Offseason recap: CBJ core returns largely intact heading into training camp

The Blue Jackets hope to push for postseason hockey in 2025-26 after falling just short a season ago

In 10 days, the Blue Jackets will take the ice for the first time as a group during the 2025-26 season when training camp begins.

For fans in attendance next Thursday for the first day of on-ice practices – or those coming for the Sept. 20 open practice, presented by OhioHealth – you might not need a program to identify many of the players.

Sure, there were some changes to the roster over the past few months as president of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell tried to improve the squad, but the major names and faces will be the same.

The team’s top seven goal scorers – not to mention 11 of the top 12 point scorers – return, headlined by captain Boone Jenner, All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski and an exciting young core featuring such names as Kirill Marchenko, Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson

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It’s a team in a good place, with a bevy of talented up-and-comers meshing well with an established, hungry leadership core. But it’s also a team that’s not yet in the place it wants to be – the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as Columbus fell one win shy of its goal of battling for the sport’s ultimate prize a season ago.

As he balanced the big decisions to be made this offseason, Waddell – also constrained by a tight market – chose to stay the course and keep much of the squad together. Free-agent defensemen Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro were re-signed, while the team’s major offseason acquisitions came via trade from Colorado in the form of forwards Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood.

“I always say you don’t make change for the sake of making change, you make change to try to make our hockey team better,” Waddell said. “We felt we did that with the few changes we made. Anytime guys can be together, especially this group – this is a special group with everything that happened last year, how they stuck together, how they were at the end of the year.

“Moving forward, I think trying to keep this nucleus together was important. It doesn’t mean we don’t explore. We always have to look to see what’s out there, see if we can make our team better. But at the end of the day, this group here, we felt very comfortable moving forward with it.”

It’s a group that helped turn around the fortunes of the Blue Jackets a season ago, as after back-to-back last place finishes in the Metropolitan Division, Columbus added 13 wins and 23 points in the standings. The Blue Jackets also have spoken repeatedly about the tight-knit nature of the dressing room under coach Dean Evason, with everyone on the same page when it comes to ending the team’s five-year postseason drought.

The Blue Jackets are trickling back into Columbus, ready to get to work during the months ahead to make sure postseason hockey returns to the capital city. But as Werenski talked to his teammates over the summer, he noticed a theme – a united focus and vision to make sure this season is another step forward.

“Everyone has the same mentality right now, the same mind-set, and that’s that we have to get back to the playoffs,” Werenski said. “It’s been too long for us. I’m in my prime. Boone, Guddy, Monny, the older guys, we want it, and so do the younger guys.

“It’s the best thing to play in the playoffs, especially in Columbus. I want to get back there, and I think our team has the same mind-set right now and everyone is looking forward to the season.”

New Faces

• While the Blue Jackets didn’t upset the apple cart too much, there are some new faces who CBJ fans should know heading into the start of camp.
• Center Charlie Coyle (17-18-35 in 83 games last season with Boston and Colorado) was added via trade to give the Blue Jackets more options down the middle, and the 13-year NHL veteran with 950 games played is also known as a leader in the dressing room.
• Miles Wood (4-4-8 in 35 games with Colorado) has spent 10 seasons in the NHL, and the wing is expected to add speed and compete to the forward lineup. In addition, he’s averaged 15 goals per 82 games in his career.
• Center Isac Lundestrom (4-11-15 in 79 games with Anaheim) spent the past seven years with the Ducks and is expected to be a defensive-minded, responsible pivot in a bottom-six role after signing a two-year deal as a free agent.
• Signed to a two-way contract, Hudson Fasching (2-2-4 in 43 games with the New York Islanders) is a big body (6-3, 209) on the wing who has played 147 games with the Isles the past three seasons.
• Veteran defenseman Brendan Smith (1-5-6 in 32 games with Dallas), who signed a player tryout agreement, has 14 years of NHL experience under his belt and will look to make the team in camp as a physical, experienced option.
• Forward Brendan Gaunce (0-1-1 in 12 games with Minnesota) returns to the organization via trade, and the former captain of AHL Cleveland plays a versatile, responsible two-way game up front.
• Slovak defenseman Christian Jaros (2-10-12 in 51 games with CSKA Moskva) returns to North America having played 94 NHL games with Ottawa, San Jose and New Jersey from 2018-22. A big body signed to a two-way deal, he’s in the mix to make the team out of camp.
• Defenseman Dysin Mayo (8-11-19 in 58 games with AHL Henderson) played 82 games with Arizona from 2022-23 and was signed to a two-way deal this offseason.
• Columbus also made some changes in staffing this offseason, hiring Barry Brennan – who worked for the organization from 2005-10 – as strength and conditioning coach, adding Paul DeFazio as head equipment manager and promoting Aron Augustitus to video coach.

