The Blue Jackets are getting closer to the point where the offseason noise gives way to actual hockey. Their prospects tournament in Detroit runs Sept. 12-15, then training camp opens Sept. 16 with physicals and the usual off-ice work before players hit the ice on Sept. 17.
But before any of that starts, one of the biggest questions around the team still needs an answer: how will fans watch the Blue Jackets this season, and when will the details finally come out?
That was part of the conversation Thursday when Blue Jackets vice president of communications Todd Sharrock appeared on “All Sides with Amy Juravich,” alongside the Athletic’s Aaron Portzline and Jody Shelley. Sharrock gave the clearest timeline yet for the TV announcement.
“We’re anticipating, last word I heard was hopefully by Labor Day,” Sharrock said. “But the key point is folks will be able to watch the games the way they have in the past.
So whether that’s through streaming, whether that’s through their cable provider or satellite provider. Aaron (Portzline) mentioned the last couple of years, we’ve been able to offer up select games over the air in different markets here.
It was ABC 6, FOX 28 (that) carried a game, so we were able to do that. Our intention is to do that again but those details are being finalized.
The league is involved in a certain element of that.”
He also made the team’s stance crystal clear.
“I can assure fans our priority with all of this change is for people to be able to watch the games. That’s full stop. That is the most important thing to us,” Sharrock said.
Once the full plan is released, Sharrock said the Blue Jackets will have a detailed roadmap showing where fans can find the games. The setup is expected to work much like what people are already used to, with games available through providers, streaming options and select over-the-air broadcasts on a game-by-game basis. For now, 82 of the team’s 84 regular season games are expected to be available through the new arrangement.
The NHL also released its national exclusive schedule this week, and the Blue Jackets were left with only two national games, subject to change. More could still be added later, especially if the team is in the playoff chase.
Their national appearances are set for Nov. 10 against the Florida Panthers on ESPN+ and Apr. 8 against the Philadelphia Flyers on TNT.
That puts Columbus in a very different spot from the rest of the Eastern Conference’s U.S.-based teams, each of which appears on national TV at least 10 times. Even Montreal, with six, and Toronto, with three, show up more often than the Blue Jackets this season.
The gap is hard to miss, and the explanation is pretty blunt: ratings and winning drive the schedule. Columbus plays in one of the league’s smallest TV markets, and the team’s six-year playoff drought has not helped its case. Even with Zach Werenski winning a Norris and Adam Fantilli emerging as one of the best young players in his draft class, that hasn’t been enough to change the equation.
The message, as the numbers suggest, is simple: win more, and the TV picture changes. The Florida Panthers are the example. Before their Stanley Cup runs, they looked a lot different in this kind of discussion than they do now.
Elsewhere on Thursday, the Blue Jackets announced changes in Hockey Operations. Trevor Timmins is now the Director of Amateur Scouting, and Ville Siren is now the Director of European Scouting. The two had previously shared the title of co-directors of Amateur Scouting.
The organization also said Mike Vogt has left for family reasons. Tom Bourdon is moving up from the Cleveland Monsters to fill Vogt’s role, and Chris Strickland will work as an assistant athletic trainer and physical therapist.
The team also adjusted six game start times this season. Nov. 10 against Florida is now 7:30, Dec. 26 against Washington is now 8:00, Dec. 27 against Edmonton is now 6:00, Feb. 18 against Vegas is now 10:00, April 6 against Washington is now 7:45 and April 8 against Philadelphia is now 7:30.