2024–25 Columbus Blue Jackets season

The 2024–25 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the 25th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 25, 1997. The season was marred by the tragic passing of star player Johnny Gaudreau, who, along with his brother Matthew, were killed while riding their bikes on August 29, 2024, after being hit from behind by a suspected drunk driver. The team dedicated the season in his memory.

Despite a strong late-season push, the Blue Jackets were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive season on April 16 after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Carolina Hurricanes.

Standings Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The Columbus Blue Jackets preseason schedule was released on June 21, 2024. 2024 preseason game log: 4–4–0 (home: 2–2–0; road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 23 Columbus 1–6 Buffalo Greaves 9,924 0–1–0 2 September 25 St. Louis 0–3 Columbus Merzlikins 10,077 1–1–0 3 September 27 Columbus 8–4 Washington Tarasov 13,009 2–1–0 4 September 28 Buffalo 3–6 Columbus Merzlikins 12,305 3–1–0 5 September 30 Washington 3–2 Columbus Tarasov 10,080 3–2–0 6 October 1 Columbus 3–1 St. Louis Greaves 15,305 4–2–0 7 October 3 Pittsburgh 3–1 Columbus Merzlikins 12,649 4–3–0 8 October 4 Columbus 3–7 Pittsburgh Tarasov 14,573 4–4–0

