The Columbus Blue Jackets have quite a bit of depth in nearly all positions at this point in time. We’ve expected a defensive trade for most of the summer and the entirety of the season so far, but it’s yet to come. Two players have suffered as a result, although one at least has had an opportunity in the NHL this season. Nick Blankenburg has spent the entirety of the season so far with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL) while Kent Johnson played eight games with the Blue Jackets before being sent to Cleveland at the beginning of November. Both have proven that they’re NHL-caliber players, and they’re wasting their talent in the AHL.
Blankenburg: No Opportunity in Sight
Even if the Blue Jackets end up trading Andrew Peeke, Adam Boqvist, or even both, it’ll just be delaying the inevitable for Blankenburg it seems. With David Jiricek breaking into the lineup this season, Blankenburg fell even further down the depth chart. Looking forward, defensemen like Denton Mateychuk and Corson Ceulemans will be challenging for roster spots at the NHL level sooner rather than later. The current logjam of defensemen isn’t going to go away any time soon, the Blue Jackets will continue to add defensive prospects to the mix and as a result, some players will be left behind.
Unfortunately for Blankenburg, it seems this has already started to happen to him. As an undrafted 5-foot-9 defenseman, the odds were certainly against him, however, he’s impressed when given opportunities. He’s been thriving offensively with the Monsters, as he has recorded 11 points in 15 games at the time of writing. He’s shown time and time again that he’s going to play a physical game and be solid defensively despite his size. He plays the game of a 6-foot-1 defenseman even though he has a much smaller frame. He can also play both sides of the blue line with a right-handed shot. He’s not going to be a superstar, but he belongs in the NHL whether it’s in Columbus or elsewhere.
Johnson’s Confidence Has Been Restored
It’s not every day that a player who recorded 40 points in the prior season is sent down to the AHL. It’s even more rare for that to happen to a 21-year-old. That’s exactly what happened to Johnson though, so it’s not a surprise that an event like that has caused waves around not only local media, but national as well. It led to an abundance of speculation, rumors, and hope among fans around the NHL that they could see the skilled forward on their favorite team. To put it bluntly, the Blue Jackets’ management would be insane to even consider moving Johnson as he has the potential to be a key part of their future. This isn’t a Jesse Puljujarvi situation where the player can be good in the AHL but struggle in the NHL. Johnson is a proven asset, and although he had a slow start to the season and his demotion was warranted, he’s a legitimate NHL player.
As I discussed in a previous article, the Blue Jackets showed that they learned from their previous mistakes when they sent Johnson to the AHL, however, his performance there has not only been great but it’s been consistent as well. His confidence seems to be back to normal and when he’s recalled, I would be surprised if he doesn’t continue performing at a high level. Considering Johnson was drafted as a center as well, it may be worth giving him a chance to do so in the NHL. He’s been doing it with no issues in the AHL and given the fact that the Blue Jackets are always looking for a top center on the trade market, there’s no harm in giving an internal option a chance. They even tried to give Patrik Laine an opportunity down the middle which resulted in him being healthy scratched before moving back to the wing.
Related: Blue Jackets Handled Johnson Correctly After Sillinger Mishandling
The main issue comes when trying to figure out where he’d fit in the lineup. It would have been logical to recall Johnson instead of Eric Robinson and slot him on the third line while keeping the combination of Alex Texier, Sean Kuraly, and Justin Danforth together on the fourth line. Johnson’s future should undoubtedly be in Columbus and another opportunity should be on the horizon here soon, but in the meantime, he needs to keep dominating the AHL.
The Blue Jackets have too many NHL-quality players, which likely sounds strange to hear given their current position in the standings. They have a lack of high-end talent and a strength in depth, which unfortunately pushes some very deserving players out of the lineup. Blankenburg and Johnson should both have long NHL careers ahead of them. While Johnson will almost certainly have a future in Columbus, Blankenburg may have to go elsewhere to earn the opportunity he deserves.
