Tonight there is only one NHL game on the schedule. A lot of people will be enamored by March Madness' Round of 64 day two, but there will undoubtedly be some hockey diehards itching for some puck tonight.
Their one option? Penguins vs. Blue Jackets.
With the Penguins losing in humiliating fashion to the Islanders on Tuesday (a tale as old as time), their playoff hopes have dissipated. Tonight's game against Columbus could have been very meaningful if they won, but they didn't.
That brings us to tonight's game with a very different perspective, and a shifted perspective would suggest that a Blue Jackets win would be best for not only the Penguins, but the NHL as a whole.
The Implications
The Penguins are in the bottom seven of the NHL with 66 points and 70 games played. The Philadelphia Flyers have recently bottomed out and, as of the writing of this article, are on their way to a third straight loss.
Being bottom seven is a fine place to be for the draft lottery, which the Penguins will be shooting for. Between now and the end of the season, the Penguins could be as low as the bottom four if things go their way.
For Columbus, they've fallen from grace after being firmly in a Wild Card spot for the last month or so. They've lost five in a row and find themselves beneath both New York teams and the Canadiens in the Wild Card race.
How a loss benefits Pittsburgh
The Penguins have lost their chance to make the playoffs, and the argument for creating a competitive Penguins team for the future starts with a loss tonight against the Blue Jackets.
The NHL would benefit greatly from one last Stanley Cup Playoff with Sidney Crosby, but that time is not now. The best way to make sure such a scenario occurs is by getting him weapons, and quickly.
Right now the Penguins have a 6.5% chance to receive the 1st overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft. Their odds of picking second are 6.7%.
Penguins fans are no stranger to the tanking talks and the details that go with them. The top crop of draft prospects outweighs the next echelon, so it would behoove Pittsburgh to move down the standings.
This is an obvious reason why a loss is good, but there's another, bigger benefit the NHL would receive.
The NHL would benefit greatly from playoffs in Columbus
The Blue Jackets are an unfortunate franchise that has greatly struggled to win. And by that, I mean win literally anything.
Columbus became a franchise in 2000. Their only playoff series win was in 2019 when they swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in what is widely regarded as one of the most embarrassing series of all time for a Presidents' Trophy winner.
Other than the anomaly, the Blue Jackets have been begging for any semblance of success.
Before the season the hockey world lost Johnny Gaudreau, the only big name free agent to ever choose Columbus. Johnny Hockey was the hope for the Blue Jackets, and his passing could have been a crushing blow to the morale of the franchise.
However, the Blue Jackets came out of nowhere to be competitive this season and one of the best home teams in the NHL. The team, front office, and fans rallied around Number 13 and have put together a shocking season after being one of the worst teams in the league just a year ago.
This year the Blue Jackets got a Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium, and it drew the second largest crowd in NHL history. All eyes were on the Blue Jackets for the first time ever, really.
THE GAME WINNER AT OHIO STADIUM!!!!@FanaticsBook | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/R8rqW8GB9N
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 2, 2025
That game can't be the last time this season the Blue Jackets get the spotlight. Their story is too compelling to be left unfinished without playoffs.
One of the most beautiful things about sports is its innate ability to create storylines organically. Movies have scripts, carefully fashioned and brainstormed by people who are paid to do so. Sports have no script, yet they often manage to script themselves.
I've enjoyed watching Blue Jackets hockey this season. They score a lot, and you can tell there's a special magic they pull from when they're at home. They're a fun team that could play spoiler in the playoffs if they make it.
The Penguins have no qualms with the Blue Jackets. Pittsburgh beat them in the 2014 playoffs and are historically good against them. It's hardly a divisional rivalry. It's not like any other team. The Blue Jacket have done nothing to upset the Penguins, so why not give them the spotlight?
Just this year. If the Penguins can't make that second Wild Card, the Blue Jackets should, and the hockey world would be better off because of it.
Columbus' story would continue, and the Penguins would trend in the proper direction.