Welcome to the new year.
The Blue Jackets were a point shy of racking up 100 points in the last 12 months, and it's been quite the rise for a young club that's got a bright future. While it's been a bit rocky the last few weeks, Columbus remains in the Metropolitan Division race with half the regular season remaining.
As we get set for 2018, we've gathered some of the 1st Ohio Battery staff to make New Year's resolutions on behalf of the Blue Jackets. Senior editor Rob Mixer, along with staff writers Sam Blazer and Dan Dukart weigh in with what they believe the Blue Jackets should commit to in the new year.
Got a Blue Jackets resolution of your own? Drop it in the comments below.
Rob Mixer: They've got to find a way to revive their power play. Think of where the Blue Jackets could be, how many extra points they could have in the bank, if their power play was the least bit respectable? As a result, there's a ton of pressure on them to be nearly perfect at 5-on-5 and on the goaltenders to keep it to two goals against or less each game. That's a lot to ask, and one of the reasons why we're seeing them hit a bit of a speed bump here lately.
Sam Blazer: The Blue Jackets need to adopt a solid backup plan for when injuries do hit the fan and they need to work on acquiring better depth. The bottom-six is an absolute mess right now and that's with three injuries to key forwards in Alexander Wennberg, Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky. If the team makes the playoffs, they’re going to be dealing with similar issues. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a risk on a player on a lower salary but has a high ceiling. The Blue Jackets' lineup isn’t exactly filled with difference makers; they need to find them and put them on different lines to ensure that the team is set up for the stretch run.
Dan Dukart: The Blue Jackets have proven to be one of the better 5-on-5 teams in the league this season, but the club needs to find a way to win without Sergei Bobrovsky stealing a game. Fans love to shell Bobrovsky for his misplays, but honestly, how many times has he bailed the team out this year? He’s unquestionably the club’s most important player, and it’s hard to imagine where the Jackets would be without his stellar play. Sure, he’s had a rough stretch here, going 4-6-3 with a .891 save percentage in his last 13 games, but this team wouldn’t be sitting third in the ruthless Metropolitan Division without him.
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