Regular season The Columbus Blue Jackets regular season schedule was released on July 2, 2024. 2024–25 game logOctober: 5–3–1 (home: 4–2–0; road: 1–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 10 Columbus 2–3 Minnesota Merzlikins 18,613 0–1–0 0 2 October 12 Columbus 6–4 Colorado Tarasov 18,080 1–1–0 2 3 October 15 Florida 4–3 Columbus Merzlikins 18,484 1–2–0 2 4 October 17 Buffalo 4–6 Columbus Tarasov 16,126 2–2–0 4 5 October 19 Minnesota 3–1 Columbus Tarasov 16,876 2–3–0 4 6 October 22 Toronto 2–6 Columbus Tarasov 14,852 3–3–0 6 7 October 26 Columbus 3–4 Nashville OT Tarasov 17,159 3–3–1 7 8 October 28 Edmonton 1–6 Columbus Merzlikins 15,227 4–3–1 9 9 October 30 NY Islanders 0–2 Columbus Merzlikins 14,015 5–3–1 11 November: 5–6–2 (home: 4–1–1; road: 1–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 1 Winnipeg 6–2 Columbus Merzlikins 15,823 5–4–1 11 11 November 2 Columbus 2–7 Washington Tarasov 17,666 5–5–1 11 12 November 5 Columbus 1–2 San Jose OT Merzlikins 10,376 5–5–2 12 13 November 9 Columbus 2–5 Los Angeles Merzlikins 18,145 5–6–2 12 14 November 10 Columbus 2–4 Anaheim Tarasov 16,153 5–7–2 12 15 November 12 Columbus 2–5 Seattle Merzlikins 17,151 5–8–2 12 16 November 15 Pittsburgh 2–6 Columbus Merzlikins 18,348 6–8–2 14 17 November 16 Columbus 1–5 Montreal Tarasov 21,105 6–9–2 14 18 November 18 Columbus 5–1 Boston Merzlikins 17,850 7–9–2 16 19 November 21 Tampa Bay 6–7 Columbus OT Merzlikins 16,260 8–9–2 18 20 November 23 Carolina 4–5 Columbus SO Merzlikins 16,013 9–9–2 20 21 November 27 Montreal 4–3 Columbus OT Merzlikins 15,485 9–9–3 21 22 November 29 Calgary 2–5 Columbus Merzlikins 17,035 10–9–3 23 December: 6–7–3 (home: 4–1–2; road: 2–6–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 23 December 1 Columbus 6–3 Chicago Merzlikins 17,393 11–9–3 25 24 December 3 Columbus 0–3 Calgary Merzlikins 17,386 11–10–3 25 25 December 5 Columbus 3–6 Edmonton Tarasov 18,347 11–11–3 25 26 December 6 Columbus 2–5 Vancouver Merzlikins 18,529 11–12–3 25 27 December 8 Columbus 4–1 Winnipeg Merzlikins 13,887 12–12–3 27 28 December 10 Philadelphia 5–3 Columbus Merzlikins 15,467 12–13–3 27 29 December 12 Washington 2–1 Columbus OT Greaves 15,962 12–13–4 28 30 December 14 Anaheim 4–3 Columbus OT Greaves 17,663 12–13–5 29 31 December 15 Columbus 1–4 Carolina Merzlikins 18,700 12–14–5 29 32 December 17 Columbus 3–5 Tampa Bay Greaves 19,092 12–15–5 29 33 December 19 New Jersey 2–4 Columbus Merzlikins 15,793 13–15–5 31 34 December 21 Columbus 4–5 Philadelphia OT Merzlikins 18,644 13–15–6 32 35 December 23 Montreal 4–5 Columbus Greaves 17,875 14–15–6 34 36 December 27 Boston 2–6 Columbus Merzlikins 18,821 15–15–6 36 37 December 28 Columbus 0–4 Boston Tarasov 17,850 15–16–6 36 38 December 31 Carolina 3–4 Columbus SO Merzlikins 17,712 16–16–6 38 January: 10–3–1 (home: 5–1–0; road: 5–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 2 Detroit 5–4 Columbus Merzlikins 18,370 16–17–6 38 40 January 4 St. Louis 4–6 Columbus Merzlikins 18,535 17–17–6 40 41 January 7 Columbus 4–3 Pittsburgh SO Merzlikins 16,060 18–17–6 42 42 January 9 Seattle 2–6 Columbus Merzlikins 15,497 19–17–6 44 43 January 11 Columbus 2–1 St. Louis Greaves 17,591 20–17–6 46 44 January 14 Philadelphia 2–3 Columbus SO Tarasov 15,018 21–17–6 48 45 January 16 San Jose 1–4 Columbus Merzlikins 15,943 22–17–6 50 46 January 18 Columbus 0–1 NY Rangers SO Tarasov 18,006 22–17–7 51 47 January 20 Columbus 1–3 NY Islanders Merzlikins 14,551 22–18–7 51 48 January 22 Columbus 5–1 Toronto Merzlikins 18,459 23–18–7 53 49 January 23 Columbus 4–7 Carolina Tarasov 18,700 23–19–7 53 50 January 25 Los Angeles 2–3 Columbus OT Merzlikins 18,919 24–19–7 55 51 January 30 Columbus 2–1 Vegas OT Merzlikins 17,783 25–19–7 57 52 January 31 Columbus 3–2 Utah OT Tarasov 11,131 26–19–7 59 February: 3–3–1 (home: 2–1–1; road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 53 February 2 Columbus 3–5 Dallas Merzlikins 18,532 26–20–7 59 54 February 4 Columbus 2–3 Buffalo Merzlikins 14,198 26–21–7 59 55 February 6 Utah 3–2 Columbus OT Merzlikins 18,553 26–21–8 60 56 February 8 NY Rangers 4–3 Columbus Merzlikins 18,755 26–22–8 60 57 February 22 Chicago 1–5 Columbus Merzlikins 18,809 27–22–8 62 58 February 25 Dallas 4–6 Columbus Merzlikins 16,897 28–22–8 64 59 February 27 Columbus 5–2 Detroit Tarasov 19,515 29–22–8 66 March: 4–8–1 (home: 2–3–1; road: 2–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 60 March 1 Detroit 3–5 Columbus Merzlikins 94,751(outdoors) 30–22–8 68 61 March 4 Columbus 2–6 Tampa Bay Merzlikins 19,092 30–23–8 68 62 March 6 Columbus 0–3 Florida Merzlikins 19,402 30–24–8 68 63 March 9 Columbus 7–3 NY Rangers Tarasov 18,006 31–24–8 70 64 March 11 Columbus 3–5 New Jersey Merzlikins 15,630 31–25–8 70 65 March 13 Vegas 4–0 Columbus Merzlikins 18,823 31–26–8 70 66 March 15 NY Rangers 4–0 Columbus Tarasov 18,464 31–27–8 70 67 March 17 New Jersey 2–1 Columbus Greaves 16,708 31–28–8 70 68 March 20 Florida 1–0 Columbus OT Merzlikins 16,757 31–28–9 71 69 March 21 Columbus 3–6 Pittsburgh Merzlikins 17,222 31–29–9 71 70 March 24 Columbus 4–3 NY Islanders SO Merzlikins 14,158 32–29–9 73 71 March 28 Vancouver 6–7 Columbus SO Merzlikins 18,586 33–29–9 75 72 March 29 Columbus 2–3 Ottawa Tarasov 17,758 33–30–9 75 April: 7–3–0 (home: 5–1–0; road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 73 April 1 Nashville 4–8 Columbus Merzlikins 15,605 34–30–9 77 74 April 3 Colorado 7–3 Columbus Merzlikins 18,392 34–31–9 77 75 April 5 Columbus 0–5 Toronto Merzlikins 19,179 34–32–9 77 76 April 6 Columbus 0–4 Ottawa Tarasov 15,616 34–33–9 77 77 April 8 Ottawa 2–5 Columbus Merzlikins 15,188 35–33–9 79 78 April 10 Buffalo 2–3 Columbus Greaves 16,406 36–33–9 81 79 April 12 Washington 0–7 Columbus Greaves 18,645 37–33–9 83 80 April 13 Columbus 4–1 Washington Greaves 18,573 38–33–9 85 81 April 15 Columbus 3–0 Philadelphia Greaves 19,105 39–33–9 87 82 April 17 NY Islanders 1–6 Columbus Greaves 18,874 40–33–9 89 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 81 23 59 82 +12 31 79 31 43 74 +29 20 68 24 33 57 +2 16 54 19 38 57 +19 20 82 31 23 54 +4 18 73 23 24 47 +17 55 71 16 20 36 23 66 11 22 33 35 82 7 26 33 +11 31 82 18 14 32 139 † 62 9 17 26 +23 40 70 6 19 25 +5 47 61 9 12 21 18 26 7 12 19 +3 4 82 6 11 17 40 79 6 11 17 27 30 7 8 15 4 45 4 9 13 +4 20 34 2 10 12 +1 12 15 2 6 8 +2 0 68 1 7 8 +6 11 47 4 3 7 6 41 0 6 6 2 33 1 4 5 6 16 0 4 4 +1 6 6 0 1 1 +1 10 ‡ 6 0 1 1 4 † 1 0 0 0 0 † 12 0 0 0 9 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 +1 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 53 52 3,170:55 26 21 5 168 3.18 1,557 .892 1 0 1 8 11 11 660:06 7 2 2 21 1.91 339 .938 2 0 0 0 20 19 1,100:25 7 10 2 65 3.54 544 .881 1 0 1 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Blue Jackets. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Transactions The Blue Jackets have been involved in the following transactions during the 2024–25 season.

