Blue Jackets lacked incompatibility-maker vs. Lightning in East First Spherical
The Columbus Blue Jackets had been eradicated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, shedding to the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 in time beyond law in Recreation 5 of essentially the most challenging-of-7 Eastern Convention First Spherical on Wednesday at Scotiabank Enviornment in Toronto, the East hub metropolis.
The Blue Jackets had been the No. 7 seed after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in 5 games in essentially the most challenging-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers. Columbus was the No. 9 seed in the Qualifiers after finishing the new season with a .579 parts percentage (33-22-15).
Right here is a watch at what came about in the route of the 2020 postseason for the Blue Jackets and why things will be better subsequent season:
The Skinny
Doable unrestricted free agents: None
Doable 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.
Doable 2020 NHL Draft picks: 5
What went nasty
Cannot close: The Blue Jackets are known for their protection nonetheless stumbled when it counted. They had been eight minutes a long way from forcing a Recreation 6, nonetheless the Lightning rallied from down 4-2 to tie Recreation 5 and in the raze receive in time beyond law. The Blue Jackets didn’t do away with the Maple Leafs in Recreation 4 of the Qualifiers, blowing a 3-0 lead in the last 3: 57 of the third duration and shedding in time beyond law.
Feeble out: The Blue Jackets’ heavy forechecking recreation is fatiguing below new circumstances. Mix a compacted time desk, a gargantuan want of overtimes and the Lightning’s ability to match their physicality and the end result was no longer surprising. The Blue Jackets played the the same of 12 games in 18 days. Their lack of energy was most telling after they had been held to 17 shots in a 3-2 loss in Recreation 3 that gave the Lightning a 2-1 series lead.
No longer staunch ample: After scoring 13 dreams and shedding in 5 games in the 2017 East First Spherical to the Pittsburgh Penguins, coach John Tortorella said the Blue Jackets mandatory a recreation changer to compose a incompatibility. They received Artemi Panarin in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored 169 parts (55 dreams, 114 assists) in two seasons, nonetheless signed with the Novel York Rangers as a free agent July 1, 2019. His absence was felt: All four losses to the Lightning had been by one goal, and apart from they and had been 1-5 in one-goal games in the route of the postseason. “Sadly, we didn’t approach out on the fitting aspect of the abundant moments,” defenseman Seth Jones said.
Video: Lightning reach on Point’s OT winner
Reasons for optimism
Formative years being served: Dubois leads a younger personnel that is taking a watch to compose main contributions subsequent season. The 22-year-ragged led the Blue Jackets with 10 parts (four dreams, six assists) in 10 postseason games. Among others expected to step up contain forwards Emil Bemstrom, 21; Alexandre Texier, 20, Liam Foudy, 20; and defenseman Andrew Peeke, 22. It’s straightforward to neglect that Zach Werenski, who led NHL defensemen with 20 dreams in 2019-20, is 23.
Goalies galore: The Blue Jackets are deep on the goalie situation, starting with Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins, who was unfit to play after Recreation 4 in opposition to the Maple Leafs. Each of the 26-year-olds is below contract thru the 2021-22 season. Korpisalo was a 2020 NHL All-Famous person Recreation want, and Merzlikins’ 5 shutouts had been tied for 2d in the NHL (Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights; Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins), one leisurely Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Kivlenieks, who turns 24 on Aug. 26, was 1-1-2 with a 2.95 dreams-in opposition to sensible and .898 attach percentage in six new-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 misplaced and went thru long periods in the new season with at least six gamers out. The Blue Jackets had been ready to qualify for the postseason with again from gamers equivalent to defenseman Dean Kukan (15: 58 ice time per recreation in 33 games) and forwards Eric Robinson (12 parts in 50 games), Nathan Gerbe (10 parts in 30 games), Stenlund (10 parts in 32 games) and MacInnis (9: 21 ice time in 10 games).