Before the 2025-26 season started for the Blue Jackets, there was a lot of excitement among fans surrounding the direction of the team, especially centered around a young core of proven stars.
However, a lot of this excitement has fizzled out after the Jackets got off to a start that can only be described as mediocre at best, a complete letdown at worst.
Columbus posted a 14-14-6 record through their first 34 games this season, which left plenty more to be desired from a group that had shown flashes of high potential while also making mistakes at critical moments late in games.