Blue Jackets season preview: Evason takes over, seeks to develop young core

The 2024-25 NHL season starts Oct. 4. With training camps underway, NHL.com is taking a look at the three keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lineup for each of the 32 teams. Today, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Coach: Dean Evason (first season)

Last season: 27-43-12; eighth place in Metropolitan Division, did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

3 KEYS

1. Moving forward

The Blue Jackets suffered an unimaginable tragedy when forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed when they were struck by a car while riding bicycles Aug. 29. It will be important for the veterans, among them forwards Boone Jenner, Sean Monahan and Sean Kuraly, and defensemen Zach Werenski, Damon Severson and Erik Gudbranson, to help manage emotions among the players, especially early in the season. Gaudreau led Columbus in scoring each of the past two seasons playing on the top line. One option to replace him there could be Kent Johnson, who is coming back from a season-ending shoulder injury sustained Feb. 28 that limited him to 42 games. In 2022-23, he was fifth among NHL rookies with 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 79 games.

2. Center depth

With the signing of Monahan to a five-year contract July 1, the Blue Jackets made center one of the team's strengths. The 29-year-old had 59 points (26 goals, 33 assists) in 83 games with the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets last season, showing he's healthy and can be productive after three injury-plagued seasons. He'll also allow Adam Fantilli to receive more favorable matchups as he continues to develop in his second NHL season. The 19-year-old had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 49 games when he sustained a season-ending skate cut to his left calf Jan. 28; at the time, he was third among NHL rookies in goals and fourth in points. Cole Sillinger, who had an NHL career-best 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 77 games last season, and Kuraly will anchor the bottom two lines. Columbus should be even deeper at the position when Cayden Lindstrom, the No. 4 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, is ready to join the lineup as soon as next season.

3. Better starts

The Blue Jackets have finished last in the Metropolitan Division the past two seasons in part because of how they have struggled early in each of them. They were 8-15-2 after 25 games in 2022-23, and 8-13-4 after 25 games last season. Evason, who coached the Minnesota Wild the past five seasons, usually had his teams start strong, going 16-8-1 (2020-21), 18-6-1 (2021-22) and 13-10-2 (2022-23) in the first 25 games in each of the three seasons prior to last. A better start would go a long way toward building confidence for some of the younger players Columbus is trying to build around.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

Denton Mateychuk could make for some difficult decisions for the Blue Jackets. Columbus will have eight defensemen with NHL experience at training camp, but the 20-year-old is coming off a season that saw him voted the best defenseman in the Western Hockey League after he had 75 points (17 goals, 58 assists) in 52 games with Moose Jaw. He also was named MVP of the WHL playoffs after he was second among all players with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 20 games. In addition to his offensive skill, Mateychuk (5-foot-11, 188 pounds) improved in the defensive zone, impressing the Blue Jackets' development staff with his ability to close plays and start the transition. He'll have to push an older player out of a job to start the season in Columbus, but Mateychuk will be given that chance.

Most intriguing addition

Jack Johnson likely won't play every game for the Blue Jackets, but the 37-year-old defenseman, entering his 19th NHL season, can be a beneficial addition with his experience, including a Stanley Cup championship with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. As Columbus looks to build around a young core that includes Fantilli, forwards Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov, defenseman David Jiricek and some intriguing prospects who could see NHL time this season, having a veteran like Johnson to help them navigate life in the NHL could be just as important as anything he does on the ice.

Biggest potential surprise

Gavin Brindley was named Big Ten Player of the Year after the 19-year-old forward led the University of Michigan with 53 points (25 goals, 28 assists) in 40 games as a sophomore. He also helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship after he was second on the team in goals (six) and points (10) in seven games. Brindley capped his season by signing with the Blue Jackets and making his NHL debut April 16. Could that rise continue into a top-nine forward spot in the NHL this season? He showcased his scoring touch last season, but also has the speed and grit to play in a bottom-six role and is versatile enough to play any forward spot. Brindley most likely will spend some time in the American Hockey League, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him play a significant role in Columbus at some point this season.

Ready to contribute

Jiricek has split the past two seasons between the Blue Jackets and Cleveland of the AHL, but the 20-year-old should be ready for a full-time role in Columbus this season. He had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) and averaged 14:36 of ice time in 43 NHL games and was minus-4 despite the Blue Jackets finishing minus-63. With his size (6-4, 207), right-handed shot and offensive upside, Jiricek could see time on the power play, either alongside Werenski on the first unit or playing the point on the second.

Fantasy sleeper

Yegor Chinakhov, F (undrafted on average in fantasy) -- He was an NHL EDGE stats standout last season in terms of speed bursts over 20 miles per hour (206; 94th percentile), top skating speed (23.38 mph; 93rd percentile), top shot speed (98.05 mph; 90th percentile), average skating distance per 60 minutes (10.45 miles; 98th percentile) and 90-100 MPH shots (29; 96th percentile), indicating a breakout season could be on the horizon. Chinakhov, who scored 16 goals in 53 games last season (82-game pace: 24), could challenge or surpass Marchenko (led Columbus with 23 goals last season) as the Blue Jackets goal-scoring leader this season. -- Pete Jensen

PROJECTED LINEUP

Kent Johnson -- Sean Monahan -- Kirill Marchenko

Boone Jenner -- Adam Fantilli -- Yegor Chinakhov

James van Riemsdyk -- Cole Sillinger -- Dimitri Voronkov

Justin Danforth -- Sean Kuraly -- Mathieu Olivier

Zach Werenski -- Damon Severson

Ivan Provorov -- David Jiricek

Jordan Harris -- Erik Gudbranson

Elvis Merzlikins

Daniil Tarasov