Key

Contract is entry-level. Contract initially takes effect in the 2025–26 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To St. Louis BluesAlexandre TexierTo Columbus Blue Jackets4th-round pick in 2025 To Carolina Hurricanes3rd-round pick in 20245th-round pick in 2024To Columbus Blue Jackets2nd-round pick in 2024 To Montreal CanadiensPatrik Laine2nd-round pick in 2026To Columbus Blue JacketsJordan Harris To Minnesota WildDavid Jiricek5th-round pick in 2025To Columbus Blue JacketsDaemon Huntconditional 1st-round pick in 2025 or 1st-round pick in 2026COL 3rd-round pick in 2026TOR 4th-round pick in 20262nd-round pick in 2027 To San Jose SharksSTL 4th-round pick in 2025To Columbus Blue JacketsLuke Kunin Notes This pick is top-five protected. Columbus will receive a first-round pick in 2025 if Minnesota's first-round pick is outside the top five. If Minnesota's first-round pick is inside the top-five then Columbus will receive a first-round pick in 2026.

Players acquired Date Player Former team Term Via Ref Cole Clayton Cleveland Monsters (AHL) 1-year Free agency Sean Monahan Winnipeg Jets 5-year Free agency Owen Sillinger Cleveland Monsters (AHL) 1-year Free agency Dylan Gambrell Toronto Maple Leafs 1-year Free agency Jack Johnson Colorado Avalanche 1-year Free agency Zach Sawchenko Vancouver Canucks 1-year Free agency James van Riemsdyk Boston Bruins 1-year Free agency Kevin Labanc San Jose Sharks 1-year Free agency Zach Aston-Reese Vegas Golden Knights Waivers

Players lost Date Player New team Term Via Ref Jake Bean Calgary Flames 2-year Free agency Nick Blankenburg Nashville Predators 2-year Free agency Adam Boqvist Buyout Josh Dunne Buffalo Sabres 2-year Free agency Brendan Gaunce Minnesota Wild 2-year Free agency Billy Sweezey Boston Bruins 2-year Free agency Carson Meyer Anaheim Ducks 1-year Free agency Adam Boqvist Florida Panthers 1-year Free agency Alexander Nylander Toronto Marlies (AHL) 1-year Free agency Tyler Angle Dusseldorfer EG (DEL) 1-year Free agency Johnny Gaudreau Killed by drunk driver Jakub Zboril HC Dynamo Pardubice (ELH) 5-year Free agency Malcolm Subban Belleville Senators (AHL) 1-year Free agency Marcus Bjork Oulun Karpat (Liiga) 1-year Free agency

Signings Date Player Term Ref Jake Christiansen 1-year Jet Greaves 2-year Kent Johnson 3-year Kirill Marchenko 3-year Cole Sillinger 2-year

Draft picks

Below are the Columbus Blue Jackets' selections at the 2024 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 28 to 29, 2024, at Sphere in Paradise, Nevada.

Round # Player Pos. Nationality Team (League)14 Cayden Lindstrom C Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)236 Charlie Elick D Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)360 Evan Gardner G Saskatoon Blades (WHL)86 Luca Marrelli D Oshawa Generals (OHL)4101 Tanner Henricks D Lincoln Stars (USHL)6165 Luke Ashton D Langley Rivermen (BCHL)

References