There will be new line combinations for the Blue Jackets this coming season, but all signs indicate Josh Anderson and Boone Jenner will be line mates once again (their left winger to be determined).
The chemistry that's been built between them will be a welcome sign as other forward lines attempt to mesh and perform at an optimal level. This is, as we've mentioned, a Columbus team that needs all hands on deck to consistently score goals and win games, particularly with inexperienced goaltending.
When Anderson or Jenner scored a goal this past season, the Blue Jackets' odds of winning increased significantly. The Blue Jackets were 20-5-0 when Anderson tallied a goal and a perfect 12-0-0 when Jenner scored at least once. That's a pretty impressive pace.
The high rate of success for the club when either player scores is indicative of how important their individual offensive contributions will be.
Anderson's production increased from .476 points per game in 2017-18 to .573 PPG in 2018-19, a 20.4% improvement.
| Season | Age | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 22 | 78 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 12 |
| 2017-18 | 23 | 63 | 19 | 11 | 30 | - 1 |
| 2018-19 | 24 | 82 | 27 | 20 | 47 | 25 |
Jenner hasn't come close to replicating his total of 30 goals when he was 22. However, his rate of production has improved since the 2015-16 season, despite scoring fewer goals.
| SEASON | AGE | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 22 | 82 | 30 | 19 | 49 | -15 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | 82 | 18 | 16 | 34 | 14 |
| 2017-18 | 24 | 75 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 25 | 77 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 6 |
Surprisingly, Jenner had 60 fewer shots on net (170) than Anderson's 230 in the previous campaign. While Jenner has been reliable in the defensive end, it wouldn't hurt to compensate with additional offense to give the Blue Jackets more balance – which has been an asset of theirs in recent years.
Also worth noting: Anderson and Jenner are both squarely in their primes. Anderson will be 25 years old this season, while Jenner is in his age-26 season.
Everything mentioned above adds credence to the belief that Jenner and Anderson should each see a slight bump in ice time. Each player averaged slightly more than 17 minutes per game in 2018-19, and with opportunity abound (especially among the forwards), John Tortorella won't hesitate to give these guys a bigger workload.
The table is set for both Anderson and Jenner to improve offensively, and if they're up to the task, the Blue Jackets will be in business.
