Depth was always going to be the advantage in any series the Columbus Blue Jackets were going to be a part of this postseason.
A large reason why they did so well against their opponents this regular season was the balanced approach they took offensively. Each line had a scorer or two on it, and that strategy was going to bode well for the Blue Jackets.
Each player has to play his part for a team to be successful. This becomes especially true when the playoffs come calling.
Multiple players haven't lived up to their billing this series but one player in particular has had a troublesome regular season that has now translated into a troublesome postseason.
William Karlsson.
While he set career highs in the NHL this year with 19 assists and 25 points, it's what he has done with the ice time that he has been given that should give people pause. Out of players that have played at least 715 minutes at even strength, Karlsson finished fourth to last in shot differential, suggesting his reputation as a defensive stalwart is very misleading.
The perception of the defensive forward always centers around the idea that you're better in your own end. Yet, the Selke Trophy, the NHL award that goes to the league's best defensive forward, always goes to the player that spends an overwhelming time in the offensive zone. Look at Patrice Bergeron's and Anze Kopitar's shot differential numbers when they won the award; they were always top three among centers.
The best defense is often a good offense.
This isn't to say that Karlsson should be expected to play at an award-winning level; he isn't that type of player. But given his role, he should at least be putting up a fight when he is on the ice and the statistics this playoff series haven't been kind to him.
Jeremy Crowe of Buckeye State Hockey pointed out on Twitter that the numbers don't lie.
William Karlsson is in way, way over his head with his current usage.
— Jeremy Crowe (@307x) April 17, 2017
Check out the numbers the Pens put up against him so far: pic.twitter.com/NyZeIvGOv1
Karlsson has been matched up against Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel for large portions of time this series, and both have large advantages offensively against Karlsson. For the most part, the zone starts are also in the offensive zone, meaning that the Penguins have been taking the puck and marching it back down when he is on the ice.
It's easy to pinpoint this to him, but he does in fact have linemates, and the numbers for Josh Anderson and Matt Calvert have been as bad or worse. Other than the one goal they scored, they've been caved in.
A once strong bottom six line has instead played much of the series in its own end. The Blue Jackets have been exposed in this particular area and have found no way to remedy it. Penguins' head coach Mike Sullivan has targeted the line for his offensive players, and Columbus' John Tortorella hasn't done anything to change the variables at play. Usage has continued to be a problem this series as changes on the fly have almost been non-existent.
The series may already be out of the team's grasp. A quick exit may be painful, but it could expose a real problem with the team. It could quickly turn into a blessing in disguise.
