Game six came to a close with a Blue Jackets loss to the Capitals, marking the end of the series and sending the Blue Jackets home in the first round in the second straight season.
As the season came to a close, the Blue Jackets were on a tear and seemed to be peaking at the right time, including two straight playoff wins against the Capitals in games one and two, both played in Washington, D.C. That melted away quickly as the Blue Jackets went on to lose four straight games, ending their playoff run.
“Everybody has to give skin here, from coaches right on through, as far as what happened,” head coach John Tortorella said in his exit interview.
Tortorella believes the team’s standards need to be raised in order for them to get to the next level.
“”I think we need to get by this ‘Young team, yeah, you went through some really good experiences,” Tortorella said. “No, we need to start thinking that we are a playoff team and that when we get the opportunity we need to be better.”
The Blue Jackets finished the season at 45-30-7, earning the first wild card spot in the playoffs. This was only the fourth playoff appearance for Columbus, and the first time they made the playoffs in back to back seasons.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “Can we get better? Absolutely. And we will. We’ll look at every opportunity to do that. There’s no question about it. Like [John] said, the standard has to be make the playoffs every year. We’re going to be better. We’re going to win a series, and then two, and three, and hopefully get to the Stanley Cup Final. That’s the goal. You want to win the Cup.”
The Blue Jacket are the only NHL franchise to never win a playoff series, losing all four first round matchups. This includes their five-game playoff run last season against the Penguins.
“We’re going to talk about how there was some progression within our game, within the individuals, but we’re six games and we’re done,” Tortorella said. “That’s what I want to get away from. I want us to be more aggressive in our thinking and expect some more, not be satisfied as far as the process. We need to change our mindset here to where … that we feel we belong in the playoffs, not just be [in]. That’s what worries me when I keep answering these questions about, ‘Was it a good year?’ We played six games in the playoffs. Six. One more than last year.”
There are still eight teams left in the race for Lord Stanley’s Cup, but until next year the Blue Jackets are going back to the drawing board.
Paul Helmers
Sports Editor