2020–21 Columbus Blue Jackets season

2020–21 Columbus Blue Jackets
Division	8th Central
2020–21 record	18–26–12
Home record	11–9–8
Road record	7–17–4
Goals for	137
Goals against	187
Team information
General manager	Jarmo Kekalainen
Coach	John Tortorella
Captain	Nick Foligno (Jan. 14 – Apr. 10) Vacant (Apr. 10 – present)
Alternate captains	Cam Atkinson Boone Jenner Seth Jones
Arena	Nationwide Arena
Minor league affiliate(s)	Cleveland Monsters (AHL)
Team leaders
Goals	Oliver Bjorkstrand (18)
Assists	Oliver Bjorkstrand (26)
Points	Oliver Bjorkstrand (44)
Penalty minutes	Max Domi (75)
Plus/minus	Eric Robinson (+6)
Wins	Joonas Korpisalo (9)
Goals against average	Elvis Merzlikins (2.77)

The 2020–21 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the 21st season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 25, 1997. On December 20, 2020, the league temporarily realigned into four divisions with no conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing closure of the Canada-United States border. As a result of this realignment the Blue Jackets played this season in the Central Division and only played games against the other teams in their new division during the regular season.

On April 22, the Blue Jackets were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since the 2015–16 season, after a 3–1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Standings

Divisional standings

Central Division

Pos	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	RW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	y – Carolina Hurricanes	56	36	12	8	27	179	136	+43	80
2	x – Florida Panthers	56	37	14	5	26	189	153	+36	79
3	x – Tampa Bay Lightning	56	36	17	3	29	181	147	+34	75
4	x – Nashville Predators	56	31	23	2	21	156	154	+2	64
5	e – Dallas Stars	56	23	19	14	17	158	154	+4	60
6	e – Chicago Blackhawks	56	24	25	7	15	161	186	−25	55
7	e – Detroit Red Wings	56	19	27	10	17	127	171	−44	48
8	e – Columbus Blue Jackets	56	18	26	12	12	137	187	−50	48

Schedule and results

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on December 23, 2020.

