How Tonight's Game Against the Blue Jackets is a Win-Win No Matter the Outcome

Tonight, the Pittsburgh Penguins (17-17-7) will face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets (17-17-6) for the second time this season. Before the Thanksgiving holiday, the Jackets blew the doors off the Penguins by a score of 6-2.

At the time, that might have been an infuriating loss. But now with a little bit of hindsight, it makes a lot of sense. The Blue Jackets are not a pushover team anymore.

When you look at their roster, not a lot jumps off the page except for a Zach Werenski who should truly be frontrunning the Norris Trophy sweepstakes this season.

Sure, there are still ancient relics like James van Riemsdyk, Boone Jenner, and, oh hello there, Jack Johnson. But then you take a closer look and realize that this Columbus team is becoming something truly special.

Budding stars like Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, Dmitri Voronkov, and Kirill Marchenko are all having coming of age seasons, and not a single name on that list is 25 years old yet.

Then there's another name: Sean Monahan.

Mentioning the Blue Jackets will forever have attached to it the memory of Johnny Gaudreau, or "Johnny Hockey" as he was often called. Gaudreau is the embodiment of what professional athletes should strive to be: selfless.

When Johnny Hockey chose to sign a contract with Columbus, he set an example that is yet to be followed in North American sports. He chose the little guy, not the big market. His passing sent a shockwave throughout the NHL at large, but the faithful Columbus fanbase was ripped to shreds in ways other fanbases will never truly understand.

Sean Monahan was Gaudreau's teammate in Calgary, and this offseason, Monahan decided to sign with Columbus to run it back with his friend.

The two never got the chance to play together again.

If you're reading this right now, you obviously care about sports to some degree. There are so many people who don't understand the allure of sports. And yet, sports are often what brings people together.

When you attend a sporting event, you're surrounded by thousands of people you don't know, and yet you know every single person around you. You can relate to someone wearing the same color jersey as you. You know the emotions they feel and have felt at given moments in time because you experienced those same emotions too. Those of you who have played sports know the bonds you create with teammates, coaches, and fans as well. Sports teach us lessons about life, many times in ways that life itself can't.

Sports have a way of impacting people for a lifetime, and it's no surprise that Sean Monahan has revitalized his career this season in the absence of his good friend. Monahan logged a career high in goals (34) and assists (48) in the 2018-19 season in Calgary with Gaudreau. He's on pace to get close to those numbers in his age 30 season this year.

Monahan scored in Columbus' first home game this season - the game where they honored Johnny Gaudreau. Twelve of his 14 goals this season have come at home. That is no coincidence when Gaudreau's number 13 is hanging in the rafters at Nationwide Arena, something Monahan acknowledges every time he scores.

This Blue Jackets team has a purpose about them this season, a purpose that has been elusive ever since their shocking sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019. It's a purpose that can only be understood by the people who step foot in the Blue Jackets' locker room.

For the Penguins, they're playing with destiny tonight, and while this article may not tell you how the Penguins can win, perhaps it'll enlighten you to something bigger even if they don't.

Just a single point separates Pittsburgh and Columbus, and the Jackets have a game in hand. Two meaningful points are at stake tonight. The Blue Jackets are just 4-12-3 away from home this season.

I can't speak for the Penguins' fanbase at large, but as I've alluded to occasionally in my rooting guides, it's hard to root against the Blue Jackets.

Win or lose tonight, I hope a perspective is acquired. Sometimes it's bigger than a game. If the Penguins make the playoffs, that's incredible, and it will be celebrated. But in the event they don't, I would love nothing more than for the Blue Jackets to represent something truly powerful on a national stage in search of Lord Stanley himself.