Everyone does a mailbag. We're aiming to make this one different.
Each week during the season, we will set a topic and we want you to help us with questions. Along with the questions, we want you to set the topic as well. It can be anything within hockey. Do you want to talk about arenas one week? You got it. The OHL? Sure, it's your world too. Locker room tendencies? A little bit weird but sure why not, you're part of this too.
So in addition to reading this column, make sure to comment below what you'd like the topic to be next week. Then, after that, submit questions at your leisure on Twitter.
Making the mailbag more interactive means that we can specialize the content into what you want and ensure it is in your hands.
Now to the good stuff, this week's topic is the Blue Jackets' underwhelming forwards:
Why is Foligno getting the 3rd most minutes behind Panarin and Atkinson?
— Andrew Dickinson (@HoboAndyJoe) October 22, 2018
This is a fair question. Why exactly is Foligno playing so darn much? There are a few reasons why that might be the case, the first is the fact that he plays in every situation. So you'll see him at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. Even though that is the case, it doesn't make a lot of sense for him to play in all situations.
On the wrong side of age 30, you'd expect him to take a more specialized role to ensure he is always fresh. They are still using him as an all tools type player and hoping that he can do it all effectively. Given his offensive prowess, he would be best used at even strength and on the power play. Being the captain of the team, you want him to do it all, it just isn't the best use of the player in the short or long term.
To be frank, the Blue Jackets have too many skilled players to be using Foligno so much.
Artemi Panarin is taken away in a UFO as a trade chip to avoid interplanetary conflict. The Jackets don't get anything in return (except galactic peace). What do you want the new lines to look like, and who fills in the open spot?
— Matt (@zekebud) October 22, 2018
*Cue the X-Files theme*
If Artemi Panarin leaves this team (on an identifiable flying object), they are going to be in a world of hurt without a top-end forward to anchor the offense. You need an offensive dynamo to fill that slot. Who is my top pick for that slot?
Oliver Bjorkstrand.
The expectations around Bjorkstrand are always sky high, but his skill set reminds me the most of Panarin's. He would play on his off wing but with it, he would be positioned as a shoot-first player. Given his playmaking and shooting ability, it's a fair spot to put him in. Heck, you don't even need Panarin gone, just put Bjorkstrand in a position to succeed now.
Without Panarin, here's what my lines would look like:
Bjorkstrand-Dubois-Atkinson
Foligno-Wennberg-Anderson
Milano-Dubinsky-Duclair
Jenner-Nash-Stenlund
You get even younger and you spread the offensive wealth all throughout the lineup. You could theoretically toss Vitaly Abramov in there too, if you want to aim for potential. With this lineup, I think you could post middling offensive numbers without even spending the extra cap space that the now-abducted Panarin occupied.
Should Seth Jones become a forward?
— Adam LaSCAREis (@adam_laskaris) October 22, 2018
While this question may have been in jest, the idea of putting him there isn't all that crazy. A lot of players make the switch at some point in time. How often do they do it while actually in the NHL? Not very often, if at all. Going through some old forum posts and some old game logs, you can see that players like Ryan Whitney, Brooks Orpik, Marc-Andre Bergeron have made the switch after a few games but the truly successful players in the NHL are generally switching from forward to defenseman.
Brent Burns is the name that will come up but he made the switch from forward to defenseman and it happened even before he made the NHL.
Jones has the skills to make the transition. It depends on what exactly he is expected to do. As a middle-six option forward wise, he would be a solid option. Instincts is where this all gets messy.
How would you rank our wings, ignoring RW or LW?
— Andrew Dickinson (@HoboAndyJoe) October 22, 2018
Oof, this is a tough one. The top is pretty clear cut but the mix after that is tough.
I'd go:
1. Panarin
2. Atkinson
3. Bjorkstrand
4. Foligno
5. Anderson
6. Jenner
7. Duclair
8. Milano
9. Hannikainen
I am not going to include Nash, Dubinsky, and Sedlak that have all seen time on the wings or have played there momentarily. I am higher on Bjorkstrand than most. I am not too keen on Jenner. Foligno ranks highly because he can play and do it all, a real Swiss Army knife. Duclair and Milano skill wise are more than likely in that top half skill wise but too inconsistent to rank higher. Hannikainen is a non-factor and essentially a tweener at this point.
Remember, comment and tell me what you'd like the topic to be next week!
