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New York Rangers rivals: Columbus Blue Jackets season preview

By Andrew Steele-Davis

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 05: Artemi Panarin #9 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the national anthem prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 5, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 05: Artemi Panarin #9 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the national anthem prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 5, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 17: Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Sonny Milano #22 celebrates a goal during the preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on September 17, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 17: Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Sonny Milano #22 celebrates a goal during the preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on September 17, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Top questions facing the Columbus Blue Jackets

Are they going to be good in net? To be successful you need elite goaltending and the Blue Jackets had that in Sergei Bobrovsky. But, he’s now gone and it will be down to Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins to step into the firing line and prove there is life after Bobrovsky.

It could be a rule by committee approach with Merzlikins yet to play a game in the NHL, while Korpisalo has only made 90 starts in four years and one of the two will need to step up and morph from a backup into a starter in the NHL. Otherwise, it could be a long and ugly year for the Blue Jackets.

Who is going to step up offensively? Losing Artemi Panarin’s offensive production would hurt any team in the NHL, but that loss is compounded tenfold when you also lose Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel. That is a lot of firepower to shed in a single summer and the Blue Jackets could plummet in scoring in 2019-20 if they don’t get production from elsewhere.

That burden will fall on the young shoulders of Pierre-Luc Dubois who will now need to elevate his game and become the star some think he is, while Josh Anderson, Cam Atkinson and new recruit Gustav Nyquist will have to chip in.

COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 17: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones #3 waits for face-off during the preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on September 17, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 17: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones #3 waits for face-off during the preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on September 17, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Can Jones and Werenski handle the pressure? With Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky both gone, there is no doubt that Seth Jones and Zach Werenski are the new faces of this franchise still trying to find its place in the NHL.

Both are absolute horses on the blueline and are in the upper echelons of the best defensemen in the NHL, but they will need to find another gear both on the ice and in the locker room. This is their team now and they will have to juggle the pressure of what comes with that added responsibility, while still producing the goods on the ice.

If they can, then the Blue Jackets will absolutely have a chance of making the postseason for the fourth consecutive year but they will need to be outstanding in their own zone in order to protect and shield their inexperienced goaltending tandem.

Next. Washington Capitals season preview. dark

When you can see them

Given that Columbus are also in the Metro Division, you will get pretty used to seeing the Blue Jackets in 2019-20. The first meeting between these two, however, doesn’t take place until Dec, 5 at Nationwide Arena, and they’ll meet again on Jan, 19, 2020 at Madison Square Garden.

And the final two matchups between the Rangers and the Blue Jackets will take place at Nationwide Arena on Feb, 14 and at MSG on Mar, 24.

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