One day, we might look back on July 13 as the day that changed everything for the Blue Jackets.
Columbus has had some pretty good teams, but the Blue Jackets have often been searching for a superstar to help push the team over the top. Despite having fan favorites in a market that has embraced the sport over the past two decades, the team and city were rarely seen as a destination for the top players in the game.
That all changed in one fell swoop when the top free agent available -- in fact, one of the most productive players ever on the open market -- put pen to paper. Johnny Gaudreau's signing to a seven-year contract this summer didn't just speed up the CBJ reset, it was a jolt of energy to a fan base that had been looking for a player to make such a commitment to the Jackets.
"It's an exciting day for the Blue Jackets organization," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in introducing Gaudreau a day after the signing. "That goes without saying. I can't emphasize that enough. I think it's a great day for the city of Columbus as well.
"To get a player of this caliber is going to make us instantly better and make players better around him, which is really important in the culture of a hockey team that you have players that lead by example. He's done it throughout his career, and we couldn't be happier to have him here."
The six-time All-Star is coming off the best season of his career, as he not only posted career bests in goals, assists and points -- tying for second in the NHL in the latter category -- he led the NHL with a plus-64 rating on the way to placing fourth in the voting for the Hart Trophy that goes to the league's top player.
Not only can Gaudreau score, he does the little things that can make teams better, as he's an all-around force, as among the 387 forwards to skate at least 500 minutes last year at 5-on-5, the Flames' expected goals percentage of 59.2 when he was on the ice placed 11th in the league.
"I think I always want to be a difference maker on the ice," he said. "That's been my game throughout my whole career. I want to find a way to push our team to be a little bit better and get that game-winning goal or make a nice play in the offensive zone or and make a big play in the defensive zone. Little things like that, that's what makes you a good hockey player, and I'm really looking forward to working hard, trying to show some of the younger guys or whoever that we're all committed to trying to win hockey games."
