Columbus Blue Jackets

American Thanksgiving has passed, which means hockey fans are free to look at the standings.

The holiday serves as a benchmark that signals the unofficial start of playoff races. With two months of play complete and teams hitting the 20-game mark, we have an idea of team identities, strengths and areas that will be targeted as we approach the March 21 trade deadline.

We can start to determine which teams have chances and which teams do not.

But that isn't easy in the Metropolitan Division. The last-place team, the New York Islanders, was a game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season. Metro teams hold the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and two others are within four points. The Washington Capitals lead the NHL with 33 points, and the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers sit right behind them. It is an incredibly tight division.

No offense to the Atlantic Division, but if the Boston Bruins have any shot of making the playoffs, they will likely need to bump the Florida Panthers, the Toronto Maple Leafs or the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning out of a playoff spot in their division. The Bruins could still bring back free-agent goalie Tuukka Rask and make a run, but with so many good teams in the Metro Division, it's an uphill battle for everyone in the Eastern Conference. 

Each team in this division started the season with playoff hopes, except for maybe the Columbus Blue Jackets. But Columbus has improved quickly, which has made for a crowded division. It's difficult to handicap this race because so much of the season is left and things like injuries will factor into performances, so we'll look at each team and determine whether its playoff hopes are legitimate or not.

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The teams at the top

Let's start with the three best. Carolina, Washington and the Rangers are pulling away from the rest of the division.

Alexander Ovechkin looks ageless with 19 goals. The captain netted a hat trick Friday against the Panthers, and while that might be standard for Ovi, it's not every day you see a 36-year-old score at that pace.

He's putting up 1.68 points per game, which ranks third in the NHL, and has recaptured some magic with Evgeny Kuznetsov. A reinvigorated Kuznetsov is important—for himself, considering the Caps looked into offloading him over the summer, but especially for the depleted lineup.

T.J. Oshie is out with a foot injury, Anthony Mantha is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, Lars Eller has been in COVID-19 protocol since Nov. 16, Nicklas Backstrom started the season on injured reserve after offseason hip surgery, and Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz are both day-to-day.

The subplot is Ovechkin's chase to match Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record. He needs 145 to match the Great One's record of 894 goals, and with the way he's playing, he could knock off 30 more this season.

Carolina is one of the best possession teams in the league in 5-on-5. This has been the Hurricanes' calling card for a few years. It's a straightforward approach: Shoot the puck. A lot. The best defense in today's NHL is offense.

Buoyed by elite shooters like Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho, Carolina started the season winning nine straight. A plus-23 goal differential suggests these numbers are sustainable, and this has been an elite team for years.

Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta might not be an elite goaltending tandem, but Andersen is having a bounce-back season. Until he slips, the doubters can remain quiet. 

The Rangers have been among the worst teams in the league at 5-on-5. Per NaturalStatTrick.com, their 45.19 Corsi percentage is the lowest in the NHL. The bulk of their offense has come from Chris Kreider (15 goals). Only 37 of the team's 59 goals have been scored at even strength. But they're defending well and have had elite goaltending from Igor Shesterkin. 

The Rangers have made it known they would like to take the next step in their rebuild and make the playoffs. This could be the year, and it should with the high-end talent they possess, but they might be on the bubble with other teams on their heels.

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The teams in the middle

A cluster of teams is within a few points of one another. The Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins each have 24 points. The New Jersey Devils have 22, and the Philadelphia Flyers have 20. The Blue Jackets and Devils are on the upswing, and the Flyers and Penguins appear to be hanging on, trying to stave off rebuilds. 

The Penguins are sticking around in the standings because of goalie Tristan Jarry. Last year, some blamed Jarry for Pittsburgh's lack of success. The club cleared the path for Jarry by parting ways with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray, and many wondered if that was the right move, especially as Fleury played Vezina-caliber hockey in Las Vegas. 

Some of the criticism was valid, but Jarry is proving to be the No. 1 goalie the club envisioned he would be. 

After shutting out the Islanders on Friday, Jarry's .936 save percentage is tied for third in the league, and his mark of 9.63 goals saved above average is the third-best. His performance has been crucial considering the Penguins went without Sidney Crosby to start the season and Evgeni Malkin is still on IR. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wPZz2_Rlr4

The Devils and the Blue Jackets have a road map in place. They know where they want to go, and they're attempting to get there through talent development. New Jersey is seeing good results as players like Dawson Mercer and Yegor Sharangovich play big roles. When the Devils finally get Jack Hughes healthy again, they could be dangerous. 

