The Columbus Blue Jackets remain optimistic that they can make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth straight season despite losing several key players as free agents.
"The core we have in the room, I think there's something special, not just the leaders but the young guys, the way they're developing to be great players," defenseman Seth Jones said.
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The Blue Jackets are one of seven NHL teams to qualify for the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, including advancing to the second round for the first time in their history last season by sweeping the Presidents' Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Blue Jackets were defeated by the Boston Bruins in six games in the second round.
Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (Florida Panthers) and forwards Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers), Matt Duchene (Nashville Predators) and Ryan Dzingel (Carolina Hurricanes) were among the players who left as unrestricted free agents.
"That's part of the business, right?" forward Cam Atkinson said. "Ultimately, those guys get to make their own decisions, but we know what we have in this room. We have a winning team and a winning culture.
"The core is the most important part. You can add and mix pieces in. That allows us to be that competitive team every year, so I'm really happy there's a lot of years left with that core."
Atkinson, who scored an NHL career-high 41 goals last season, returns along with forwards Nick Foligno, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Josh Anderson, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Boone Jenner, and defensemen Jones, Ryan Murray and David Savard. Defenseman Zach Werenski remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.
There is a mix of youth and veteran experience in the projected lineup. The Blue Jackets could go even younger by adding forward prospects Alexandre Texier, who turns 20 on Sept. 13, and
Emil Bemstrom
, 20.
