The Columbus Blue Jackets got a glimpse into the future in a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
On the night in which Kent Johnson and Nick Blankenburg made their NHL debuts, the Blue Jackets saw major contributions up and down the lineup from young players. Just two players over 30 skated for the home team - Gus Nyquist and Jakub Voracek - and both tallied a pair of assists. Elvis Merzlikins won on his 28th birthday.
Other than that, the team that was iced was incredibly green. The entire defense corps, for example, was 26 (Vladislav Gavrikov) or younger. Zach Werenski (24), Andrew Peeke (24), Jake Bean (23), Blankenburg (23), and Adam Boqvist (21) all skated between 16-25 minutes.
The offensive output was even starker. The goal scorers in the game were Jack Roslovic (25, two goals), Patrik Laine (23), Emil Bemstrom (22), and Cole Sillinger (18). Consider that Sillinger and Johnson are the youngest and fifth-youngest players to have played even one game in the NHL this season, and it's hard not to be excited for what's next. And to think, more reinforcements are coming. The Blue Jackets may just draft Sillinger/Johnson v2 in a few months.
In a way, the result of the game was an afterthought. There were zero playoff implications for either team. And when the dust settles on the season, a Wednesday game against a non-division rival with no actual stakes will likely be forgotten. On the other hand, it was an encouraging sign. The familiar faces of yesteryear, like David Savard and Josh Anderson, were on the opposing bench. Seeing Johnson and Sillinger skate in an NHL game gave the organization (and its fans) assurance that, while the losing has been taxing, it has not been done in vain.
Watching from afar, it was easy to imagine the nucleus of this team growing together over the next several years.
