As players begin to ramp back up their training in preparation for training camp, the mind turns to the rapidly approaching season. With this season shaping up to be one of massive change and immense consequence to the direction of the team, it is fair to wonder what some of the questions surrounding the team may be. Let’s dive in and break down some of the hottest questions that are facing the team this season.
How hot is Jarmo’s seat?
Let’s face it, Jarmo has been around a very long time as GM of the Jackets and while he has been a major improvement from where the Jackets were before his tenure, the fact is that he has won exactly one playoff series as boss. That is not good especially since his stated goal has been to win the Stanley Cup nearly every season. True, Jarmo has had some very turbulent seasons and some of the worst luck seen in recent memory when it comes to injuries and multiple star players wanting out, but it is safe to say that his current contract, which runs through the end of next season, will make or break his time with the team. He has made aggressive moves both on the ice and off it and that combined with multiple high picks on track to become every day contributors makes it very clear that he wants to quickly get back to competing for a playoff spot. With all that being said, it is more than fair to say that if the Jackets have another horrid start to the season that the rumors and smoke around his (and the whole FOs) job security will rise and continue to grow. It is now or never for Jarmo and he needs to prove that he can build a winner.
Can Babcock turn around a horrendous defense?
This will be short and to the point, the main struggle that the Jackets had throughout Larsens tenure as coach was the woeful lack of ability to keep the puck out of the net. True, the Jackets were dealing with vast amounts of injuries as well as the difficult task of replacing former mainstays such as Jones, Savard and Gavrikov but the fact remains. With Babcock now at head coach, he’ll be tasked with turning around a young but improved defense into a playoff contending unit. The offense should take care of itself especially under Babcocks possession heavy system but getting the defense to gel will make or break the early portion of Babcocks tenure in Columbus.
How high is the ceiling for the following players: Fantilli, Johnson, Marchenko
The Jackets on paper have a pretty solid group of forwards but the ceiling of the unit will likely be defined by its high-end depth which depends on the impact the above-mentioned players can have. Kent Johnson solidified his spot on the roster putting up very respectable numbers as a rookie all while taking on more minutes as the season went on and projects to be the main playmaker on a potent second line. Meanwhile, Marchenko came on very strongly after being called up from a successful stint in Cleveland, eventually landing on the first line with Gaudreau and Jenner, showing a knack for finishing at the NHL level and good chemistry with Gaudreau which could bode well for his chances to leapfrog Laine for the coveted RW spot on the first line. However, without a doubt, the biggest name here is third overall pick and future #1 center of the future Adam Fantilli. He is expected to make a huge impact on the roster in the coming seasons, but much will be made about how fast he can make his mark in his rookie season. If he can solidify a spot in the top 6 essentially right off the bat, the entire makeup of the forward will be reconstructed and would force Jarmo to rearrange the roster with previously unforeseen trades or waiver exposing.
Can Jiricek make a big enough impact to force moves?
As mentioned above, defense is a main area of concern for the Jackets going into the season. It so happens to be that they have a legitimate high-end prospect who is projected to be a long-term solution on the right side of the top pairing. However, the team also went out and acquired Damon Severson and signed him to an 8-year deal as well. That together with the fact that the team still has other NHL caliber right shot defensemen in Peeke, Boqvist, Blankenburg and Gudbranson and Jiricek faces an uphill battle just to make the roster to start. But if Jiricek comes into camp and lives up to the expectation that he is ready for full time NHL duty after a year in Cleveland, Jarmo would be forced to move off one of the aforementioned players which he has been unwilling to this point to move on from, namely Peeke and Boqvist.
Can Werenski elevate his game coming off injury with higher quality partners and overall better team?
