Just a few minutes ago, I was on YouTube reliving the last three playoff clinches of the 2018-19 season, and they were amazing. April 4, 2019, the Hurricanes clinched for the first time in a decade. That same day, the Avalanche got the one point we needed to clinch, and got the second one in OT. The following day, April 5, the Columbus Blue Jackets won a shootout to get the 16th and last spot remaining. I couldn't help but shake my head when I watched the Jackets video. Why? Well, after clinching that spot, the Jackets shocked the world and swept a 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning team in the opening round. Here it is, two years later, and the Jackets are now officially eliminated from playoff contention after a terrible season. Their elimination came last night via a 3-1 regulation loss to--you guessed it--the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Now I remember that year and thinking, "They're a perennial playoff team now." But in just two years, the Jackets went from the biggest moment in their brief franchise history to...this. The Jackets sit in last place in the Central Division, even the Red Wings are ahead of them. So how did this happen? The three Ts: Turmoil, Trades, and Torts. The Laine trade. Pierre-Luc Dubois was clearly unhappy, refused to give 110%, so he got traded to WPG for Patrik Laine. I and many others thought CBJ won that trade, but Laine regressed. A lot of people blamed Laine, I don't. I think Torts wouldn't let Laine be Laine, because he never had any problems with the Jets. All of that, plus injuries and lack of consistent offense from even known offensive stalwarts such as Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand have played a factor in this embarrassing elimination.
And the story came out days ago that Columbus is expected to fire Torts after this season's over. Oh boy. This is the first time that the Jackets will miss the playoffs since the 2015-16 season.
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