The Columbus Blue Jackets had a publicly dramatic ending to the 2025-26 NHL season. The Blue Jackets were close to making the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year. They missed due to some poor performances. Those poor performances did not sit well with head coach Rick Bowness.
Initially brought in as a stopgap coach, Bowness returns to the Blue Jackets for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign. He ripped into Columbus players at the end of last season. That did not stop the franchise from bringing him back this summer.
Bowness promised change at the end of last season. He will have a chance to implement that change. However, some of the changes made to this team may happen against his wishes. Especially if this summer is any indication.
The Blue Jackets nearly traded Zach Werenski to the Dallas Stars this summer after difficult contract negotiations. Additionally, winger Kirill Marchenko told the team he will not play for them beyond his current contract. These are two of the team's most important players who have uncertain futures with the team.
The puck is about to drop on the new season, though. With this in mind, here are three burning questions surrounding the Columbus Blue Jackets before 2026-27.
What does change look like for Rick Bowness?
Rick Bowness talked a big game about enacting change this upcoming season. He was not pleased with how his team carried itself at the end of last season. His task now is to instill a new culture and a new attitude in Columbus.
This is a big undertaking, especially for a coach who was retired for a few years prior to joining the Blue Jackets. Bowness is a veteran, so he has seen a lot in his days in hockey. At the same time, the game is not the same as it used to be.
Can Bowness connect with these players? Can he get them to buy in on the changes he wishes to make? And what exactly does change for the veteran bench boss actually look like?
Can Zach Werenski move on from summer drama?
Article Continues BelowFor a few weeks in the summer, it seemed as if Zach Werenski was going to be traded. When the news broke of his near-trade to the Dallas Stars, it wasn't entirely surprising. The surprising part was that Werenski himself stepped in to decline the trade.
The Blue Jackets defenseman had a change of heart at the last minute. He decided he did not want to leave the only NHL team he had ever known. He is focused on winning and doing so with the Blue Jackets.
Werenski's trade saga played out in public. So much so that it had to be resolved with public statements from Werenski and general manager Don Waddell. Can Werenski put this whole thing behind him? Or will this continue to linger into the 2026-27 campaign?
Will Kirill Marchenko be traded midseason?
The situation around Kirill Marchenko is certainly interesting. Reports emerged over the summer that he had no intention of signing long-term with the Blue Jackets. On Friday, this whole thing took a turn when the star winger evaded questions about whether he enjoyed playing in Columbus.
âÂÂI donâÂÂt want to give you guys a lot of things. I love my teammates, I love to enjoy the practices, enjoy the hockey ⦠itâÂÂs my favorite thing in the world. I just do my job,â the Blue Jackets star said, via Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
It's hard to brush things like this aside. Marchenko is under contract for the 2026-27 campaign before reaching restricted free agency next summer. He sees the light at the end of the tunnel, and it appears he's excited to reach that light.
Will the Blue Jackets trade Marchenko during the season? Or will they make one more push to sign their star winger, even if it's just a bridge contract that takes him to unrestricted free agency in 2028?