But the Flyers are in a tough spot. They have lost six straight, and the season appears to be falling apart. The lack of roster depth has been exposed as injuries to key players like Ryan Ellis have piled up. Philadelphia is in a precarious spot and may need to blow it up and start trying to retain assets. It's right up against the salary cap, so it's tough for general manager Chuck Fletcher to make any moves that might improve the team in the short term.

The one good thing the Flyers have going for them is their draft capital. They have all but one pick each of the next two years. It's time for them to get younger, and they can do that with high picks and prospects. It might not be a palatable move, but Claude Giroux is in the final year of his contract, so trading the captain at the deadline might be a painful but necessary move.

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The Islanders

What to make of the Islanders? Many (myself included) picked them to win the division. The team seemed poised for another long playoff run. A new arena. A top coach. This was supposed to be the year it came together.

It still could be. We know the Islanders are capable of reeling off five, six, seven or even eight wins at a time. Instead, they've lost eight straight. They're 5-10-2 with only 12 points.

How can a Stanley Cup contender be this bad?

You could start with COVID-19. The Isles have eight players in COVID protocol, and their next two games are postponed. The league was late on postponing games, forcing them to play with as many as seven players in protocol.

Plus, they're without defenseman Ryan Pulock because of injury, and Brock Nelson is hurt too. 

It's still early, but is it getting late early for the Islanders? This team has proved doubters wrong many times in the past. Barry Trotz and his system are never really out of the game. But with the division this competitive, one of the Eastern Conference favorites could be left out this spring.

Former Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash will become the first player in Columbus franchise history to have his number retired, the team announced Thursday. 

Nash's No. 61 will be placed in the rafters before a March 5 matchup against the Boston Bruins. 

"Rick Nash was the face of our franchise and our best player for a decade and represented our club on and off the ice with excellence, class and humility," Blue Jackets majority owner John P. McConnell said in a release. "No one is more deserving of this honor than he and we are looking forward to celebrating Rick and his family in what will be a historic and memorable night for all of us on March 5th."

The Blue Jackets selected Nash first overall in 2002 and he played for the team through the 2011-12 season. He served as the team's captain from 2008-12 and is Columbus' all-time leader in games (674), goals (289), assists (258) and points (547). 

Nash had seven 30-plus goal seasons in his Blue Jackets career and signed two contracts that tied him to the franchise for 13 years. He represented Columbus in five NHL All-Star Games and won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer during the 2003-04 season.

In addition to playing for the Blue Jackets, Nash also spent time with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. The 37-year-old tallied 145 goals and 107 assists in 375 games for the Blueshirts. He was traded to the Bruins during the 2017-18 season and appeared in 11 games for the club, scoring three goals and adding three assists. 

In 1,060 career games, the Ontario native tallied 437 goals and 368 assists for 805 points. He added 18 goals and 28 assists in 89 playoff games. 

Nash announced his retirement from the NHL in 2019 after 15 seasons because of "unresolved issues/symptoms" from a concussion. He returned to the Blue Jackets as a special advisor to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen in 2019 and was named director of player development in June 2021.  

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins said a Dallas Stars fan taunted him about the death of Matiss Kivlenieks prior to Columbus' 4-1 victory.

"I was expecting a shutout, because I believe in karma," Merzlikins told reporters. "There are some stupid people in this world. It was really bad what happened in the tunnel when I was walking out. There was a fan from Dallas who (provoked) me about Matiss."

According to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, the Blue Jackets are attempting to identify the fan involved in the situation.

Kivlenieks died in July following a fireworks accident in Michigan.

ESPN's Emily Kaplan wrote about the friendship between Merzlikins and Kivlenieks. Merzlikins and his wife, Aleksandra, welcomed Kivlenieks into their home when he was getting accustomed to life in the NHL.

"We didn't just become best friends," Merzlikins said to Kaplan. "He was really my little brother."

Elvis and Aleksandra named their first child Knox Matiss in honor of Kivlenieks, and they had hoped he would be the child's godfather.

The Blue Jackets honored Kivlenieks ahead of their opener, an 8-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.

On Monday, Merzlikins stopped 31 of the Stars' 32 shots. Dallas had three shots hit off the post in the first period, which the netminder chalked up to "karma."

"I saw that (Matiss) was really there," he said.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and goalie Elvis Merzlikins have agreed to a long-term contract extension. 

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Tuesday that Merzlikins signed a five-year, $27 million deal that keeps him with the organization through the 2026-27 season.

"Goaltending is a position of strength for our team and Elvis Merzlikins has been an important part of that over the past two seasons so we are very excited to have agreed to terms on a contract extension that will keep him in Columbus for at least the next six years," Kekalainen said in the announcement. "He is big, athletic and has a tremendous passion for the game and we believe he will be an integral part of our success in the coming years."

