The Jackets will now be extra motivated emotionally heading into the 2024-2025 season after the death of Johnny Gaudreau.
It feels appropriate now to re-do our preview of the Columbus Blue Jackets heading into the season, especially after the events of Friday morning.
The loss of Johnny Gaudreau will leave a hole in both the Jackets team and the hockey world at-large.
So, the question is, how will they replace him?
Well, you can't literally replace him, for sure; there won't be another Johnny Hockey like the original.
Patrik Laine was also traded away to Montreal after a few unhappy years with the organization, and so that leaves Adam Fantilli and Boone Jenner to pick up the slack offensively.
What Columbus must do in the next few weeks is sign one or a few veterans to PTO contracts or two-way contracts, like how Utah did yesterday in snagging Robert Bortuzzo.
They could also try to trade for a big-time scorer or star, and Utah's Clayton Keller could be a viable option, though it's highly unlikely general manager Bill Armstrong is going to be willing to give up his best player.
Regardless of what the club does, the Jackets right now must focus their energy on remaining united as a team following Gaudreau's death.
It would not only be the best way to honor his memory, but also it would be the best way to help a stunned community move forward.
And right now, that's what we all must do for the 5th Line.