NHL · Metropolitan · Columbus, Ohio, US · Nationwide Arena
The youngest franchise in the Metropolitan Division, the Blue Jackets are Columbus's scrappy declaration that Ohio's capital is a hockey city - a franchise still writing its origin story, powered by a college-town energy and an underdog's relentless hunger.
Updated March 21, 2026
Ever since Rick Bowness took over behind the bench, the Blue Jackets have been surging. Columbus is making a serious push for a wild card spot in the East, and they rank as a top-half team in the league in nearly every major 5-on-5 possession and scoring-chance metric.
The Blue Jackets acquired Mason Marchment from the Seattle Kraken at the deadline, adding another scoring threat to a lineup that has been punching above its weight all season. It's the kind of move that signals Columbus believes this playoff run is real.
The Blue Jackets are hunting the Bruins for the last Eastern Conference wild card spot, and the gap is closing. Columbus's reliance on loser points to stay in the race is a concern, but the momentum is undeniably on their side heading into the final stretch.