Every once in a while, John Tortorella tells us what he’s really thinking.
Sorry. Weak joke.
To hear him speak about his depleted lineup — a lineup he will never admit is depleted — is to hear him talk about the door opening for someone else, another player who has been waiting for a chance to show what he can do.
It’s not about who’s gone. It’s about who’s here. Tortorella is like any other coach: he’d rather not dwell and would rather look forward, but there’s no denying the important pieces missing from his lineup. But who’s to say those waiting for their turn can’t step in and state their case?
The Blue Jackets aren’t particularly deep at center but they have plenty of help on the wing, or they did until Cam Atkinson and now Calvert got hurt. Sonny Milano, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Zac Dalpe, Markus Hannikainen…these are guys who have been in and out of the lineup at different times in the first month of the season, but many of whom have done enough to warrant more ice time.
And for all the talk about Tortorella not giving his fourth line a ton of minutes, what better time to show him that you can be trusted than right now? The depth has been eroded a bit, the minutes are going to have to be spread around and players like those mentioned above are out of excuses. Play well and earn it, because the Blue Jackets need you.
Well, the fourth line was basically stapled to the bench after Zac Dalpe's third-period elbowing penalty.
Here’s what Tortorella had to say before last night’s horr-awful game in New York. It’s good.
“Some guys sit in the background, piss and moan, (they) want to be in the lineup, (they) want more minutes. Okay…here’s your opportunity."
If Tortorella had his way and had a few more people at his disposal, he would be shuffling through a few more names for tonight’s game against Nashville.
The Blue Jackets took three consecutive penalties — in the offensive zone! — to take a game they had a decent handle on and place it in the hands of the Rangers. Artemi Panarin was the first. Dalpe was the second...and it didn't stop there.
David Savard was the third, committing a tripping infraction after he was a tad aggressive trying to fetch a loose puck. Oh, and there’s this…
New York scored 57 seconds after the Panarin penalty. 2-2.
The Rangers scored three seconds after the Dalpe penalty. 3-3.
They scored 12 seconds into the Savard penalty. 4-3.
Tortorella’s patience with his inconsistent-yet-productive team is a lit fuse.
“We were a dumb hockey team tonight,” he said post-game, a media session that lasted 53 seconds.
Yes, John. Yes.
THE WINDS OF CHANGE
Tortorella has wanted to find more ice time for Tyler Motte, and he did.
On Saturday night in Tampa, Motte found himself in the Blue Jackets’ top six with Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner. Last night in New York, he’d earned another promotion; Motte opened the game with Alexander Wennberg and Panarin, a combination that could only be construed as the Blue Jackets’ makeshift second line.
Or is it…the top line? Who knows?
It’s also a message to the rest of the “top” players on the club. Wennberg was passed over on both power play units, a stunning reversal from a year ago when he was a catalyst for the Blue Jackets’ lethal power play in the first half of the season. Wennberg has accumulated points but Tortorella wants him to be less predictable both 5-on-5 and on the power play, where it’s obvious that everyone knows he’s looking to pass the puck.
If it were possible, the Blue Jackets might go through some more changes. If they get Cam Atkinson back tonight, which is possible, there may be one or two. We’ll see.
YOU SHOULD BE READING
- Matt Calvert's absence, a 3-4 week upper body injury, is a big blow to the Jackets.
- The Blue Jackets, for the time being, are the Metro Division's top team in our power rankings.
- Sam Blazer takes stock of the (mostly good) Blue Jackets in this week's "Three Boomers."
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