3. Columbus Blue Jackets
- 2014-15 Finish: 5th Place
It is very hard for hockey fans not to like this team. They play loose, with an edge, and are a lot of fun to watch. They are a throwback of sorts.
Moreover, this is the year they take a big step forward. A step from lovable losers to unlikable winners. Lead by best player in hockey that nobody knows about in Ryan Johansen, this team stands the chance to show the largest improvement in the Met. They have an interesting roster for sure, they have some skill players like captain Nick Foligno, mixed with a lot of grinding types such as Scott Hartnell, David Clarkson and Gregory Campbell. This team will be a pain to play against. The key acquisition of Brandon Saad maybe just the catalyst this team needed to add scoring depth.
Sergei Bobrovsky will continue to be a top goalie in the league and the defense in front of him will do just enough to make the Blue Jackets a serious contender in the Met and into the playoffs.