Blue Jackets add veterans Monahan, Johnson to complement young core

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2024-25 regular season, which starts Oct. 4. Today, the Columbus Blue Jackets:

2023-24 season: 27-43-12, eighth in Metropolitan Division; missed Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Sean Monahan, F: The 29-year-old signed a five-year contract July 1 and is expected to not only center the top line but rejuvenate forward Johnny Gaudreau, who has underperformed since signing with the Blue Jackets in July 2022. The two played together on the Calgary Flames from 2013-22. Monahan had 59 points (26 goals, 33 assists) in an NHL-leading 83 games for the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets last season. He will provide experience and take the pressure off Adam Fantilli, the No.3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, who is expected to eventually be the No. 1 center. … Jack Johnson, D: The 37-year-old is returning to Columbus to mentor young defensemen, including David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk. Johnson played 445 games with the Blue Jackets from 2012-17 and resides in suburban Columbus. He had 16 points (three goals, 13 assists), 78 hits and 89 blocked shots in 80 regular-season games with the Colorado Avalanche last season while averaging 14:55 of ice time. He will be in the mix for a bottom-six role and is an effective penalty killer. … Don Waddell, general manager: The 65-year-old was hired on May 28 to replace Jarmo Kekalainen, who was fired Feb. 15, and took over John Davidson’s role as president of hockey operations. Waddell takes over for a team that has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for four consecutive seasons and not finished higher than sixth in its division since 2018-19. He arrives after 10 years with the Carolina Hurricanes, the past six as general manager. His biggest tasks are replacing head coach Pascal Vincent, whom he fired June 17 after one season, and determining the future of forward Patrik Laine, who has reportedly asked for a trade, and has been in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program since Jan. 28.

Key departures

Alexandre Texier, F: Traded to the St. Louis Blues on June 28, he had 79 points (34 goals, 45 assists) in 201 games with the Blue Jackets. Last season, he set NHL career highs in goals (12) and points (30) in 78 games. … Adam Boqvist, D: After being limited to 133 games over the past three seasons because of injury, he was placed on waivers June 30 for the purpose of a contract buyout. Boqvist, who had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 35 games last season, signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers on July 9. … Alexander Nylander, F: He had 15 points (11 goals, four assists) in 23 games after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 22, but became an unrestricted free agent after not receiving a qualifying offer. … Jake Bean, D: After three seasons with Columbus, he was not extended a qualifying offer and signed with the Flames on July 1. He had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 72 games last season. … Pascal Vincent, coach: Was fired after one season after replacing Mike Babcock four days before the start of training camp after being a Blue Jackets assistant coach the previous two seasons.

On the cusp

David Jiricek, D: The 20-year-old is entering his third pro season since being selected No. 6 in the 2022 NHL Draft and is still looking to find a permanent spot with the Blue Jackets. He had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 43 games with Columbus last season and 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 29 games with Cleveland of the American Hockey League, including a team-worst minus-16 rating. In 14 Calder Cup Playoff games, he had 11 points (three goals, eight assists). … Denton Mateychuk, D: The 19-year-old had an impressive training camp last season and may be ready to make the jump to the NHL, although Waddell said there is no reason to rush him. He joined Cleveland in the AHL after Moose Jaw (Western Hockey League) was eliminated from the Memorial Cup and had three assists and was plus-5 in four AHL playoff games. The No. 12 pick in 2022, Mateychuk had 75 points (17 goals, 58 assists) in 52 regular-season games and 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 20 playoff games for Moose Jaw. … Cayden Lindstrom, F: The 18-year-old was the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and will be given an opportunity to make the Blue Jackets roster out of camp, but is expected to return to Medicine Hat (WHL), where he had 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 32 games last season. He has the size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) the Blue Jackets covet down the middle and the skills to be dominant.

What they still need

A coach. Vincent and his predecessor (not including Babcock), Brad Larsen, were each first-time head coaches. Waddell made it clear the next coach will be heavy on previous NHL head coaching experience.

They said it

"Development is critical to long-term success. We want to be able to sustain success and you're going to do that by having a good farm system, drafting well, developing your players, getting them into the farm system because we all know you can't continue to build your team through free agency." -- general manager Don Waddell

Fantasy focus

Monahan will likely have the opportunity to center the top line and be reunited with Gaudreau. Last season Monahan had 24 points, including 13 goals, in 34 games with Winnipeg after being acquired from Montreal, where he had 35 points in 49 games (13 goals, 22 assists). Despite the Blue Jackets offense being underwhelming last season, tied with the St. Louis Blues for the eighth-fewest goals per game in the NHL (2.85), Columbus has sneaky upside in their top-six forward group. This makes Monahan an intriguing option given his increased role in deeper fantasy leagues. -- Anna Dua

Projected lineup

Johnny Gaudreau -- Sean Monahan -- Kirill Marchenko

Boone Jenner -- Adam Fantilli -- Yegor Chinakhov

Kent Johnson -- Cole Sillinger -- Dmitri Voronkov

Justin Danforth -- Sean Kuraly -- Mathieu Olivier

Zach Werenski -- Damon Severson

Ivan Provorov -- David Jiricek

Jack Johnson -- Erik Gudbranson

Elvis Merzlikins

Daniil Tarasov