Blue Jackets' first road trip hints at bright future – Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets hit the road to start their 2024-25 season. With games against the Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche, it wouldn't be easy for the visitors to win as it was each team's home opener.

Not only did the Blue Jackets play well in both games, they earned the distinction. A case could even be made that they played well enough to win both games.

As far as the Blue Jackets go, coming home on that road 1-1 is amazing. They played games without their captain Boone Jenner and Dmitri Voronkov. Then on Saturday night, they played most of the game without Zach Aston-Reese, who scored early in the first half.

If the Blue Jackets were going to be successful, several things had to go right. In the first two games, they went very well. A big part of this was the performance of their talented youth.

Kent Johnson Shined

One of the biggest questions coming into the new season from a hockey perspective is who will step up offensively? The Blue Jackets' hope was pinned on their young talent to make a significant contribution.

On Thursday night in Minnesota, Kent Johnson answered the phone. By beating the Wild 1-0 in the second half, the Blue Jackets were able to tie the game early in the period.

Johnson released the puck in the zone and was able to connect on a pass with Mikael Pyyhtia. This led to an increase in assets. A few won battles later, the game was tied.

Johnson was able to get the puck in the crowd, turn, shoot and score. It was the kind of goal that showed what these green jackets are all about.

The Wild had multiple guys around the puck at different times. It didn't matter. Thanks to the efforts of the line and especially Cole Sillinger, the game stayed alive. It was pressure on the puck that created this goal.

The line of Pyyhtia, Sillinger and Johnson are 22, 21 and 21 respectively. Johnson was also not done that night. He added Zach Werenski's power play goal to make it 3-2.

For Johnson, it was one of his most complete games as a pro. He played 18:05 and was a factor in all areas. He also played on both special teams units in the program. When the Blue Jackets had many opportunities to tie the game, they fell short. But it was Johnson's effort in part that allowed them to get into a tie. What was he going to do for an encore?

On Saturday night in Denver, Johnson led all Blue Jackets players in ice time. He played 21:30 including a short 2:55. Now he shows a tendency to want the stick on his stick all the time in all situations. He added a goal in the first half from a wide area that was marked as.

What was most impressive about Johnson's goal was the way he created it. He took a pass from Jake Christiansen and did the rest.

From center ice, Johnson stepped into the zone and drove hard. This created confusion among the Avalanche on how to defend the game. Then from the wide side, he went up to Alex Georgiev. That led to back-to-back goals to start the new season with GM Don Waddell calling an important part of the Blue Jackets' future.

And Another Youth Shines With It

While Johnson did his thing, others stepped up as well. Zach Werenski scored in each of the two games. Don't forget you are only 27 years old. He scored a powerful goal in Minnesota and then opened the scoring in Denver in a game where he drove into the net and finished off a great shot by Yegor Chinakhov.

Speaking of Chinakhov, his line with Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko was dominant on Saturday night. Each member of the line has 1-2-3.

When Werenski opened the scoring and Monahan closed the scoring with an empty netter, it was four Blue Jackets goals in the middle. Who found them?

• Kent Johnson (21)
• Adam Fantilli (turned 20 on Saturday)
• Kirill Marchenko (24)
• Yegor Chinakhov (23)

The average age of these four scorers is 22. Waddell said that before the season the youngsters will get a big chance to play important minutes. It's early days, but Saturday night showed a glimpse of what the Blue Jackets hope to become in the future.

Even in the 3-3 game on Saturday night, the Blue Jackets are on top. They took the lead with Marchenko's goal. It was an uphill battle that they maintained throughout the game. That's another big takeaway from this little trip that needs to be highlighted.

Evason's influence

One of the biggest things coming into the season is how new coach Dean Evason will impact things. Early reviews are pretty good at that.

The Blue Jackets played perhaps one of their best 5-on-5 games in a long time on Thursday night. They ruled the property. They looked quickly. More importantly, they were in good shape and knew what to do in the next game in most situations.

The Blue Jackets over the past few seasons have struggled in that regard. Many times, they couldn't make an easy play. It seemed that they didn't know what to do when they got the puck.

Under Evason, there is a decision. There is pressure everywhere. There is fast puck movement in the north. Although Thursday resulted in a loss due to a few key errors, it was the type of game that gave hope for the future. If the team plays like that consistently, better days are ahead.

Dean's legendary cells have arrived #CBJ the bench! 👊

Congratulations on the first of many with us! @drinkgaragebeer | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/2d0smciPNz

– Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 13, 2024

While the Avalanche scored four, it held the Avalanche to just 30 shots. Considering how often they can allow 40 or more snaps in a game, having this kind of performance is remarkable. Trailing 5-3 for most of the third period, the Blue Jackets outshot the Avalanche 8-7.

You May Love It Again

Although the way Evason wants the Blue Jackets to play is still a work in progress, the early results are clearly visible. They look more organized and in control than at any point in the last two seasons.

Teams often take on the personality of their head coach. The Blue Jackets have taken Evason's message to heart and are applying it to their game. The win on Saturday marked Evason's first as the Blue Jackets' coach.

It's only two games so you don't want to get too crazy. However, it's hard to walk away from these games and not think that the Blue Jackets are in for a treat. The right track is often the long road. They have to start somewhere.

The Blue Jackets took care of business and earned distinction in two hostile environments. They lay the foundation for what they want to be. Their youth led in a way that offered glimpses of better days to come.

Werenski recently said that this season must be successful for them no matter what. If they have more nights like Thursday and Saturday, the Blue Jackets will benefit greatly from this challenging season.