2026 Blue Jackets Preseason Q&A With Charlie Coyle: Loyalty, The Cusp and Proving It – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

Charlie Coyle found himself in a unique situation during the 2026 offseason. He was set to become one of the most sought-after free agents on the market.

Coyle turned in one of his best offensive seasons in his career. He secured his third 20-goal season while tying a career high in assists while being a member of one of the better lines in the NHL along with Cole Sillinger and Mathieu Olivier.

But then for the first time in his entire NHL career, Coyle experienced the pain of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Many thought this fact alone would be enough reason for him to leave the Blue Jackets. At age 34, he’s to the point where he wants to chase a championship. Opposing teams took notice. They hoped to be able to land him in free agency.

Except, it never got to that point. Coyle chose to stay with the Blue Jackets. It was an important piece of business for the team. It was also ensured Coyle got the term and security he was looking for. Yet, beyond the contract stuff, this decision signaled something even bigger: A belief in where the Blue Jackets are going.

Coyle sat down for over 20 minutes with the Hockey Writers to discuss his decision to stay with the Blue Jackets among many other topics. He also discussed the pain of missing the playoffs for the first time, what he sees in the room, the sense of loyalty he has for Don Waddell, preparing for the upcoming season and the captaincy if it was offered. He ends with a strong message for fans.

This was one of our longer Q&A given the depth of his answers. It is broken up into sections and cleaned up for clarity and flow.

Why Columbus

Q: You could have signed anywhere. What did you see here that made six years the right call?

Coyle: “Bottom line, I want to play hockey as long as I can. You have to love the game. I love playing. Getting an offer like that at my age — I don’t think I was going to see anything like that on the open market. That gives me a chance to keep playing.”

“A lot of things go into it. Family. Where you’re living. Is this a good spot to raise a family? We found out it is. We love where we are. My wife loves it here. She’s from Minnesota. I’m from Boston. This is pretty much the halfway point, so family on both sides can get here without it being a long trip. Kids’ schools can be solidified. You don’t have to move around on a three-year deal with less security.”

“The second part is I want to win. Who doesn’t? I’ve been here a year. Don kept me at the trade deadline when he probably could have traded me without knowing if I would sign. I didn’t have a clue either. He wanted a straight answer. I couldn’t give him one. He went out on a limb, kept me, kept our team, and tried to make a playoff push. That loyalty is something I value and respect.”

“My daughter was about to be born right at the deadline too. That would have thrown a wrench in things. He said he wasn’t going to do that to me. He was going to keep me and let’s do this. I was fully on board.”

“I like our team. Guys would ask me, ‘It’s your first time in the playoffs. Totally understandable if you sign elsewhere.’ I didn’t want to jump ship. I want to work at this. I felt valued here — playing every situation, how the coaches viewed me, how my teammates viewed me.”

“I loved our line with Sillinger and Olivier. We were together most of the year. Instant chemistry. We bonded. I didn’t want to leave that. The moves we made filled some holes. We got bigger, a little meaner, a little stronger. On paper we have a good team. Guys fully believe that. I want to work toward getting in the playoffs and making a run.”

“It fit everything: stability, security, hockey, the potential. We’re right on the cusp. Younger guys growing into their game. The moves Don has made. I think it all comes together. Not right away, but we’ll build on it. That’s exciting.”

Building It Here

Q: What’s different about building something here compared to Colorado, Minnesota, or Boston, where those teams were further along?

Coyle: “People make a big deal of ‘they made the playoffs’ or ‘they didn’t.’ There’s not a big gap. It can be a couple points early in the year that screwed us last year. Little things make a big difference, and all of a sudden you’re a playoff team.”

“This team has been right there two years in a row — a couple points. That’s not a lot. There are correctable things. Penalty kill is one. Room for improvement. Tweaking things. New coaches behind the bench who will have a say.”

“Younger guys another year older. Guys who maybe didn’t have the years they wanted personally are capable of being better. The big thing is playing the right way. Get everyone playing the right way more than we did last year, especially when games get tough down the stretch and the pressure is on. We dwindled because we got away from it. I don’t know if we were pressing too hard or lost track of why we were winning in January, February, into March.”

“If we get everyone on the same page, and Bowness has a full year to hold us accountable — and our leaders in the room hold each other accountable — that’s going to play a big part. There’s a lot of potential. Mold it the right way. It’s not going to be perfect. There will be downs and ups. Grow it the right way, get a good start, keep learning. I think it’s there for us.”

Q: How did missing the playoffs for the first time sit with you over the summer? Did it change how you’re walking into this year?

Coyle: “It sucks. No way around it. It limited a chance to win a Stanley Cup. Is the whole year a total loss? No. You learn from mistakes. Things I could have done differently. Things the team could have done differently. How we’re going to grow and what we have to do to get in this year.”

“I want to work at this. It wasn’t ‘I didn’t get it here, I’m out.’ I wouldn’t have signed here if I didn’t see potential in what we can accomplish. I have no intent of missing the playoffs again. It’s not fun. It leaves a bad taste.”

