This is the first edition of Boomers in December. After surgery, I am still getting used to this whole writing thing. May do it twice monthly rather than every other week, this edition you can really see more overall trends and may give us better insight into what the Blue Jackets are trending towards.
A couple players, like it has been in prior weeks, continue to impress and others continue to make matters worse.
Three Boomers Up
Artemi Panarin
In six games this month, Panarin has ten points including two goals and eight assists. Pair that with a CF% that is tops on the team in December, there is a reason that the first line continues to get the recognition it has received.
Panarin is the Blue Jackets superstar. He now needs a whole lot of help.
Markus Nutivaara
This spot in Three Boomers has normally been reserved for Zach Werenski or Seth Jones but let us take a moment to give Markus Nutivaara the props he deserves for playing such a solid game from the third pairing. He only has one point in December, an assist. That doesn't mean that his impact hasn't been felt.
In the four games that he has played, he has one of the best CF% on the defense and he is doing it without his regular defensive partner as well. Nutivaara is making big strides and is becoming a strong offensive player in the process. A big development in a season devoid of them.
Pierre-Luc Dubois
This is Dubois' spot until further notice. He has had a strong December and only continues to improve. He has six points in six games thus far. This includes one goal and five assists. He is second to Panarin in CF% in December and is third on the team in scoring chance percentage at even strength.
Dubois is playing like a number one center and is developing faster than anyone could have hoped.
Honorable Mentions: Zach Werenski and Seth Jones pairing, Nick Foligno improving, Pizza Guy.
Three Boomers Down
Jack Johnson and David Savard
These two knocked Nick Foligno from his perch at the top of Boomers Down, it has been a long time coming that these two occupy a slot on this side of the ledger. After having great years last season, Johnson and Savard are playing way below what they had been last season.
For regular defensemen, they are at the bottom for CF% within the team and are bleeding goals against when they are on the ice. Add that Savard has been taking penalties an awful lot, you have an absolute disaster on your hands. They need to either break up this pairing or find a successful time replacement for it, otherwise, this pairing could eventually bring the Blue Jackets down.
Lukas Sedlak
Sedlak at the beginning of the season was putting pucks towards the net and was pushing the play offensively but now has taken a big step back. He has had a rotating cast of linemates but that doesn't change the fact that he isn't doing any of the little moments right either. He isn't winning faceoffs, he isn't shooting the puck often and perhaps most importantly, he hasn't stabilized a unit that needs it.
Sedlak is an important cog for the Blue Jackets and he hasn't been performing this month.
Sonny Milano
I am not selling my Milano stock just yet but his December (and frankly a few prior games in November) were reasons why he was sent down to Cleveland. He isn't shooting the puck and his tentative play have taken away from his normally stellar offensive game. It could be a case of overthinking it but Milano could see more time with the Blue Jackets soon enough and he has to improve offensively for his ice time justification.
Honorable Mentions: Zach Kassian's fists, lack of jump from the start, McDavid superpowers.
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