Insider Expects Major Change For Blue Jackets If Losing Continues

The Columbus Blue Jackets' season hasn't gone as planned in 2023-24 so far and changes may be made sooner than later. There have been surprisingly scratches and benchings while the team struggles to score and stop pucks. With all this going on, there is still the case of holding onto too many defensemen.

The Blue Jackets have at least eight that should be in the lineup every night, but regularly dress just six. They are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and if things don't get any better, insider Elliotte Friedman noted that he could see the team going to some of its veterans and asking if they still want to be in Columbus or work with the team to try to find a new home.

The veterans that could be talked to include Boone Jenner, Sean Kuraly, Erik Gudbranson, and even Johnny Gaudreau, but I think he's less likely. The Blue Jackets are already a young team, but it would make sense that Gudbranson is included since the amount of defense on the team and he plays the right side, the more crowded side of the ice.

As for Jenner, he just became the all-time leader in games played for the Blue Jackets with 677 and has experienced almost nothing but losing. At age 30, he could be given a chance to be moved somewhere he could have a chance at winning. He is not a top line center, but has played that role for some time now. He would be a good second/third line center on a championship caliber team.

The Blue Jackets may have tried to rush their rebuild when they got a chance to add two strong defensive players in Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson, as well as Gaudreau the year prior, but they aren't there just yet. The older players aren't who will lead this team to success, it will be the young guns taking over the team.