The season is officially on the doorstep, with preseason play starting for the Columbus Blue Jackets next Monday, Sept. 21, when they host the Detroit Red Wings. However, they have to get through training camp first, which will start this week.
Wednesday kicks off training camp for credentialed media, where they will get to hear from general manager (GM) Don Waddell, head coach Rick Bowness, and a trio of players as well. The on-ice portion begins Thursday and will be the first time everyone has shared the ice since the end of last season, on April 14 when they lost the finale 2-1 against the Washington Capitals.
The biggest thing coming into this season that could be a massive factor is a full offseason in the Bowness system. He will make it a point of emphasis for all his players to be defensively responsible, and they have to be able to get back and shut a play down. This is something we will be looking for at training camp, to see what the transition defense looks like, and how they break down a play in front of the netminder.
So, what are the three storylines on our radar heading into training camp?
What Shape Are the Fringe Top Six In?
One of the biggest things this coaching staff needed from the offseason was for players to handle their business and show up in game shape ready to go for an extended regular season of two extra games.
Last season it was a noted issue in the media that two guys in particular, Kent Johnson and Dmitri Voronkov, were not in the type of shape the Blue Jackets top brass thought they needed to be in to play at a competitive level.
Johnson needs to have added some muscle or weight in general so he is not easily displaced and knocked off the puck. Voronkov needs to come back with the stamina and ability to play for a full season. This was a big problem last season as neither one of these guys was consistently in the lineup, and both were healthy scratches at various points.
NEW: One big question for the Blue Jackets this season is whether or not they can unlock more of Dmitri Voronkov’s potential.#CBJhttps://t.co/pk78P5GV7a
— Union and Blue (@UnionAndBlue) August 29, 2026
However, they are relying on both Voronkov and Johnson to become a serious offensive threat. Voronkov is a huge factor on the power play, not just because of his size, but also his ability to tip and deflect pucks and provide a screen in front of the goaltender.
Johnson is one of the most skilled offensive players in the league, but he has to be able to play through a minimal amount of contact and not just get thrown off the puck. He has to show up being more physical, because if he is not, it makes him nearly unusable in physical games, and down the stretch in a playoff push.
They need both of these guys to badly take a step forward this season, and they have to show up to camp ready to go, and that starts with their physical nature and how they took care of their body in the offseason.
The State of the Goaltending
We heard from the team brass, including Waddell and Bowness, as well as the starter in net, Jet Greaves, regarding the state of the team and the goaltending room. One of the big things for Greaves that was floated around was the feeling of stability, especially with a contract keeping him in the NHL moving forward.
“At the end of the day…it is nice to have stability going forward, and hopefully for years to come,” said Greaves.
He will be expected to be the go-to guy this season, and with a pair of guys who both have NHL experience, he has some veterans to lean on to help him out and keep him settled. It is something we have heard Waddell talk about back at developmental camp, when he spoke about the significance of rostering three goaltenders during the season.
Greaves also mentioned the importance of adding a veteran goaltender, in Cam Talbot, who he and his family got along with at the World Championship with Team Canada.
Greaves on Cam Talbot joining:
“My whole family was super excited about him joining us this season, as both our families got along super well too.”
“I remember watching him as a kid, on the Rangers, so it’ll be cool, and definitely a good addition to our team.”
— Wes Minke (@MinkePxP) September 16, 2026
With Talbot and Greaves, that still leaves Pheonix Copley, who will likely start the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Cleveland Monsters. The Blue Jackets will have the flexibility with all three to play them in NHL action, and once Elvis Merzlikins returns, that gives them even more, but as we heard from Waddell on Wednesday, they don’t see that happening soon.
“He failed his physical. We’re not going to put a time on it, but you’re not going to see him in the near future, that is for sure,” said Waddell at the media luncheon.
This means they can utilize the preseason games and training camp to figure out who will back up Greaves, and who will start in Cleveland. For the first time in a while, it seems they have clarity in the net.
Coaching Structure and Special Strategies
Bowness discussed at his press conference how much 2025-26 stuck with him, how he couldn’t get over what happened to end the season, and how they feel the culture has changed dramatically from the end of last season.
“The players were as disappointed as all of us were, missing the playoffs, they were, and that has to resonate with them, and that has to stay with them all summer,” said Bowness. “So, honestly, I am not nearly as worried about the culture as I was at the end of last game.”
He also talked about how he plans to get the most out of the players, and that can also start with him and his coaching staff changing their wording and strategies on how to get them in places to succeed. One of the guys he mentioned being a big impact player on both the penalty kill and power play is Valeri Nichushkin.
“Big Val, is going to help both specialty teams. He will be a big part of the power play and a big part of the penalty kill,” said Bowness.
With the messaging to players, he talked about how it wasn’t good enough and was a big reason why this team didn’t make the playoffs last season. He attributed much of the late-season downfall to the special teams units on both sides.
“You go over 82 games, that probably cost us more games at the end of the year, and that’s what cost us the playoffs in my mind. So, our messaging has to change right off the bat,” stated Bowness.
He also gave the media in attendance an inside scoop on who will be responsible for each unit to open the season, stating Trent Vogelhuber will be responsible for the penalty kill, and Don Granato will run the power play.
Bowness’ message to each player was very straightforward: “Our message has to be different, and our strategy has to be different, because clearly last year it was not good enough, and it cost us too many games.”
The Blue Jackets open training camp on Thursday, Sept. 17, with the first year of the shortened camp and preseason as well. The Hockey Writers will be there to cover it, from start to finish, and will bring you all the latest news and reports.
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