Boone Jenner hasn't recorded a point in two games since returning from a back injury, but he's certainly made his presence felt.
In the Blue Jackets' 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, Boone Jenner was in his element, creating havoc on the boards and in front of the net. While he wasn't credited with an assist on either of the first two goals, his screens allowed Oliver Bjorkstrand and Seth Jones to score goals on shots that may have otherwise been stopped.
In the video below, notice how Jenner is in prime position at the top of the crease. As soon as the puck moves from Sonny Milano to Bjorkstrand, Jenner pivots slightly to take away the eyes of goaltender Chad Johnson.
Oliver Bjorkstrand with an ABSOLUTE LASER to beat Chad Johnson and give #CBJ a 1-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/qYBYpCi7nJ
— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) October 26, 2017
On Jones' goal, Jenner isn't in great position but his presence around the crease caused chaos for Buffalo. He brings Evander Kane with him to the front of the net, allowing Jones plenty of space in the middle of the ice. Had Jenner not crashed the net like he does here, Kane would have likely taken away the middle, exactly where Jones scored.
Second goal of the season for Seth Jones. #CBJ are buzzing tonight. pic.twitter.com/4edNyeHJEx
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 26, 2017
When asked about Jenner's game, head coach John Tortorella was happy to give credit to his 24-year old winger:
"It's contagious, when he's on the ice, when he starts doing those things. We put him on the power play last night, and he immediately makes an effect, by just taking the goalies' eyes away."
It's clear that Tortorella trusts Jenner as much as anyone on the team. One needs to look no further than his zone start ratio; coaches will deploy more defensive-oriented lines for a defensive zone face-off, and more skilled lines for offensive zone draws. The rationale is simple: trust your trusted players to defend and give your scorers a leg up by starting in the attacking zone.
Not once in his career has Jenner started over 50% of 5v5 shifts in the offensive zone (to be fair, his rookie year he started 49.9% of shifts in the offensive zone).
Through two games this season, Jenner has started just 26.9% of his 5-on-5 shifts in the attacking zone, lowest on the team by a significant margin (Markus Hannikainen is next at 40%). For comparison's sake, Artemi Panarin has an OZ/DZ zone start ratio of 63.2%.
Even with a small sample size, it's telling that Tortorella trusts his young alternate captain to play in all situations, perhaps the truest compliment one could garner from Tortorella.
"It's an eye ball test. Is it working or isn't it?"
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 26, 2017
John Tortorella on how his evaluation of the #CBJ lines, @joshanderson_77's play, more: pic.twitter.com/WmA6cpD6cR
Tortorella was (unusually?) complimentary of Jenner following the game against Buffalo:
"He’s an engine of our team. He drives us forward, whether it’s a big hit on the forecheck, a blocked shot — he’s leading our team in blocked shots (among) forwards. He does a lot of different things for us. We’re lucky to have him."
Jenner is looking to regain his form of 2015-16, when he scored 30 goals and posted a career-high 49 points. Despite a slow start a year ago, he eventually found success, and finished the year with a respectable 18 goals and 16 assists.
If an 18-goal season is a "down year" for Jenner, Tortorella is right; the Blue Jackets are lucky to have him.
Follow 1st Ohio BatteryFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
