Thursday night started about as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets could ask for. Captain Boone Jenner scored early. Later Kirill Marchenko doubled the lead. At 2-0, the Blue Jackets felt like a good night was coming.
However the Dallas Stars took over from there and didn’t allow the Blue Jackets anything the rest of the night. It was almost a carbon copy of the game between these two teams in Dallas.
Former Blue Jacket Matt Duchene recorded a goal and two assists. Each of his linemates Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment added goals while Craig Smith and Jason Robertson put the finishing touches on five unanswered goals for the Stars to propel them to a 5-2 win. With the loss, the Blue Jackets have the fewest wins in the Eastern Conference with four and sit just one point from the basement in the Conference.
We could sit here and talked about what went wrong in the game. The Stars’ third line dominated the game. The Blue Jackets actually played ok at most times except for some crucial coverage mistakes that led to goals against.
The Stars are a Stanley Cup contender while the Blue Jackets are trying to figure out how to play in these types of games. Excluding overtime, with just four wins and nine losses on the season, this has been a common theme most nights.
It’s obvious the Blue Jackets have played better than last season. But they don’t have results in the standings to show for it. In 2022-23, the team was 4-9-0 after 13 games. In 2023-24, they are 4-6-3. Only difference being three overtime losses instead of three regulation losses.
The Real Issue Needing Addressed
The Blue Jackets are trying to build something. With many younger players in the lineup, they are learning the systems and how to become a pro in the NHL. The team will have several nights like Thursday.
However not everyone on the Blue Jackets is young. They have enough veterans on the team in which they should be playing better than what they’ve shown 13 games into the season.
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There’s a much bigger issue that the Blue Jackets need to address right now. This should take precedence over everything else to get the team back on the right track.
It’s actually very simple. The Blue Jackets’ best players need to start playing like they’re the best players consistently. In particular, they must find a way to get Johnny Gaudreau going offensively.
With Patrik Laine still sidelined, Gaudreau presents the biggest offensive threat the Blue Jackets have. Although he did get an assist on Jenner’s goal Thursday night, finding the net has been a struggle.
Gaudreau still hasn’t recorded a goal this season with an opposing goalie in net. His lone goal was an empty netter. He’s taken 36 shots this season and has just the one goal to show for it. He was recently benched for the third period due to his performance. His lack of production has had a direct effect on the Blue Jackets 4-6-3 record.
Gaudreau will enter the weekend seventh on the Blue Jackets in scoring with 1-5-6 in 13 games. At 2.62 goals per game, the team ranks 26th in the NHL.
Jenner leads the Blue Jackets in goals with seven in 13 games. After him, it’s Marchenko, Sean Kuraly, Justin Danforth and Emil Bemstrom with three goals each. While that’s good depth scoring, it’s problematic when they’re tied for second on the team in goals.
This signifies the great need to do whatever it takes to put Gaudreau in a position to succeed. If he’s able to find his game, the impact will flow down the rest of the lineup.
Potential Options
Now the big question. What can the Blue Jackets do in order to help Gaudreau find his game? No matter what it is, it’s up to coach Pascal Vincent to find the right combinations.
Jenner’s line with Gaudreau and Jack Roslovic did not have a good night overall. Per Nat Stat Trick, Gaudreau’s xGF% at 5-on-5 Thursday was just 21.75%. In other words, the Blue Jackets were expected to score just 21.75% of goals with them on the ice or about four out of every five goals would be scored by the opposition. While Dallas is a strong opponent, that line was not on their game.
Has the time come for the Blue Jackets to try some different line combinations? While Jenner and Gaudreau have had some success together, the numbers don’t lie. Gaudreau’s offense needs to be unlocked soon. That’s one thing the team could do is see if different linemates can get him going. What about an extended look with Adam Fantilli? Fantilli’s line was the best Blue Jackets’ line Thursday and looked dangerous.
Another option could be coming back soon in the form of Laine. He has started skating again in an effort to rejoin his teammates as soon as possible. Will the Blue Jackets go back to him at center when he’s ready?
No matter what is decided, the lines need to crafted in which there’s a threat each time someone steps on the ice. They also need to be crafted in a way in which Gaudreau has his best chance to impact the game. Why not see if Fantilli and Gaudreau have chemistry? What is there to lose?
Here’s what I would do with Laine out.
- Gaudreau-Fantilli-Marchenko
- Texier-Jenner-Roslovic
- Voronkov-Sillinger-Chinakhov
- Danforth-Kuraly-Olivier
Fantilli is showing flashes of what he could become. Putting him with a playmaker like Gaudreau could unlock both of their potentials. Adding Marchenko to that mix gives the line a dynamic look.
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The bottom line is that the Blue Jackets need to try something different before things get way too out of hand. Gaudreau is too important of a player for them to be struggling for this long. Priorities 1, 2 and 3 are to unlock his offensive potential. Not only will that help him, it will help everyone on the team.
The Blue Jackets need wins. In order to get wins, Gaudreau must be their best player. The onus is on the coaching staff to find the spark to get him going.
The words and proposed direction of the team are great. But it’s time to see some results. It starts with getting Gaudreau back on the right track.