Columbus Blue Jackets Stanley Cup Betting Odds
Whatever your perception has been about the Columbus Blue Jackets, it will need to be adjusted for the 2022-23 season. Columbus had the best offseason of any team in the NHL. At the beginning is the signing of five-time All-Star forward Johnny Gaudreau from the Calgary Flames. Gaudreau is a star unlike any that has ever put on a Columbus uniform. Gaudreau will bolster a Blue Jacket offense that includes Patrick Laine, Jake Voracek, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Also coming is roughhouse defenseman Eric Gudbranson.
Certainly, the arrival of Johnny Hockey brings a tremendous jolt of enthusiasm and faith to the long-suffering Columbus faithful. Gaudreau brings enormous offensive numbers to C-Bus. Most important of all, Gaudreau brings an “it” factor like no other seen in franchise history. All of a sudden, Columbus has an identity and cool image that it has lacked since opening for business in 2000.
Columbus Blue Jackets at a Glance
2022-2023 Stanley Cup Odds: +4500 (Aug, 2022)
Eastern Conference Odds: +2290 (Aug, 2022)
Last year Columbus finished with a record of 37-38-7 to finish 6th in the Metropolitan Division. Columbus ranked 14th for goal scoring, 24th for power play efficiency, 28th for goals against, and 20th for penalty killing.
Jarmo Kekalainen has been on the job since February 2013. Then-team president John Davison hired Jarmo, who worked with Davidson and the St. Louis Blues. After a brief stint with the New York Rangers, Davidson has returned to the team presidency. Kekalainen has overseen the most successful period in Blue Jacket history. But the team is yet to truly breakout with a serious Stanley Cup run. With the arrival of Gaudreau, that dream season is now considered inevitable. If not this year, sometime soon.
Johnny Gaudreau, age 28, played for the Calgary Flames from 2013 through 2022. Last year he scored a career-high 40 goals, 75 assists, and 115 points. In 602 career games, Gaudreau has 210 goals with 399 assists.
Top goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, age 28, posted a .907 save percentage and 3.22 goals against average last year. His career save percentage is .913. Merzlikins was named to the 2019-20 All-Rookie team.
Patrick Laine, age 24, is a former Winnipeg Jet. Laine has played in Columbus for the past two seasons. Last year he scored 26 goals with 30 assists in 56 games. Laine scored 44 goals in the 2017-18 season for the Jets.
Boone Jenner, age 29, is the team captain and center. Jenner scored 23 goals with 21 assists in 2021-22. He is a former 30-goal scorer.
Columbus Blue Jackets Seasons
| YEAR |
RECORD |
PLAYOFFS |
| 2021-22 |
37-38-7 |
Did Not Qualify |
| 2020-21 |
18-26-12 |
Did Not Qualify |
| 2019-20 |
33-22-15 |
Lost First Round |
| 2018-19 |
38-30-14 |
Lost Conference Semifinals |
| 2017-18 |
43-30-9 |
Lost First Round |
| 2016-17 |
22-56-4 |
Lost First Round |
| 2015-16 |
39-39-4 |
Did Not Qualify |
| 2014-15 |
39-31-12 |
Did Not Qualify |
Columbus Blue Jackets History
Founded as an expansion franchise in 2000, the Blue Jackets have struggled to gain an identity. Columbus has usually been a hard team on the eyes. Typically, the Blue Jackets have had to emphasize defense. Their best run was when they made the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Former head coach John Tortorella led the Blue Jackets to their most successful era. Torts led the Blue Jackets to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for four consecutive seasons from 2017 through 2020. But the team was proven inadequate to make a serious run and only got to the second round once.
Columbus has always been seen as a franchise and town that nobody wanted to play for. In the past, a host of quality players left the Blue Jackets the first chance they got.
But with the arrival of Johnny Hockey Gaudreau, the Columbus franchise has a new lease on life. Suddenly, the good things about the city of Columbus are being highlighted.
audreau stunned the NHL world by choosing to play in C-Bus instead of other supposedly attractive towns. Gaudreau said he chose Columbus for its outstanding quality of life, great fans, and reasonable taxes and cost of living.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the cusp of a new and exciting era of opportunity. Finally, CBJ has an identity and momentum as a franchise.
NHL Teams
Eastern Conference - Atlantic
Eastern Conference - Metropolitan
Western Conference - Central
Western Conference - Pacific
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