Probably no they’re still probably around 2 years away their d core and forward depth don’t look like contenders to me

Switch Peeke and Blankenburg, and Texier and Robinson. I’d say no, they still need to Improve defensively imo but they could slip in depending how players like Peeke, Bean and Boqvist develop during the season.

No team with Roslovic - Sillinger - Jenner - Kuraly is a playoff team unless they have an elite goaltender and an elite defense core - which the Jackets have neither.

I think CBJ are more likely to be in the bottom 5 of the league than in the top 16.

Cole Sillinger is no slouch. The kid isn’t a 1C yet but has a chance to be in a couple of years.

I said that with LA last year and look what happened

LA has a better d core and they got good defensive forwards I think LA was just very underrated going into last season

They weren’t even bottom ten last year and are better now than they were then. They’re not bottom five now nor are they playoff material. As always, they’re the Columbus Average Jackets.

Bottom five is without question Arizona, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Jose. Anaheim, Detroit, and Ottawa are still not better teams, either. Columbus is in the middle with Nashville, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. I could pretty easily see a situation where they’re top 16 in the league and still not make the playoffs next year because the east is so top heavy, with really none of the last year’s top eight slipping out.

Last year I had them as 18-22. This year I have them as 15-19. Chance at a playoff spot if things go right, but I think they'll be just on the bubble.

Yep, I think they probably end up about the same range. Just good enough to miss out on the meat of the upcoming draft *and* the playoffs.

I mean they were 12th to last last year and just added gaudreau. Not saying they will make the playoffs but I can’t see them finishing bottom 5 with Arizona, Philly, New Jersey, Seattle, chicago being in the league unless most of their team has significant injuries