How Blue Jackets Can Become a Contender, Part 2: Maximizing the Core – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

We took a look back at how we got to this point with the Columbus Blue Jackets in Part 1 of how they can become a contender. We now turn our attention to finding more permanent solutions for this team to become an annual Stanley Cup contender.

Today in Part 2, we focus on what the Blue Jackets must do to maximize their current core. But before we can dive into that topic, we have to ask an important question first.

Who exactly makes up the current core of the Blue Jackets?

In this case, it’s not 100% known at this point who the core is. What it looks like today could be different than what it looks like not only in 2027-28, but for this upcoming season as well.

The reason that there is an unknown is due to the noise surrounding Kirill Marchenko. As we mentioned on Sunday, there is nothing new to report on him at this time. While that could change later on, there is nothing imminent on that front. Until there is more concrete evidence something is coming, we will treat Marchenko as part of the Blue Jackets’ core for the purpose of this discussion.

Defining the Blue Jackets’ Core

The truth is that the Blue Jackets have a lot of good players in place. That alone is not good enough to become an annual contender but they are further along than many people are willing to admit.

We will break down the core into three tiers. There’s the anchors of the team, the players who are supposed to be the elite of the elite. Then there’s tier two who are currently a level down from that top tier but are expected to take significant steps to become part of the first tier. Then there are the important support players as well as some other areas that need solidified.

Here is how we see the current core as of this writing.

Anchors: Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko.

Anchors of the future: Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, Dmitri Voronkov, Denton Mateychuk, Jet Greaves.

Important support players: Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson, Sean Monahan, Charlie Coyle, Conor Garland, Valeri Nichushkin, Mathieu Olivier.

Questions: Third defensive pair performance, fourth-line makeup, backup goaltender.

The Blue Jackets clearest path to becoming a contender runs through this group. If they don’t hit their potential, secondary moves won’t even matter given how hard it is to add elite talent in today’s NHL.

That is why maximizing the potential of this group and helping them reach their ceiling must be at the top of the Blue Jackets’ list of priorities if they want to finally get where they want to go.

The jump from potential to dangerous is always one of the most difficult to make if you are a team like the Blue Jackets who have missed the playoffs the way they have. They are at six consecutive seasons without making the postseason.

The balancing act in play is the line between allowing young players to stay together long enough to establish themselves with confidence versus making sweeping changes since there have been no tangible results.

GM Don Waddell has combined keeping their young core together with making some important changes to their lineup. It’s now up to this group to take that next step after two seasons of falling just short.

Maximizing the core will absolutely depend on what happens with Marchenko because what that looks like will be different based on the outcome of his situation.

Reaching Ceilings

This is the ultimate test for the Blue Jackets. Their core has to be able to reach their full potentials. There is simply no other way around it.

In order to do that, the coaching staff led by head coach Rick Bowness must utilize the players in a way in which they can play to their strengths while keeping the structure in tact. What will that look like?

For Werenski, he’s coming off winning the Norris Trophy and was the team MVP by a long shot. Not only will he need to produce like that again, he’ll need to find a way to be even better. Even if the offense goes down a little, improving play in his own zone will go a long way in preventing goals, something that the Blue Jackets must do for success in 2026-27.

For Fantilli, although he isn’t signed as of this writing, the expectation is that he will be signed soon. He will be paid as a top center on an up-and-coming team. The onus will be on him to level up to what will be expected. That is a consistent two-way threat who puts up 30 goals and 80-90 points or more per season.

Fantilli finished 2025-26 with 24 goals but could have had more based on the chances he had. That is the consistency factor we are talking about. The talent is there. He just needs to translate that into results.

One way that will happen is by his linemates. The addition of Nichushkin isn’t getting enough attention in one important aspect: The speed aspect. Should he play with Fantilli and Marchenko, that has the potential to be one of the fastest top lines in the NHL. The quality of his linemates will be a big factor in unlocking Fantilli’s ceiling.

Speaking of Marchenko, assuming he’s on the Blue Jackets this season, he needs to shoot the puck early and often while being a threat on the power play. His ceiling is 40+ goals. His skill is undeniable. But if last season showed anything, he needs to be a more consistent player defensively while also adjusting to teams playing him harder. He got a taste of being the center of the opposition’s game plan. It’s up to him now to respond by leveling up and meeting that challenge head on.

Should Marchenko not be on the Blue Jackets, depending on the return, that changes the conversation. The team would have to find a way to replace everything he brings. Either his replacement would have to make up for some of that deficit or a collective team effort will be needed. Regardless, replacing Marchenko will be next to impossible to do with just one player.

That dynamic is what makes the next tier of the core so important. They have to bring more than they did last season. Whether or not Marchenko is on the team, that second tier of the core will decide how 2026-27 plays out.

Johnson is a playmaker at his best. Put him in position to distribute the puck. He is not a fourth-line player. He has a 20-goal season on his resume. He needs to establish himself as a consistent top-six threat.

Voronkov is a menace around the blue paint. He creates havoc in front of goalies and is good at deflections. As seasons have gotten later, his production has fallen. Finding the right plan for him to remain a force all season must happen.

Sillinger has established himself as a two-way forward who isn’t afraid of physical play. He has more to give offensively and he knows it. Some nights his line will be asked to shut the opposition down. But other nights when the Blue Jackets’ top players are being held in check, Sillinger and his linemates have to add secondary scoring to the mix. He needs to start approaching 50 points while continuing the work he does on the defensive end.

The presence of Mateychuk cannot be understated. If you consider Werenski, Mateychuk, Provorov and Severson as a top-four, some metrics had them as one of the best top-four groups in the NHL. Severson’s injury really derailed the end of last season. Another season of this group together should add confidence to them and help unlock the forwards.

Mateychuk’s 13 goals and 31 points in season two is a very encouraging sign. The Blue Jackets have multiple threats to score from the blue line. Mateychuk and Provorov must continue what they started last season especially on the defensive end.

Greaves has his new contract in hand and is ready to take the next step as the Blue Jackets’ potential number-one goalie. His rise was one of the main reasons the team did stay in the race later in the season. He will need to show another level especially when the games get tighter where 3-2 and 2-1 games are the norm. Then when he doesn’t start, can Elvis Merzlikins give enough quality starts?

As for the rest of the group, they know what their roles will be. They have more to give. The Blue Jackets in 2026-27 are set to be a faster team than last season. They’ll have a full offseason of Bowness preparing them. The elements for success are there. But if this core group remains stagnant, then it’s time to worry.

Final Thoughts

In all, the Blue Jackets aren’t in the worst position although they’ve had a lot of noise around them in the media. There is a collection of good talent on the team. But until they can unlock the potential of that good talent, it’s fair to wonder how far away they are from being a contender.

While there are questions hovering over them, all the Blue Jackets can do to help calm the waters is make the most out of the 2026-27 season. To do that, they must maximize their core. No exceptions. Anything short of that and we’ll be back next offseason wondering what the future of the team will look like.

If the Blue Jackets can start maximizing their core now, that will go a long way in helping them become an annual Stanley Cup contender. They’re not there yet but they have to start somewhere.

Stay tuned for Part 3 when we turn our attention to completing the puzzle, a more detailed look at what still needs to be built around the core including key missing pieces to make the jump to annual contender status.