What if they had been healthy?

[SCB502]

I'm interested to see what everyone thinks the Blue Jackets could have done this year if their health had been that of an average year. I think they easily could have won ten more games which would have given them 109 points and tied them for third in the league. They would have "only" needed to win twelve more games to win the President's Trophy.
With the way they finished I think they were a definite contender for the Cup and probably could have been playing even better if they had had time to build more chemistry. Thinking about it this way has me very excited for next year.

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[NotWendell]

I'm interested to see what everyone thinks the Blue Jackets could have done this year if their health had been that of an average year. I think they easily could have won ten more games which would have given them 109 points and tied them for third in the league. They would have "only" needed to win twelve more games to win the President's Trophy.
With the way they finished I think they were a definite contender for the Cup and probably could have been playing even better if they had had time to build more chemistry. Thinking about it this way has me very excited for next year.

If we're also counting Nathan Horton in this what-if scenario, the CBJ could have challenged the Rangers for the President's Trophy. And Springfield would be firmly in the playoffs.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

The Jackets if healthy would be the 1WC team.

 

[stevo61]

You can never count on a 14-1-1 streak so its not as simple as adding 10 wins to that. That being said I could have seen atleast a WC spot

 

[CBJx614]

You can never count on a 14-1-1 streak so its not as simple as adding 10 wins to that. That being said I could have seen atleast a WC spot

At least.

I think healthy they are a serious contender for the ECF.

 

[WannabeFinn]

Based on the last ~20 games of the season when we, for once this season, had a healthy (mostly..) roster we were dominant. Offense was churning goals out at a pretty good rate (over 3 per game, I think) and Bobrovsky was winning games like he was still in contention for the Vezina

If we had even a moderately healthy regular season with a mostly/completely healthy start to the post-season we're a ECF contender. I think we've got the number of most if not all of the teams in our division outside of perhaps the Rangers? Think we'd be pretty much a lock for winning the 1st round.

 

[JacketsDavid]

6th-7th in East and win a game or two in first round.
We were dominant when it didn't matter. Team has rarely shown the ability to get in front and stay in front. Bob did not show the ability to be dominant early (again I think Bob needs to be dominant if you want this team to advance) and if healthy it's probable than neither Dano or Wennberg would be where they are now in there development.

 

[EDM]

Yeah it is true that the "if healthy" scenario probably would have precluded the arrival of Wennberg and Dano. And certainly Dano was a big part of the amazing end of the season run.

 

[We Want Ten]

Probably similar to last year, only slightly better.

 

[EspenK]

 

[ca5150]

Interesting, if you think we win the cup with a healthy lineup, then why were you rooting for "a well played loss" from about January on?

 

[ca5150]

I think we could easily make a run at the cup finals, THIS YEAR, the way things are in the East, not sure the same will be next year, but I think the East is kinda down this year and we could have made a run because we are fresh. You can see what works though, physical play is trumping the skill teams. NYI will go far, Calgary could end up in the Finals, Anaheim. We have that style of team and could have gone to the Cup finals with a solid effort from Bob. Injuries are funny, when you take a half season off, you are totally rested when everyone else is beat up and playing on fumes. That could have played a part in our late season run and not translate into October hockey. We'll see

 

[DarkandStormy]

I think we could easily make a run at the cup finals, THIS YEAR, the way things are in the East, not sure the same will be next year, but I think the East is kinda down this year and we could have made a run because we are fresh. You can see what works though, physical play is trumping the skill teams. NYI will go far, Calgary could end up in the Finals, Anaheim. We have that style of team and could have gone to the Cup finals with a solid effort from Bob. Injuries are funny, when you take a half season off, you are totally rested when everyone else is beat up and playing on fumes. That could have played a part in our late season run and not translate into October hockey. We'll see

This East isn't really down. 98 was the cutoff line. Took 100 and 101 to finish in the top 3 of each division. It just seems down because the "powers" of the last 6-7 years (Boston and Pittsburgh) had "down" years.