The moment Werenski went down for the season, you could feel the air come out of the entire organization. He is the key to the success of the Jackets as well as likely being the next captain whenever Jenner is phased out. Going into the season, he is going to be expected to come back with a vengeance and really take his game to the next level as he has been on the periphery of being a top defenseman in the league but not quite getting there. With multiple legitimate candidates to pair him with in Severson, Jiricek and Boqvist and an overall improved team on paper, the stage is set for Werenski to make his mark on the team and lead them back to playoff contention. Expectations will be sky high and anything short of that would be a massive disappointment.
Can Laine and Gaudreau continue to play at or at least near a PPG pace?
As previously mentioned, the Jackets forward corps appears to be pretty strong coming into the season. The group is led by high profile players in Gaudreau and Laine, both of whom are expected to perform at a high level. Gaudreau impressed in his first season in Columbus, going well north of 70 points despite a revolving door of linemates due to overwhelming injuries and overall poor team performance. Maintaining that level of play will continue to be expected of him and if his linemates can stay consistent and healthy, may even be expected to raise his level of play closer to his contract year in Calgary. Meanwhile, Laine very nearly went at a PPG pace despite battling injuries and consistency issues which plagued his time in Columbus. If he can overcome these issues and maintain that level of play, Laine will have solidified his spot as a key cog on the roster especially if he fully evolves into the dual scoring/playmaking threat that he has flashed over his time in Columbus, not to mention his intriguing desire (and not entirely unsuccessful stint) at center ice.
How much pressure is there on the goaltenders, particularly Merzlikins, to perform?
No bigger question mark can be identified about the Jackets than the one in net. Despite yet another brutal season from Merzlikins and a less than ideal NHL debut for Tarasov, Jarmo has doubled down on the pair to start the season, much to the chagrin of many, especially those who were fond of Korpisalo. Now while it is true that management may have had no choice but to roll with the pair given the current contract situation of Merzlikins and Tarasov still in an early stage of development, make no mistake that continued poor performances will force moves to be made. Sure, a better defense will help but there is no question that a large portion of the Jackets weight in expectation will be placed squarely on Merzlikins shoulders and the direction that the Jackets season goes will largely depend on how he responds to that pressure. Much like Jarmo and the front office, this is a do or die season for Elvis, so he needs to show up.
How much better can the center ice position be and how will it shake out?
The age-old question that faced the Jackets for the entirety of its existence, the outlook down the middle of the ice has never looked this bright. There is no question that adding a #1 center in Fantilli, the first of his kind in the organization (all due respect to Johansen and Dubois), has dramatically raised expectations. The question that arises now is how the position shakes out. There are no less than 6-7 centers competing for a spot on the lineup and that it not including Johnson or potentially even Laine. Overall, there is no question that the Jackets will be better at center ice, but the question is who will line up where. One thing is for sure, Babcock has a hell of a job in front of him to figure out who will line up where and how quickly he can get them to gel in their respective spots.
What are the expectations for the season?
Coming off a tumultuous 2 seasons under Larsen where the team took a huge step back from their performance under Tortorella. With Jarmo and the entire front office under pressure to deliver results, it is fair to wonder what should be expected from the team this season. I identified 3 approaches that one could take, and they are as follows:
Overly Pessimistic – Goaltending doesn’t improve by any reasonable measure, offense is productive and entertaining to watch but lacks chemistry and consistency, new additions on defense struggle to adjust to environment and roles. Team misses the playoffs by a wide margin.
Cautiously Optimistic – Goaltending performs around league average due to both improved goalie performance as well as overall better team defensive play and structure, offense is one of the better in the league, power play regains its confidence. Team either misses the playoffs by a small margin or sneaks into a wild card spot. Either way, teams play meaningful games for a large portion of the season.
Overly Optimistic – Elvis finds his all-star form that he flashed as a rookie, offense is top-5 in the league with Gaudreau among the top point getters, Laine breaking 40 goals and Fantilli cementing 1C as he finishes as a top contender for the Calder, Werenski-Jiricek/Severson is one of the best in the league, Babcock has the team playing organized, defensively sound and puck possessing game and guides them to a top-4 finish in the division and is a safe bet for the playoffs.
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