The Columbus Blue Jackets were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 in overtime in Game 5 of the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round on Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the East hub city.
The Blue Jackets were the No. 7 seed after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games in the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers. Columbus was the No. 9 seed in the Qualifiers after finishing the regular season with a .579 points percentage (33-22-15).
Here is a look at what happened during the 2020 postseason for the Blue Jackets and why things could be better next season:
The Skinny
Potential unrestricted free agents: None
Potential restricted free agents: Josh Anderson, F; Pierre-Luc Dubois, F; Ryan MacInnis, F; Devin Shore, F; Kevin Stenlund, F; Jakob Lilja, F; Gabriel Carlsson, D; Vladislav Gavrikov, D; Matiss Kivlenieks, G.
Potential 2020 NHL Draft picks: 5
What went wrong
Can’t close: The Blue Jackets are known for their defense but stumbled when it counted. They were eight minutes away from forcing a Game 6, but the Lightning rallied from down 4-2 to tie Game 5 and eventually win in overtime. The Blue Jackets failed to eliminate the Maple Leafs in Game 4 of the Qualifiers, blowing a 3-0 lead in the final 3:57 of the third period and losing in overtime.
Worn out: The Blue Jackets’ heavy forechecking game is fatiguing under normal circumstances. Combine a compacted schedule, numerous overtimes and the Lightning’s ability to match their physicality and the result was not unexpected. The Blue Jackets played the equivalent of 12 games in 18 days. Their lack of energy was most telling when they were held to 17 shots in a 3-2 loss in Game 3 that gave the Lightning a 2-1 series lead.
Not good enough: After scoring 13 goals and losing in five games in the 2017 East First Round to the Pittsburgh Penguins, coach John Tortorella said the Blue Jackets needed a game changer to make a difference. They acquired Artemi Panarin in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored 169 points (55 goals, 114 assists) in two seasons, but signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent July 1, 2019. His absence was felt: All four losses to the Lightning were by one goal, and they and were 1-5 in one-goal games during the postseason. “Unfortunately, we didn’t come out on the right side of the big moments,” defenseman Seth Jones said.
Reasons for optimism
Youth being served: Dubois leads a young group that is looking to make major contributions next season. The 22-year-old led the Blue Jackets with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 10 postseason games. Among others expected to step up include forwards Emil Bemstrom, 21; Alexandre Texier, 20, Liam Foudy, 20; and defenseman Andrew Peeke, 22. It’s easy to forget that Zach Werenski, who led NHL defensemen with 20 goals in 2019-20, is 23.
Goalies galore: The Blue Jackets are deep at the goalie position, beginning with Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins, who was unfit to play after Game 4 against the Maple Leafs. Each of the 26-year-olds is under contract through the 2021-22 season. Korpisalo was a 2020 NHL All-Star Game selection, and Merzlikins’ five shutouts were tied for second in the NHL (Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights; Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins), one behind Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Kivlenieks, who turns 24 on Aug. 26, was 1-1-2 with a 2.95 goals-against average and .898 save percentage in six regular-season games this season. The Blue Jackets are also high on Veini Vehvilainen, 23, and Daniil Tarasov, 21.
Organizational depth: Columbus led the NHL with 419 man-games lost and went through long periods in the regular season with at least six players out. The Blue Jackets were able to qualify for the postseason with help from players such as defenseman Dean Kukan (15:58 ice time per game in 33 games) and forwards Eric Robinson (12 points in 50 games), Nathan Gerbe (10 points in 30 games), Stenlund (10 points in 32 games) and MacInnis (9:21 ice time in 10 games).