Blue Jackets having ‘a lot fun’ during late push for final playoff spot in East

PHILADELPHIA -- Zach Werenski said he and his Columbus Blue Jackets teammates are trying to enjoy the moment.

The Blue Jackets (38-33-9) enter their game at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, NBCSP) still in the hunt for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"If you were to tell us at the beginning of the year we'd be two games left fighting for a playoff spot, it would be exciting, right?" Werenski said after the morning skate Tuesday. "We're enjoying it the best we can.

"I don't want to say that we don't feel pressure at all, because we don't really, we're just playing hockey. We are trying to enjoy it the best we can. It's been a lot of fun. It's been like playoffs for us the last couple games, and it's the best time of the year. So, we're just trying to enjoy it the best we can."

The Blue Jackets haven’t reached the playoffs since the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season. In fact, they have qualified for the postseason just six times since joining the NHL for the 2000-01 season, winning one series.

But after a rough 4-11-1 stretch from March 2 to April 7, they have won four in a row and are four points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with two games left.

For them to make it, the Blue Jackets need to win their final two games in regulation -- tonight and home against the New York Islanders on Thursday -- and need the Canadiens to lose in regulation to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

The belief among the group has been there since the beginning of the season, despite the difficult circumstances that have surrounded them. Forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were killed on Aug. 29, 2024, when they were riding bicycles at home in Salem County, New Jersey, and were struck by an alleged drunk driver who has been charged with two counts of death by auto.

Team captain Boone Jenner missed more than four months because of a shoulder injury sustained during practice Oct. 4. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson missed five months because of a shoulder injury sustained Oct. 15. Forward Yegor Chinakhov missed 39 games because of an upper-body injury sustained Nov. 27. Center Sean Monahan missed 28 games because of a wrist injury sustained Jan. 7.

"We've got a lot of belief in this group, so I'm not surprised we're in this spot," Jenner said.

Jenner, 31, Werenski, 27, and James van Riemsdyk, 35, have been through these situations before, but for younger players like forwards Kirill Marchenko, 24, Adam Fantilli, 20, Kent Johnson, 22, and Dmitri Voronkov, 24, defenseman Denton Mateychuk, 20, and goalie Jet Greaves, 24, these are all new experiences.

"Everyone knows where we're at and where our margin for error is at," van Riemsdyk said. "Just making sure that we're playing with that desperation, enjoying this, because again, these are the most fun games to play in. We have a chance to again just keep our season alive again tonight, and that's what we want to do."

Jenner said he hasn't sensed any nerves setting into the group.

"I think our mindset is exactly where it needs to be for these games," he said. "Guys who have played playoff games and guys who haven't, everyone's kind of stepping up. The guys who haven't, they've been huge for us down the stretch here to keep our season alive. So, everyone's chipping in, and that's what it's going to take going forward."

Van Riemsdyk said several of the players got together to watch the Canadiens' 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Montreal getting just one point kept it from clinching the last playoff berth in the East.

First-year coach Dean Evason, though, said it's more about what his team does than what's occurring elsewhere.

"What are we going to do about last night?" he said. "Of course we watch and check, and some guys check more, some guys watch more. Some guys don't. End of the day, we wake up this morning, we're still alive. We've got an opportunity and we're going to try to take advantage of it tonight."