Between snapping a five-year playoff drought and suffering a heartbreaking late-game collapse just last night, the tension in Columbus is palpable. Here are the key storylines surrounding the Columbus Blue Jackets and their upcoming schedule for the week of March 29 – April 4, 2026.
A Heartbreaking Stumble
The team is looking to rebound today after a frustrating 3-2 loss to the struggling San Jose Sharks yesterday (March 28). The Sharks scored twice in the third period to erase a Columbus lead, snapping the Blue Jackets’ impressive 12-game home point streak. Coach Rick Bowness noted the team “didn’t have their legs” and will need to simplify their game immediately.
The Blue Jackets are currently sitting in the last wild card spot in the East (38-24-11) and will need every point they can get to stay in the playoff hunt.
The Injury Bug Bites at the Wrong Time
Depth is being tested. Top-four defenseman Damon Severson is officially out “week-to-week” after absorbing a heavy hit against the Canadiens on Thursday. To make matters worse, forward Dmitri Voronkov left yesterday’s game against the Sharks with an upper-body injury and will not play today.
Zach Werenski’s Norris Trophy Case
Zach Werenski is having a career-defining season. He currently leads the team with 77 points and has sparked a defensive corps that just set a franchise record for goals by defensemen in a single season (55).
In Jet We Trust
With the grueling schedule and Elvis Merzlikins playing last night, 24-year-old goaltender Jet Greaves is expected to continue getting highly consequential starts. Greaves has been stellar during this late-season push, boasting a sparkling save percentage over his last stretch of games.
Blue Jackets Upcoming Schedule
The outlook for the next seven days is brutal. There are no easy nights in the NHL, but Columbus is staring down a gauntlet of tough opponents. They play a back-to-back today against Boston, followed by a home-and-home series against the powerhouse Carolina Hurricanes, and then cap it off against the Winnipeg Jets.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) |
| Sunday, March 29 | vs. Boston Bruins | Nationwide Arena | 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday, March 31 | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | Nationwide Arena | 7:30 PM |
| Thursday, April 2 | at Carolina Hurricanes | Lenovo Center (Raleigh) | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, April 4 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | Nationwide Arena | 7:00 PM |
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