The Blue Jackets Future To Be Stitched Apart From Bobrovsky And Panarin

The time has come to look past Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin and see the Blue Jackets’ future, which still is bright and promising. Where this time last year the Blue Jackets were on a winning streak and feeeling confident about their playoff hopes, now there is uncertainty surrounding two of the team’s building blocks. However, looking beyond Bobrovsky and Panarin reveals a team that is waiting to emerge given the chance.

The Jackets have rebounded from a losing slump thanks to timely plays from young and upcoming players such as Anthony Duclair and Boone Jenner. While Bobrovsky’s goaltending has rebounded with the slump, the Jackets have stared into the upcoming glacier that is life beyond Bob and Bread and see that they can win without these players. While the surrounding drama and seemingly never-ending saga of contract negotiations and disputes reached a fever pitch, the team continued to “just skate” as they have been told by veteran coach John Tortorella. This adversity has acted as a seasoning on young players and has helped a locker room that is infused with youth grow up just a bit.

While it is clear Panarin is headed for free agency, Bobrovsky may still be willing to resign with the Jackets but should he not, Joonas Korpisalo has proven to be servicable when called upon and may either be able to develop over time or serve as a stop-gap when looking for a goaltender this offseason.