cap. Most of the team's key pieces are under contract for next season -- only Mathieu Olivier (RFA), Tim Berni (RFA) and Gavin Bayreuther (UFA) played at least half the games this past season and are out of contract -- and Columbus has nearly $20 million in cap space going into the offseason.
It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Blue Jackets try to add some veteran pieces to the equation, with the team perhaps looking to bolster depth down the middle, on the blue line or in net. That could be in both free agency or on the trade market, where it could be an active summer, as that cap room will give the Blue Jackets some flexibility.
It won't be an easy road to make big improvements in the standings, but the Blue Jackets are at least not starting with an empty cupboard.
"I'm really excited," Gaudreau said. "We're not far off. Even with where we ended up in the standings, with the guys that you're missing for the whole year and half the year, 20 games, 30 games, those are huge players and important players on our team. When you lose a guy like Zach Werenski, there's no replacing guys like that, and it's hard. You have to fight through it, but I think we have a really good group in our locker room. I'm really excited to see the way we come in next year because it's going to be fun."
It should also be a motivated group of Blue Jackets this offseason after one of the toughest campaigns in team history. There is plenty of work to be done in all facets, plus a coach to be hired, but Columbus begins to scatter for the offseason with the knowledge that they can turn a negative season into a positive outcome if they put the work in.
"This year, we didn't have the full lineup most of the year, let's be honest," Jenner said. "It was tough to see our team together for a stretch of four games together, whatever it was. But the young guys, the steps they took, some pieces that we added, it's super exciting where we're not far off from that.
"But there's a lot of work to be done. To realize that, it's exciting, but it's a challenge for our group. We're ready for it. Going through this year, it's a learning process that we have to grow from as a group."