Next Up

The Blue Jackets have watched many of their recent top draft picks not just make it to the NHL the past few years but become major contributors in that span.

But there are still a few names to know among the team’s prospects who will be in the mix to make an impact this year, though first-round draft picks Cayden Lindstrom (Michigan State) and Jackson Smith (Penn State) are playing college hockey this season while goalie Pyotr Andreyanov remains in Russia.

Here are a few young players expected to begin the year with AHL Cleveland who could see time with the Blue Jackets this season (and have in the past, in some cases).

Center Luca Del Bel Belluz finished tied for 13th in the AHL with 27 goals last year and had a 2-6-8 line in 15 games with Columbus, and the 2022 second-round pick is banging on the door to earn a consistent NHL role. ... Wing Jordan Dumais (2022 third-round pick) was a prolific scorer in junior hockey and came back from injury to have a solid first pro season (4-7-11 in 21 games) the second half of last year with Cleveland. ... Defenseman Daemon Hunt was acquired via trade from Minnesota in November and could be in the mix for an NHL spot; he played in 13 games with the Wild over two seasons. ... Pugnacious winger James Malatesta brings energy and has had stints with the Jackets the past two years, notching a 2-2-4 line with 47 hits in 13 NHL games. ... Defenseman Stanislav Svozil debuted in the NHL during the 2022-23 season and has become a solid two-way blueliner for Cleveland the past two seasons. ... Center Hunter McKown played 12 games with the Jackets after signing out of college in 2022-23 and brings size down the middle. ... Defenseman Corson Ceulemans was a first-round pick in 2021 who brings skill and size to the table, but he lost much of last season to injury.

Saying Goodbye

The Blue Jackets also saw several familiar faces leave the organization in the offseason.

Veteran wing James van Riemsdyk signed with Detroit after posting 16-20-36 in 71 games last season and serving as a mentor for a number of the Jackets youngsters. ... Center Sean Kuraly returned to Boston after four years with his hometown team; he played in every game last year with six goals and 17 points. ... Versatile forward Justin Danforth had nine goals – including the Stadium Series winner – and 21 points in 61 games but signed with Buffalo. ... Goaltender Daniil Tarasov was traded to Florida after posting a 7-10-2 record, 3.54 GAA and .881 save percentage in 20 games a season ago. ... Jack Johnson’s second stint with the Blue Jackets included 41 games dressed with six assists, and the longtime NHL defenseman has signed a PTO with Minnesota. ... Defenseman Jordan Harris signed with Boston after one year with the Jackets in which he posted a 1-4-5 line in 33 games. ... Forward Kevin Labanc had 2-10-12 in 34 games with Columbus before shoulder surgery ended his season; he signed a PTO with Carolina. ... Forward Luke Kunin was added at the trade deadline and skated in 12 games before signing with Florida. ... Forward Joseph LaBate skated in six games – and dropped the gloves twice – but signed a two-way deal with Vancouver. ... Forward Christian Fischer played in just one game after being claimed off waivers late in the year and retired in the offseason. ... Forward Gavin Brindley was a second-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets in 2023 and had a 6-11-17 line with Cleveland a year ago before being included in the trade with Colorado. ... Forward Cameron Butler, who made his NHL debut with one game in 2023-24, had 2-1-3 in 37 games with Cleveland but was traded to Minnesota for Gaunce.