2020–21 game log
January: 4–3–3 (Home: 2–0–2 ; Road: 2–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 January 14 Columbus 1–3 Nashville Korpisalo 0 0–1–0 0 Recap 2 January 16 Columbus 2–5 Nashville Merzlikins 0 0–2–0 0 Recap 3 January 18 Columbus 3–2 Detroit Korpisalo 0 1–2–0 2 Recap 4 January 19 Columbus 2–3 Detroit OT Merzlikins 0 1–2–1 3 Recap 5 January 21 Tampa Bay 3–2 Columbus OT Korpisalo 0 1–2–2 4 Recap 6 January 23 Tampa Bay 2–5 Columbus Merzlikins 0 2–2–2 6 Recap 7 January 26 Florida 4–3 Columbus SO Korpisalo 0 2–2–3 7 Recap 8 January 28 Florida 2–3 Columbus SO Merzlikins 0 3–2–3 9 Recap 9 January 29 Columbus 2–1 Chicago Korpisalo 0 4–2–3 11 Recap 10 January 31 Columbus 1–3 Chicago Merzlikins 0 4–3–3 11 Recap
February: 4–7–2 (Home: 2–4–1 ; Road: 2–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 February 2 Dallas 6–3 Columbus Korpisalo 0 4–4–3 11 Recap 12 February 4 Dallas 3–4 Columbus Korpisalo 0 5–4–3 13 Recap 13 February 7 Carolina 6–5 Columbus Korpisalo 0 5–5–3 13 Recap 14 February 8 Carolina 2–3 Columbus Korpisalo 0 6–5–3 15 Recap 15 February 11 Columbus 6–5 Chicago Korpisalo 0 7–5–3 17 Recap 16 February 13 Columbus 2–3 Chicago OT Korpisalo 0 7–5–4 18 Recap 17 February 15 Columbus 3–7 Carolina Korpisalo 0 7–6–4 18 Recap 18 February 18 Nashville 0–3 Columbus Merzlikins 0 8–6–4 20 Recap 19 February 20 Nashville 4–2 Columbus Merzlikins 0 8–7–4 20 Recap 20 February 23 Chicago 6–5 Columbus SO Korpisalo 0 8–7–5 21 Recap 21 February 25 Chicago 2–0 Columbus Korpisalo 0 8–8–5 21 Recap 22 February 27 Columbus 1–2 Nashville Korpisalo — 8–9–5 21 Recap 23 February 28 Columbus 1–3 Nashville Korpisalo — 8–10–5 21 Recap
March: 6–5–3 (Home: 2–2–3 ; Road: 4–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 March 2 Detroit 1–4 Columbus Korpisalo 1,953 9–10–5 23 Recap 25 March 4 Columbus 3–2 Dallas Korpisalo 4,112 10–10–5 25 Recap 26 March 6 Columbus 0–5 Dallas Korpisalo 4,203 10–11–5 25 Recap 27 March 9 Florida 4–2 Columbus Korpisalo 3,448 10–12–5 25 Recap 28 March 11 Florida 5–4 Columbus OT Merzlikins 3,739 10–12–6 26 Recap 29 March 13 Dallas 3–4 Columbus OT Merzlikins 4,160 11–12–6 28 Recap 30 March 14 Dallas 2–1 Columbus SO Korpisalo 3,992 11–12–7 29 Recap 31 March 18 Columbus 3–2 Carolina OT Korpisalo 2,924 12–12–7 31 Recap 32 March 20 Columbus 3–2 Carolina SO Merzlikins 2,924 13–12–7 33 Recap 33 March 22 Carolina 3–0 Columbus Korpisalo 3,829 13–13–7 33 Recap 34 March 25 Carolina 4–3 Columbus OT Korpisalo 4,033 13–13–8 34 Recap 35 March 27 Columbus 1–3 Detroit Merzlikins 0 13–14–8 34 Recap 36 March 28 Columbus 1–4 Detroit Merzlikins 0 13–15–8 34 Recap 37 March 30 Columbus 3–1 Tampa Bay Merzlikins 3,800 14–15–8 36 Recap
April: 2–10–2 (Home: 2–2–1 ; Road: 0–8–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 38 April 1 Columbus 2–3 Tampa Bay Merzlikins 3,800 14–16–8 36 Recap 39 April 3 Columbus 2–5 Florida Merzlikins 4,375 14–17–8 36 Recap 40 April 4 Columbus 0–3 Florida Korpisalo 4,069 14–18–8 36 Recap 41 April 6 Tampa Bay 2–4 Columbus Korpisalo 4,080 15–18–8 38 Recap 42 April 8 Tampa Bay 6–4 Columbus Merzlikins 4,143 15–19–8 38 Recap 43 April 10 Chicago 4–3 Columbus Merzlikins 4,502 15–20–8 38 Recap 44 April 12 Chicago 4–3 Columbus OT Korpisalo 4,093 15–20–9 39 Recap 45 April 15 Columbus 1–4 Dallas Merzlikins 4,201 15–21–9 39 Recap 46 April 17 Columbus 1–5 Dallas Korpisalo 5,643 15–22–9 39 Recap 47 April 19 Columbus 2–4 Florida Merzlikins 4,041 15–23–9 39 Recap 48 April 20 Columbus 1–5 Florida Korpisalo 4,132 15–24–9 39 Recap 49 April 22 Columbus 1–3 Tampa Bay Merzlikins 4,200 15–25–9 39 Recap 50 April 25 Columbus 3–4 Tampa Bay OT Merzlikins 4,200 15–25–10 40 Recap 51 April 27 Detroit 0–1 Columbus SO Merzlikins 4,316 16–25–10 42 Recap
May: 2–1–2 (Home: 2–1–1 ; Road: 0–0–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 52 May 1 Columbus 1–2 Carolina OT Merzlikins 4,987 16–25–11 43 Recap 53 May 3 Nashville 4–3 Columbus OT Merzlikins 4,210 16–25–12 44 Recap 54 May 5 Nashville 2–4 Columbus Merzlikins 4,084 17–25–12 46 Recap 55 May 7 Detroit 5–2 Columbus Kivlenieks 4,402 17–26–12 46 Recap 56 May 8 Detroit 4–5 Columbus OT Kivlenieks 4,493 18–26–12 48 Recap
Legend:       Win (2 points)       Loss (0 points)       Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)