Merzlikins was a third-round pick by the Blue Jackets in the 2014 NHL draft. He remained in Switzerland, playing for HC Lugano in the National League for five seasons before coming to Columbus. 

At the time of his arrival, Merzlikins signed a one-year, entry-level deal with the Blue Jackets. He signed a two-year extension in April 2020 that was set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season. 

The Latvia native has split time in the net with Joonas Korpisalo over the past two seasons for the Blue Jackets. He has been excellent with a 2.54 goals against average, 92.0 save percentage in 61 appearances.

Despite finishing tied for 12th in the league with a 91.6 save percentage last season, Merzlikins could only manage an 8-12-5 record in 23 starts because the offense tied for 28th in goals per game (2.39). 

Korpisalo, whose current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, will likely go into the year as Columbus' primary goaltender. 

Merzlikins' extension gives the Blue Jackets a natural succession plan if they decide to let Korpisalo test free agency. The 27-year-old's track record of success over the past two seasons suggests he has the ability to be a No. 1 goalie in the future.   

Columbus Blue Jackets assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre has been replaced on the staff after choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, the team announced Monday. 

"While we are disappointed, we respect that this decision is a personal one for Sylvain and wish him well," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement.

The NHL announced in August it will require full vaccinations for anyone whose duties require them to be within 12 feet of team personnel.

"Per NHL protocol, he is unable to do the job we hired him for," Kekalainen told Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.

Steve McCarthy was hired to replace Lefebvre on the staff after spending the past five years as an assistant with the Cleveland Monsters.

Lefebvre was heading into his first season with the team after being hired as an assistant in June. 

The 53-year-old spent 14 years in the NHL as a player, appearing in 945 games for four different organizations. He helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup title in 1996.

After retiring in 2003, the former defenseman began his coaching career in the AHL in 2007 before rejoining Colorado as an assistant from 2009-12. He also served as a head coach in the AHL for three different organizations before getting the opportunity to return to the NHL this season.

According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Blue Jackets have known about Lefebvre's refusal to get a vaccine for a while, and he informed the club of his decision shortly after the NHL announced its policy. 

Portzline reported that "all or most of the players" on Columbus have been vaccinated.

The latest news comes after San Jose Sharks assistant Rocky Thompson stepped down earlier this month because of a medical exemption that prevents him from taking the COVID-19 vaccine.  

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins said teammate Matiss Kivlenieks saved a lot of lives, including those of Merzlikins and his pregnant wife, when he was hit by a firework July 4. He was pronounced dead shortly after.

Merzlikins discussed the heroic actions of Kivlenieks in a eulogy delivered Thursday:

"He died as hero." - Elvis Merzlikins#RememberingKivi https://t.co/OWpEQQGUZ2 pic.twitter.com/tDBMbHFW0G

— Fuck Dave Portnoy ⬇️ (@TheReplayGuy) July 15, 2021

Kivlenieks, 24, was killed on Independence Day when a "fireworks mortar tube accidentally angled toward a hot tub" where the Blue Jackets netminder was seated and one of the shots struck him in the chest, per Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch.

Several other people were in the area of the blast, but no one else was injured.

The firework display took place at the Michigan home of Columbus goalie coach Manny Legace, who was hosting his daughter's wedding on the Fourth of July, per Hedger. Investigators' initial findings led them to believe it was a "tragic accident."

Novi Police Department Lt. Jason Meier said Monday they continue to believe Kivlenieks' death was accidental and confirmed they haven't recommended criminal charges, but they've sent the case to the Oakland County prosecutor's office for a final review, according to the Associated Press.

"Due to the high-profile nature, we wanted an extra set of eyes [on the case]," Meier said.

Kivlenieks signed with the Blue Jackets as an undrafted free agent in May 2017.

The Latvia native made eight appearances for Columbus and played 85 games for the Cleveland Monsters, the team's AHL affiliate, across four seasons.

Police in Michigan are initially investigating the death of Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks as an accident, according to ESPN's Michele Steele:

Novi, Mich. police tell me there are investigating the death of #BlueJackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks, "solely as an accident" right now - the fireworks were legal & the operator of the fireworks has not been found to be drinking alcohol. No criminal charges have been presented: pic.twitter.com/UPh4X6C2Y9

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) July 7, 2021

Clara Hendrickson and Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reported Kivlenieks was at the home of Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace in Novi, Michigan, when he was inadvertently struck in the chest with a fireworks mortar shell.

The 24-year-old was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

"We are still looking at this as a tragic accident," Lt. Jason Meier said to the Dispatch. "Based on the new information, we definitely want to reinterview people and make sure that we have an accurate depiction of what happened."

