Jones: Blue Jackets won't 'catch as many teams off guard'

Thanks to an incredible turnaround last season, NHL clubs aren't likely to overlook the Columbus Blue Jackets this year.

The Blue Jackets rose 32 points in the standings from 2016 to 2017 and claimed the fourth-best record in the league, though their season concluded with a first-round loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The club is still looking to improve, but as defenseman Seth Jones suggests, the team won't be able to surprise its opponents anymore.

"I think we need to earn more respect in this league and one year and a playoff appearance doesn't do that," Jones said, according to Sydney McNulty of BlueJackets.com. "I think we caught a lot of teams off guard, and I don't think we are going to catch as many teams off guard this season, so we have to be even better and on top of our game for sure."

What the Blue Jackets hope will make them better, and an even more legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference, is the addition of Artemi Panarin. Jones feels the sniper, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks, should boost the club's offense.

"I think it is going to add a little bit more creativity offensively," Jones said. "We lost a great player in Brandon (Saad), but, at the same time, we are getting a very awesome player, a very exciting player to watch in Panarin. I think we are really happy with some of the moves we've made, and hopefully that makes the team better."

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