“When you lose in whatever round, you want to come back hungrier, get a little deeper, extend the season, give yourself a chance to win a Cup. That’s the goal.”

The Bowness Effect

Q: What changed in the room when Bones first came in? What still needs to change?

Coyle: “Communication is the biggest thing. Knowing where we stand. Knowing where the coaches stand, their viewpoints, what they’re expecting. Talking things out. You can’t have a separation from coaches and players where you don’t know. It feels like two separate teams. You’re not in it together.”

“Bones is top-notch at that. That was a big thing when he came in. We noticed it right away. At the same time, when he came in it was already crunch time. We were in a bad spot. His hands were tied a little. Maybe holding guys accountable more. When he has a full year to do what he can do and let his wings out, he’s not limited to a short timeframe. I’m interested and excited to see that. We can put it together for a full year, go through the ups and downs together, and do it his way. That’s going to be huge.”

Q: Bones said losing has to bother more people. Where is that standard in the room right now, and what’s your part as a leader?

Coyle: “He’s right. He cares and knows what we can get to. Every team that doesn’t win the Cup goes through ‘what do we have to do better.’ We have older guys and younger guys. We have to set the example.

“It can’t be ‘I got my points.’ Throw the selfish stuff out. Team, team, team. If you’re not there for the team, if you’re not playing the right way — Bones has a full year to hold guys accountable. It’s not just Bones. Leaders and veterans have to do it. Great teams have a good bench. They don’t wait for the coach. They hold each other accountable and set the standard.”

“You talk about it. You show it by how you prepare every day and how you work in practice. It’s on everyone, but especially leaders and veterans to set the standard and not let it fall.”

Q: There was a lot of offseason noise, including the Kirill Marchenko rumors at the draft. How do you keep that from becoming a distraction?

Coyle: “There’s a lot of outside noise. It’s a business. Teams go through stuff. Detroit with Larkin. Captain situations. Every team has something. Some bigger than others.”

“When everyone’s here at camp, they’re here. Make sure they’re fully on board. If you’re going to be here, you’re here. If you’re not, you’re not going to play. You’ll be left out. You’ll be exposed.”

“Leave the offseason noise there. Whoever’s here, jump on board and play to the standard we’re going to hold. Whoever doesn’t will fall off. Hungry younger guys will come up. Those things have been addressed. Now we move on and play.”

Looking Ahead & Staying Available

Q: With the shortened preseason, how did you use the summer, and what are the biggest changes players will feel?

Coyle: “Everything comes quicker. All of a sudden you’re playing meaningful games. You only have so much time to get the bad habits out. A lot of times in these skates you can go through the motions. Then all of a sudden it’s camp, then a preseason game, and it’s too late.”

“We’re monitoring every skate. The first time I was here Monday we played five-on-five for a long time. Pace went down. We started to geyser-loop. Bad habits. So dial that back. Play a smaller game. Make sure we’re doing the right things so when camp starts we’re on it. We don’t have to turn our brains on again and remember how we play.”

“I haven’t changed much about how I prepare. Be ready for each practice. Bring a little more focus because you only have so many skates before the real games. Meetings, systems, tweaks — we need to be dialed in. Coaches have a good plan for that.”

Q: You’re one of the more durable guys in the league. What does that process look like, and how do you pass that on?

Coyle: “There’s a lot to it. There’s luck. Wacky things happen. You get hit, you break something. I’ve had that. You still have to prepare and build yourself up to take the hits and have longevity. When they invest money in you, the biggest thing is to be available. I pride myself on that.”

“You’re barely ever 100 percent. We all battle through stuff. Do the right things away from the rink so your body can handle what it has to handle on the ice. That’s hockey. I learn every year how to eat better, what my body needs, how to structure the program. Fine-tuning, even 15 years in. Little things after games, before games. Boring things every day that add up until they become habit.”

Captaincy and Message to the Fans

Q: Have you been approached about the captaincy? Any idea what the team is thinking?

Coyle: Not a clue. No, I haven’t.

Q: If you were offered it, how much of an honor would it be?

Coyle: “It would be a great honor. I’m going to bring what I bring no matter what. I feel more confident every year to be a little more vocal, use my voice. Fifteenth year in the league. I have to bring what I’ve learned and experienced. It doesn’t matter if I’m wearing a C, an A, or nothing. I’m going to lead because I have to. I’m in that position.”

“To get a C would be a huge honor. That’s how your peers, coaches, and management view you. I’d be very honored. That’s not going to change whatever happens. I haven’t heard much. I’m rolling with it. If it happens, great. At the end of the day it’s a joint leadership group. It can’t just be one guy wearing a C.”

Q: What’s your message to the fans coming into the year?

Coyle: “I could sit here and say anything. We’ll prove it. That will speak more volumes than anything I can say. I love playing here. We love playing here. I love what the fans bring. Columbus is a great place to play hockey with this fan base. No one is hungrier to make the playoffs than these fans and this city.”

“Same for us. We missed the playoffs last year. We’re just as hungry as everyone coming into this building and everyone watching from the couch on the road. We’re all in it together. We want to give these fans what they deserve and what they want, because we want the same thing. We’re on the same team.”