The Columbus Blue Jackets are 8-1-1 in their last 10 and as such have crawled back into the the playoff picture.
They're still not in the thick of the race, though, and they'll need to continue winning on a regular basis for that to change.
Entering the holidays Columbus is nine points back of a wild card spot (they have one game in hand) and nine points out of the final divisional spot (they have played one more game than the Rangers) so there is still much work to be done.
SportsClubStats.com suggests the Blue Jackets will need to go 29-14-6 the rest of the way to have a realistic shot at the playoffs. While it's not impossible, that won't be an easy task; especially with the team missing so many bodies.
Their first two games out of the break (before a bit of a dip vs Arizona/Colorado) are against the Bruins and Wild, two teams just outside of the playoffs in their respective conferences. That, of course, means they're playing for a lot, too, and will come out with a purpose.
Of the top of my head, there are three keys for the Jackets in the 2nd half:
1) Stay/get healthy. They're not going to win 30 out of 49 if they're missing big chunks of their roster. They need some guys to get back, and they can't afford any more injuries to important players.
2) Ryan Johansen needs to be a lot better. He started the year on a 10-game point streak, but has recorded points in consecutive games just once since and is under a point per game on the year. The Jackets will need consistent production from him.
3) Lastly, Sergei Bobrovsky will need to start a lot of games, and play at an elite level while doing so. With all these injuries the Jackets are being outshot more often than not, so they'll need Bobrovsky to be good to have a chance.
The Blue Jackets need to enjoy their time off, recharge, and ensure they come out swinging once they're over. If they exit the gates slowly they'll be too far out of a playoff spot to catch up.
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