Blue Jackets’ Erik Gudbranson ‘still bitter’ over playoff miss, hopeful for new season

Columbus Blue Jackets rearguard Erik Gudbranson expressed his frustration at the way the 2024-25 season ended for his team.

Gudbranson opened up about the disappointing ending to the season during the 11th annual Smilezone Celebrity Golf Tournament last Monday. NHL.com captured Erik Gudbranson’s feelings, stating:

“We’re still bitter about how our season ended. We felt like we should have got in. We left some doors open we should have closed. From an honest way, we were looking at that as we kind of shot ourselves in the foot here and there but that still very much burns throughout the summer. Guys are attacking their summers very purposefully this year.”

The Blue Jackets finished two points from the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Jackets had the same number of wins as the Montreal Canadiens. However, the Canadiens had two more overtime losses, giving them a two-point edge in the standings.

The gut-wrenching end to the Blue Jackets’ season marked the fifth year in a row the club missed the postseason. The club was in a playoff spot for most of the season. But a 1-7-1 skid following the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game in March derailed the Blue Jackets’ season.

It’s worth pointing out that the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau last summer took a significant mental and emotional toll on the team. The club rallied behind Johnny Hockey’s legacy but came up short down the stretch.

Erik Gudbranson optimistic Blue Jackets will have good season in 2025-26

Erik Gudbranson will be a key piece for Columbus in 2025-26 - Source: Imagn

Despite the tough ending to the 2024-25 season, Erik Gudbranson is hopeful that the 2025-26 campaign will be significantly better.

The biggest reason for optimism was the acquisition of veterans Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche.

Gudbranson had this to say about the trade per NHL.com:

“Hughe, huge. There’s a good belief system there that [management] really does believe it. Bring those guys in, guys who have been in the NHL a long time, they’re going to help a ton. We’re very excited to have them.”

The aggressive move signals that team management believes in the team’s current core. Rising stars like Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, and Dmitri Voronkov complement a veteran group that includes Gudbranson, captain Boone Jenner, and All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski.

Erik Gudbranson made his optimism patent by saying:

“We feel very good about where we are at. There’s a ton of work to be done. The NHL is a hard league to win in so we certainly can’t rest on our laurels and feel good about what we did the prior year. You can have a minute of that, but you have to turn the page and get back to work because within the locker room, we believe we can do some really good stuff.”

The Blue Jackets will be fighting for a playoff spot in a tight Metro Division. The Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Capitals will be the teams to beat. Plus, the revamped New York Rangers and New York Islanders won’t be pushovers.

But with a solid veteran core and young stars, the Blue Jackets could end their half-decade playoff drought in 2025-26.