2026 Season Previews: Columbus Blue Jackets
Rick Bowness promised to light a fire under Columbus if he was brought back as head coach. Can he get this team back to the playoffs for the first time in six years?
It feels crazy to say, but it’s true: The Columbus Blue Jackets have only won two rounds of playoff hockey in their entire history. Having just celebrated their 25th anniversary as an NHL franchise, the Jackets are beyond due for a real playoff run.
2025-26 Outcome
Regular Season Results: 40-30-12
A team in the chase for one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference this past season, the Blue Jackets instead went out with a whimper and missed the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. Finishing their final 10 regular season games with a record of 2-7-1, Columbus only six points behind the Philadelphia Flyers who earned that final wild card spot.
Realistically, this should have been the year Columbus got back in the playoff picture. Even if they only won half of those games they lost down the stretch it would have been enough to get them there. After letting two key forwards, including their captain and longest tenured player, walk to free agency, you have to wonder if Columbus did enough to be as good as they were last season, let alone improved enough to make the postseason.
Can they get to the playoffs or will it be another year watching from the sidelines?
Who’s In and Who’s Out
The moves may have been minimal in Columbus, but adding Valeri Nichushkin while only giving up draft picks was a great decision. He’s definitely an upgrade from Mason Marchment, and while he doesn’t match the leadership Boone Jenner provided, he does help the team get better now. Beyond that, they brought on Ryan Lomberg who played a huge role on the Florida Panthers team that won their first Stanley Cup. He fell back under the radar playing in Calgary, but if all goes well in Columbus, could be a big help to them in a depth role. Lastly, Phoenix Copley is a fine third-string goalie and could elevate to a back up role in the event they finally decide to trade Elvis Merzlikins.