I don't get the "physical is trumping skill" comment. Outside of Montreal, nobody really has a stranglehold on any series yet.

 

[EspenK]

Interesting, if you think we win the cup with a healthy lineup, then why were you rooting for "a well played loss" from about January on?

Two reasons:

One we weren't healthy and a better draft pick would help makes us better and two the picture was

 

[Jackets Fan]

CBJ are easily #2 in Metro when healthy. Next season I can see them getting to the Conference Final, or at the very least past the first round.

 

[BluejacketNut]

Its a nice thought, but you will never play a season without injuries, especially if you play the style we play. Its the reason depth is so important. Look at your starting day roster, then subtract 2 or 3 and see who gets filled in next

 

[DarkandStormy]

Its a nice thought, but you will never play a season without injuries, especially if you play the style we play. Its the reason depth is so important. Look at your starting day roster, then subtract 2 or 3 and see who gets filled in next

Try 11 or 12 this past season.

 

[BluejacketNut]

My reference is on any given year

 

[Nordique]

We are not a bubble team when healthy. I don't know about 2nd in the Metro, but I expect no worse than a 5/6 seed next year.

 

[stevo61]

As bad as this season was there are still lots of positives that come from it. 1st is obviously our character will never be an issue, while everyone was in full tank mode our guys were playing like they were gearing up for playoff hockey.
Also if not for the injuries does Foligno get all the chances he deserved this year and produce like he did? Is he even here next year without this season?
A season of normal injuries will seem like nothing now, the way Dano and Wennberg progressed through the season was amazing and obviously has the team feeling better about its depth.
The team was not "dominant" really to end the season but it was a team that won 1 goal games and games they didnt deserve to which good teams do, playoff teams do.

 

[ca5150]

This East isn't really down. 98 was the cutoff line. Took 100 and 101 to finish in the top 3 of each division. It just seems down because the "powers" of the last 6-7 years (Boston and Pittsburgh) had "down" years.

I don't get the "physical is trumping skill" comment. Outside of Montreal, nobody really has a stranglehold on any series yet.

I just meant there were no powerhouse teams, points aside, anyone could win the East, that to me is down just because there isn't those top 2 teams that are pretty much locks for the finals.

 

[OldGoaltender]

Based on the last ~20 games of the season when we, for once this season, had a healthy (mostly..) roster we were dominant. Offense was churning goals out at a pretty good rate (over 3 per game, I think) and Bobrovsky was winning games like he was still in contention for the Vezina

If we had even a moderately healthy regular season with a mostly/completely healthy start to the post-season we're a ECF contender. I think we've got the number of most if not all of the teams in our division outside of perhaps the Rangers? Think we'd be pretty much a lock for winning the 1st round.

This pretty much sums it up. Though we did benefit from letting guys like Dano and Wennberg get serious ice time, something they wouldn't have had otherwise. Still this team is going to be very hard to beat next season if we can stay half way healthy.

 

[EspenK]

I just meant there were no powerhouse teams, points aside, anyone could win the East, that to me is down just because there isn't those top 2 teams that are pretty much locks for the finals.

True. Just as true is that anyone can miss the playoffs. Assuming we stay healthy next year we should be right in the thick of things.

 

[Viqsi]

Its a nice thought, but you will never play a season without injuries, especially if you play the style we play. Its the reason depth is so important. Look at your starting day roster, then subtract 2 or 3 and see who gets filled in next

Well, duh. I assume folks here are intelligent enough to recognize that "if they'd been healthy" in this context means "the usual, sane, planned for amount of injuries that every team deals with"

 

[Robert]

Every season under Todd Richards the CBJ have done well in the final two months after losing in the first two months...

Injuries are a factor no doubt but I think the organizations failures to be prepared for injury is the real reason the CBJ lose...

For examples, look up Detroit, NYR, SL and more over the last 30 years... The CBJ have been around for 15 years, it's time to stop using injury for excuses to lose...