Despite losing Laine and Gaudreau as top scorers, the fast-rising Blue Jackets have impressed GM Don Waddell with a offensive firepower.

From an EDGE stats standpoint, Marchenko checks many boxes that explain his full-fledged breakout season after leading Columbus in goals last season (23 in 78 games); he’s their best in the category again and on pace for 32 goals (18 in first 45 games). He is among the forward leaders in the following categories:

The Blue Jackets 'mucked' it up with Tortorella's Flyers to win by shootout on Marchenko's borrowed move from Texier: 3 takeaways

But it’s also because five of my so-called sure things have been varying degrees of disappointments. Today, let’s run through those five teams I believed in back in October and rank them based on how close they are to reclaiming a spot in my top five.

The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets' NHL Stadium Series uniforms include nods to the automotive and military history with new designs and details.

Denton Mateychuk and Luca Del Bel Belluz, both recent callups from the AHL, each had a goal and an assist to help lift the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Seattle Kraken 6-2.

According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Blue Jackets might be among the teams reaching out to the Canucks to hear the ask for Elias Pettersson. Rumors this past week were that the Canucks aren’t closed off to trading Pettersson inside the Western Conference, but a trade to the East would be preferable.

The Blue Jackets (21-17-6) have won five straight and play the San Jose Sharks at Nationwide Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, NBCSCA). They will host the Detroit Red Wings in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium on March 1 (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, TVAS-D, SN360).

Columbus Blue Jackets have three players who can sign an extension. Players who signed a one-year contract this offseason are now eligible to sign a contract extension. After Zach Aston-Reese signed his contract extension today,

James van Riemsdyk scored twice and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 to extend their win streak to six games — their longest since January 2020.

But for the fifth straight meeting between the Rangers and Avalanche, this game was also decided after regulation. The Rangers allowed their hosts to tie it up at 18:47 of the third period after the Avalanche pulled goalie Mackenzie Blackwood for an extra attacker.

Zach Werenski climbs higher, the Blue Jackets are watching the standings closer and the San Jose Sharks were overmatched: 3 takeaways