Kivlenieks and others were at the home to celebrate the Fourth of July and also because Legace had hosted his daughter's wedding.

Authorities in Novi said it appears Kivlenieks was "fleeing a hot tub during a fireworks malfunction" and suffered a percussive internal injury. Medical examiner Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic told the Dispatch the autopsy found Kivlenieks suffered "extensive" external and internal injuries, including to the heart and lungs, after being struck on the left side of his chest.

Calls to 911 were made around 10:13 p.m. ET, and emergency personnel arrived within five minutes.

ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported the fireworks used on the night in question were legal in the state of Michigan, and the person operating the display was in compliance with local laws.

Kivlenieks finished up his second season with the Blue Jackets in 2020-21. He made two appearances and registered 64 saves on 71 shots.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died Sunday of chest trauma after being hit by an "errant fireworks mortar blast" according to an autopsy (via ESPN).

Authorities originally reported that Kivlenieks died as the result of a head injury suffered in an accidental fall. 

He was 24.

"We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time," said Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson. "Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile, and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten." 

Statement from NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr on the tragic passing of Matiss Kivlenieks: pic.twitter.com/p22vTm1j9h

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) July 5, 2021

The club did not provide further details. Kivlenieks played eight games over two seasons with the Blue Jackets.

The Latvian was in goal for his country at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, leading it to a win over Canada in the group phase of the event and a loss against Kazakhstan. His rise up the ranks was considered unlikely, as he worked his way up through the lower levels of hockey after leaving Latvia.

A breakout while playing with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL during the 2016-17 season led to him signing with the Blue Jackets. He made his NHL debut in January 2020.

Kivlenieks spent most of his time with the Blue Jackets playing for their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. 

Buffalo Sabres star Jack Eichel could be on the move this offseason, and TSN's Darren Dreger has identified three teams that are "in the mix" to land the 24-year-old.

In an appearance Friday on WGR 550, Dreger said the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings are among potential landing spots for the forward. The Sabres captain said last month that "there's been a bit of a disconnect" between him and the organization that drafted him at No. 2 overall in 2015. 

Dreger saying he's "comfortable" Eichel is getting traded. Also said "number of suitors." - "price is sky high" and other things. #NYR #letsgobuffalo #FlyTogether #CBJ #LAKings pic.twitter.com/tAWNlY3gYb

— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) June 18, 2021

Eichel appeared in 21 games in 2021, scoring two goals and logging 16 assists before a herniated disk in his neck ended his season prematurely. 

According to Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post, Eichel wanted to have surgery to repair his neck injury—which he suffered on the ice on March 7—but the Sabres did not support that decision. 

"I have a lot of thinking to do in this offseason," he said in May. "I think that there’s a lot that I have to consider. But for now, obviously, I’m here." 

The center has five years and $50 million remaining on his current contract, with a no-trade clause in effect in 2022. 

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Monday that the Sabres were having conversations with other teams and those negotiations were "getting more intense and serious."

In addition to Los Angeles, Anaheim and Columbus, LeBrun tabbed the Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers as possible destinations, noting that he thinks general manager Kevyn Adams is hoping to land a first-round pick in this year's draft in exchange for Eichel. 

With the draft coming up on July 23, that puts any interested team on the clock, something that was reflected when WGR 550's Jeremy White said Thursday that he expected a move to be made within "days."

The Columbus Blue Jackets have promoted Brad Larsen to head coach after he spent the past seven seasons as an assistant. 

Columbus announced on Thursday that Larsen has signed a three-year contract to replace John Tortorella as the franchise's next head coach.

John Davidson, Blue Jackets president of hockey operations, issued a statement in the hiring announcement about Larsen's credentials:

Brad understands the standard that has been set here in recent years for how we expect to play on the ice and how we represent our city and fans off the ice. He shares our values and our vision for what it means to be a Blue Jacket and where we want to go as a franchise and is the right person to lead our team moving forward.

The Blue Jackets announced on May 9 a mutual parting of ways with Tortorella, whose contract expired at the end of the 2020-21 season. He went 227-166-54 in 447 games with the organization over the past six years. 

This season was a disappointment for the Blue Jackets. Their 48 points were tied with the Detroit Red Wings for fewest in the Central Division, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16. 

Larsen has been an assistant in Columbus since the 2014-15 season under previous head coach Todd Richards. He remained on staff after Tortorella took over in October 2015. 

The Blue Jackets will mark Larsen's first head-coaching gig in the NHL. The 44-year-old did spend two seasons as head coach of the Springfield Falcons in the American Hockey League from 2012-14.

Larsen led Springfield to a 95-45-11 record and back-to-back division titles.