We probably still have some time before the NHL needs to make a decision on what to do about the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. Reports would suggest that the players seem to be split, with some believing that the full season needs to be played, while other think it would be wise to jump right into the playoffs once the league returns from the current suspension of play. The reality is that the decision is likely going to be dependent on how much longer this current shutdown continues. Having the NHL and the NBA returning at the same time could prove to be a logistical nightmare in terms of sharing arenas and trying to squeeze a lot of games into a short period of time. One team that might be okay with jumping right into the postseason is the Columbus Blue Jackets, as they are currently barely clinging to life in the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Let’s take a closer look at their season along with NHL Odds and Stanley Cup Odds.
Columbus Blue Jackets 2020 NHL Season Analysis
Columbus Blue Jackets Season So Far
When play shut down in the NHL, the Blue Jackets were sitting with a record of 33-22-15, which was good enough for 81 points. As you can see from their record, Columbus is a team that was involved in a lot of close games, with those 15 points picked up in OT and SO losses proving to be rather invaluable. They were not on a particularly great run when the suspension in play came, going just 3-4-3 in the 10 games leading up to the lockdown. With 12 games left to play, making up the 5-point deficit to get into the top 3 in the Metropolitan Division looked to be a bit of a big ask given their current form.
Columbus Blue Jackets Key Stats and Personnel
The Columbus Blue Jackets have certainly been more effective at home than they have been on the road this season. They are 20-12-4 in their own building versus 13-10-11 on the road. The Blue Jackets 180 goals scored is the second worst total in the conference, but they are on the positive side of things on defense, surrendering 187 goals. Still, to have a negative goal differential is not great at this late stage of the season.
On the scoring front, it is Pierre-Luc Dubois who leads the team with 49 points. He is also the assists leader on the Blue Jackets with 31. The top goal getter for Columbus is Oliver Bjorkstrand, who has netted 21 times this season. Leading the way in net is Elvis Merzlikins, who has a stellar .923 save percentage, while Joonas Korpisalo is the leader in wins with 19.
How the Bookies See the Columbus Blue Jackets
If the season was to restart with the remaining games of the season scrapped, the playoffs would begin with the Blue Jackets as the #8 seed in the East. That would mean an opening round tilt with the Boston Bruins, which is not a team that anyone wants to face. It may also explain why Columbus is +10000 to win the Stanley Cup.
