The 4-2 loss in Pittsburgh was the Columbus Blue Jackets sixth game against a true Stanley Cup Contender this season. These games against the league’s elite teams are excellent measuring sticks for a franchise that is a clear playoff team, but may or may not be a Stanley Cup Contender.
In my eyes there are seven true Stanley Cup contenders in the NHL. In the Western Conference the San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets, and Nashville Predators are the cream of the crop. In the East it’s the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.