PREVIEW: Blue Jackets get back in action vs. Devils

The holiday break is a natural place for NHL teams to stop and look at where they are on the season, with more than 30 games in the books and the midway point within sight.

For the Blue Jackets, the standings paint a frustrating picture, as the team’s record leaving the squad in last place in the Metropolitan Division. The biggest problem has been finishing games, as Columbus has watched a number of late leads evaporate to leave points on the table.

On the positive side, the team’s young players are starting to make clear progress, and the Blue Jackets are 7-7-2 in their last 16 games. In a season that is about learning how to win, the Jackets have taken their lumps and started to learn some lessons.

“We’ve been playing well of late and not getting results, but we do feel good about our game,” defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. “There’s a lot of good stuff coming out of it. From where we were a few months ago to where we are now, we feel pretty happy with that.”

For head coach Pascal Vincent, he’s been here before. His first head coaching job came in 1999-2000 when he took over Cape Breton of the QMJHL, and the squad was under .500 for his first two seasons until he built a consistent winner.

He sees some similarities between then and now, as in both cases he had a young team that had to go through a process to get to where it wants to go. So while the Blue Jackets are in a similar place record-wise to a year ago, he sees progress in how the squad has developed this season.

“Oh yeah, it is a better team (than a year ago),” he said. “No doubt. Last year, we were hit by injuries. We’re getting hit now, but to me, the record (is similar), you’re right. We can’t deny that. But how it happens – we've been in all games except for one or two, maybe. We have the lead quite often.

“So that’s the improvement from last year, and we’re setting that foundation. Now we’re moving close to closing those games. If you close those games, you’re most likely a playoff team at this point. So record, yes. Process, we’re moving forward.”

The second half begins today with the Blue Jackets hitting the road to take on New Jersey. It will be a special day for Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson, a 2012 draft pick of the Devils who will play his first game at New Jersey after spending the first nine years of his NHL career with the franchise.

Know The Foe: New Jersey Devils

Head coach: Lindy Ruff (Fourth season)

Team stats: Goals per game: 3.41 (8th) | Scoring defense: 3.56 (29th) | PP: 30.0 percent (3rd) | PK: 77.7 percent (24th)

The narrative: New Jersey took a massive step forward a year ago, breaking a five-year playoff drought and beating the rival Rangers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Years of top picks paid off as the team’s young talent, led by No. 1 overall picks Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, led the way, and the hope this season is to take an even bigger step forward and make a deep playoff run. After an uneven, injury-plagued start, the Devils could be finding their legs this season.

Team leaders: Coming off a hat trick in his last appearance against the Blue Jackets, Hughes is a bona fide super star, as the 22-year-old leads the squad with 39 points (14 goals, 25 assists) and is tied for 13th in the league in scoring despite missing five games. Jesper Bratt remains one of the most underrated players in the league, as the 25-year-old Swede has a 13-25-38 line to tie for 16th in the league in points. Tyler Toffoli is tied with Hughes for the team lead in goals, while defensemen Dougie Hamilton (5-11-16) and Luke Hughes (4-12-16) are next in scoring.

In the net, Vitek Vanecek has played in 21 games and is 12-6-1 with a 3.28 GAA and .884 save percentage, while Akira Schmid is 5-7-1 with a 3.26 GAA and .893 save percentage.

What's new: Injuries to such key players as Hughes, Hischier, Meier and Hamilton have made it tough on the squad in the early going. Hamilton (torn pectoral) is the only one who remains out, though, and the Devils are on a 9-4-1 run in their last 14 games since losing to Columbus on Black Friday. The biggest problem? Defense, as the Devils are still giving up 3.38 goals per game in the last 14.

Trending: It’s been a series of big swings, as Columbus entered last season dominant against the Devils, posting a 24-7-1 since Metropolitan Division play began through 2021-22. But last year, New Jersey got its revenge, winning all three games in the series by a combined 18-4 margin, including 15-2 at The Rock. The teams have split this year’s games, with Columbus winning 2-1 in New Jersey before the Devils’ 6-3 win in Nationwide Arena on Dec. 16.

Former CBJ: None

Roster Report

Projected Lineup (subject to change)

Johnny Gaudreau – Adam Fantilli – Justin Danforth
Yegor Chinakhov – Dmitri Voronkov – Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Cole Sillinger – Emil Bemstrom
Alexandre Texier – Brendan Gaunce – Mathieu Olivier
Zach Werenski – David Jiricek
Ivan Provorov – Damon Severson
Jake Bean – Erik Gudbranson
Elvis Merzlikins
Spencer Martin

Scratches: Sean Kuraly (abdominal injury, day to day), Andrew Peeke, Daniil Tarasov

Injured reserve: Nick Blankenburg (upper body, day to day); Patrik Laine (fractured clavicle, out six weeks as of Dec. 15); Boone Jenner (fractured jaw, out six weeks as of Dec. 9); Adam Boqvist (shoulder strain, out approximately four weeks as of Dec. 6); Jack Roslovic (fractured ankle, out four to six weeks as of Nov. 13)

Roster Report: Kuraly will be out after suffering an injury Saturday vs. Toronto, with Gaunce moving to center and Olivier going into the lineup based on the team's morning skate lines. Jiricek will also move up to the top pair with Bean going in for Peeke. 

3 Stats to Know

• With an assist in Saturday’s game vs. Toronto, Johnny Gaudreau stretched his point streak to a season-best five straight games (2-5-7). He has registered 5-11-16 with four multi-point outings in his last 18 contests.
• Yegor Chinakhov’s career-high six-game point streak (6-4-10) came to a close Saturday, but he has a 8-5-13 line in the past 13 outings. Chinakhov also has goals in four of the last five home games (5-1-6).
• Milestone watch: Johnny Gaudreau is four points from 100 for his Blue Jackets career (27-69-96, 115 GP). … Spencer Martin is one game from 50 for his NHL career (16-24-6, 49 GP). … Zach Werenski is 10 assists from 200 for his NHL career (80-190-270, 448 GP).

Who’s Hot

Kirill Marchenko has six goals in the last nine games. ...Cole Sillinger has scored in two of the last three games. … With five goals and five assists in the last 11 games, Adam Fantilli is third among NHL rookies in goals (nine) and points (20). … Dmitri Voronkov also is tied for seventh among NHL rookies in goals (six) and tied for fifth in points (17). … Since being placed on a line together, Marchenko, Voronkov and Yegor Chinkahov have combined for 13 goals in 11 games. … Kent Johnson has a 3-5-8 line and is plus-3 in the last eight games, while linemate Emil Bemstrom has assists in two of the last three games. … With 24 assists, Zach Werenski is tied for sixth among NHL defensemen in helpers. … The team’s rookie stat line of 16-29-45 is second in the NHL in both goals and points. … The Blue Jackets’ power play is 7 for 25 (28.0 percent) in the month of December.

This Day in CBJ History

Dec. 27, 2008: Steve Mason makes 20 saves in a 3-0 victory vs. Philadelphia, which would become the first of three straight shutouts for the rookie netminder.

Dec. 27, 2018: Pierre-Luc Dubois scores 31 seconds into overtime past Henrik Lundqvist and the Blue Jackets take a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden.