COLUMBUS, Ohio John Tortorella put the Blue Jackets' run Christian Kuntz Jersey in the 2019 NHL playoffs into perspective as only he could in the aftermath of Monday's 3-0 lo s to the Boston Bruins at Nationwide Arena."Don't even go there with me," Tortorella said. "I'm not going to listen to that s about an accomplishment. You get to the second round. I don't want to listen to it."MORE: The Bruins eliminated the Blue Jackets in six games. Tortorella then was asked how this felt compared to last year's first-round lo s to the Capitals, also in six games. Washington went on to win the Stanley Cup. Tortorella wasn't having that either."I don't remember last year's feeling," Tortorella said before trailing off. "I don't remember."As far as Tortorella is concerned, that's history. Theres no separation between a first-round lo s to Washington and a second-round lo s to Boston, even if Columbus defeated top-seed Tampa Bay in a remarkable four-game sweep for the franchise's first-ever series victory in the NHL playoffs.Blue Jackets fans will rally behind Tortorella "What's he supposed to say?" with hopes he sets the bar higher next season. Questions about the franchise's future loom, however, so that won't be easy.In time, perhaps even Tortorella will remember this as the start of something bigger for a dormant franchise that continues to take steps toward something more.In the meantime, it's OK for everybody else to appreciate what happened in the last month before marching on.Ohioans share a deep-rooted appreciation for their history. After all, the name Blue Jackets was chosen as a nod to the state's Civil War ties. Generals such as Uly ses S. Grant, William T. Sherman and Philip Sheridan have statues in their honor acro s the state. Grant was one of five Ohio-born Civil War veterans who went on to become president of the United States. And that strong military presence is honored Pittsburgh Steelers Pet Gear before each home game.Leo Welsh sings the National Anthem before each game with his armed locked with a veteran. Specialist Sean Gifford and Sgt. Lawrence McCauley were honored in the first round. In the second round, 102-year old World War II veterans Lt. Col. Esher Lingel and Maj. Sgt. Elwood "Woody" Snell were honored before Game 3 and Game 4, respectively. Staff Sgt. Donald Jakeway a 96-year-old who liberated a Jewish family in Germany during World War II was up Monday for Game 6."That was so cool with the World War II veteran," Columbus left wing Nick Foligno said after a 2-1 victory in Game 3. "That was a neat touch to see him get an ovation like that. I'm sure that thrilled him and his family. That just sparked the whole night."That was Columbus' last win in these playoffs, which featured Central Ohio's first sustainable case of playoff fever. Columbus took division rival Washington to six games last season and Pittsburgh to five games in 2016-17, but this was the first time in five playoff appearances that the Blue Jackets broke through to the second round.MORE: Columbus waited 18 seasons for this moment A record crowd of 19,431 watched Game 4 at Nationwide Arena. Two nights later, 13,187 showed up for a watch party with the Blue Jackets on the road."It's good to see the buzz around the city," Right wing Cam Atkinson said. "Everywhere you go Jack Ham Jersey it seems like people were excited about how we were doing. They felt like they were a part of it, as they should."Boston ended the party Monday behind goaltender Tuukka Rask, who shut down Columbus in three straight games to close out the series. The Bruins are looking for their third trip to the Stanley Cup finals this decade. That is what Tortorella and the Blue Jackets' management are emphasizing now. On Sunday, Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen addre sed the step-by-step proce s the franchise now must live out."I think it's great for everybody, but you have to win in the second round to get to the third and get a win in the third to get a chance at the Stanley Cup," Kekalainen said in a teleconference. "That's the way I look at it. When people were talking about not having won a playoff series, we mentioned that it's not the goal that we are happy by winning one round. We're definitely not."The question now becomes whether they can get back with this group.Foligno, Atkinson and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky occupied three sides of the Blue Jackets' locker room after the season-ending lo s to Boston on Monday. Atkinson put out there what everybody Demarcus Christmas Jersey in Columbus will be thinking."It's hard to tell now with what is going to happen this summer with free agency and who's going to be here and who's not," Atkinson said. "If we bring the same group back, then yeah, we have a shot."The Blue Jackets are in free-agency limbo now. Bobrovsky and leading scorer Artemi Panarin are unrestricted free agents. So are trade deadline additions Ryan Dzingel and Matt Duchene. Bobrovsky and Panarin have already said they would test the free-agent market during the season.Will this playoff run be enough to make them think twice?"We have our plan for the future set, and we mentioned at the deadline that we were willing to take the risk with all the a sets that we have," Kekalainen said. "At the time I said our group is worth it, and I still believe our group is definitely worth the risk."Kekalainen also is trusting the farm system with prospects such as Alexandre Texier, Liam Foudy, Sonny Milano, Emil Benstrom and Vladislav Gavrikov.That group, however, will have to mesh like this team did late in the season a run that included seven wins in the last eight regular-season games before the first-round sweep of Tampa Bay.Atkinson said the Boston series is the next le son."We just have to remember how tough it is in the playoffs," Atkinson said. "Can't take it for granted. Next year who knows what's going to happen? Who's going to be in this locker room?"Cheers of "C-B-J! C-B-J!" enveloped Nationwide Arena in the final minutes of Game 6, and the Blue Jackets received a standing ovation before this group skated off the ice into an uncertain future. Foligno, the team captain the last four seasons, will be back. Derek Watt Jersey He was asked repeatedly what's next for Columbus."I know we're going to come back better from this because there's only that approach you really can take," Foligno said. "From everything that's gone on us with this team, there's only growth that is going to happen."Kekalainen reiterated the same me sage from the front office, which will have to negotiate the free-agency attrition while trying to build momentum with the fan base after the second-round playoff run. That will be a challenge."When you pick some great players like we have with our scouting staff doing a great job," Kekalainen said "We have a lot of prospects in our system and so we thought we have the luxury of giving up some picks. Our future is going to be good no matter what happens July 1."MORE: Where this goes from here, howe