Are the Columbus Blue Jackets being pushed around too much?
Maybe not after last night.
Zach Werenski: We played hard. We played physical. We took a step forward as a group tonight. #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 5, 2022
"We stood up for ourselves which is good," Jake Voracek said. "I'm not gonna lie, I kind of get tired of getting run over like that."
Let's go back a little bit.
Pretty much gone are the days in which fighting is as part of the given Tuesday night hockey game as it once was. While fighting in hockey is not all-out banned like some wish it was, we just don't see it as commonplace as we once did.
One can't think of the Blue Jackets from back in the day and not think of former enforcer, and now Bally Sports color analyst, Jody Shelley, when he led the team in all things physicality.
During his role as an enforcer for the club, and throughout his career, it was routine to see players like Shelley with a couple of hundred minutes in penalties throughout a season. He had a career-high 249 minutes in the sin bin in 2002-03.
This season, there's merely a handful of players with over 100 minutes in the box.
That's not to say all teams and players aren't physical or edgy. It's hockey after all. But these days, there are teams who aren't as big or heavy as others.
Generally speaking, the Blue Jackets are among the least penalized teams in the league as a whole with 543 penalty minutes. In 2002-03 the Blue Jackets had the second-most amount of penalty minutes with 1,505 minutes.
The Penguins have the fewest minutes in the box this year at 468 and the Nashville Predators are the most penalized team with 835 minutes.
It's probably no surprise the Predators have the most majors with 47 and the Minnesota Wild (more on them) has the third-most amount with 28. The Blue Jackets and Dallas Stars are tied with seven, the least amount in the game today.
Let's make one thing clear: It's not that we're advocating for fighting, or for the Blue Jackets to throw down more. It's not an element of the game that's going to result in more wins or playoff berths or Stanley Cup victories, but the edge certainly plays a part. A form of solidarity for teammates.
The narrative came to light when Columbus went up against the Wild at Nationwide Arena on Mar. 11.
The Blue Jackets escaped serious injury in that game to Jake Voracek when Marcus Foligno sparked controversy with a knee-on-knee incident with Voracek. Voracek missed the rest of the game but did return to the bench and only missed one game after.
Foligno personally apologized to Jarmo Kekalainen when the two crossed paths in Minnesota during Mikko Koivu's jersey retirement according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.
Patrik Laine also suffered a knee-on-knee injury in that game but didn't miss any games thereafter.
When talking with Shelley (interview with The Cannon in 2018 and 2021) in the past, it's no surprise he still advocates for the physical edge in the game.
With his unique vantage point between the glass for home games, it makes you wonder about his thoughts when there are certain isolated incidents occurring in games where the Blue Jackets might be at the disadvantage to fight back, whether that's actual fighting or just being able to match the opponents' size.
Gritty forward Zac Rinaldo was signed for games where the intensity can climb, but after he refused the COVID vaccine before the season, was left off the club and the Blue Jackets didn't find a replacement for covering that role.
Sean Kuraly and Andrew Peeke help make up for the Blue Jackets' edge as both are at the top in dishing out hits.
Kuraly leads the way with 212 hits while Peeke has 160, and Vladislav Gavrikov is third on the club with 115 hits (career highs for all three). We've talked before about Peeke's evolution as he opened up in the past about dropping the gloves in-game and being physical.
Peeke was on the wrong end of Brad Marchand's hit during Monday's game against the Boston Bruins but had his say later on.
Brad Marchand with a big hit that injures Andrew Peeke pic.twitter.com/C99yaQJVGo
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) April 4, 2022
Andrew Peeke just finished a check on Brad Marchand. Wasn't gonna miss that chance. The two were then chatting as the #CBJ went back up the ice with the puck.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) April 5, 2022
Skill wins out and we know how skillful the league is. We still hear blowback comments from former players and those of the older school who even talk down the skill on display or actively promote the form of violence as a deterrent for said skill.
That antiquated sentiment took place recently when Arizona Coyotes analyst Tyson Nash took umbrage on the broadcast between the Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks, applauding Jay Beagle's crosscheck on Anaheim Ducks' Trevor Zegras and going after Troy Terry.
Thats the problem with these young players. You wanna embarrass guys? You wanna skill it up? You better be prepared to get punched in the mouth.
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) April 2, 2022
Coyotes broadcast applauds Jay Beagle cross-checking Trevor Zegras/beating Troy Terry senseless. Embarrassing commentary pic.twitter.com/1AfenuTRkL
You wanna skill it up? What? You mean be good? Yes. All hockey players should want to be good. Cant stop Trevor Zegras putting you on a poster? Wow, that sucks man. Guess you should probably get good. Cant get good? Sucks to suck.
— Steve Dangle Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) April 2, 2022
Put this attitude in a museum. Embarrassing. https://t.co/ksGWUnc535
A bad Coyotes team was losing 5-0 and frustration will rear its head in those situations. But rather than commentators singling out skilled players for performing their job, channel that frustration back to the team that's not playing well rather than advocating for a fight.
When thinking ahead to the next great era of Blue Jackets hockey, skill players, and utilizing that skill in such a way that makes the team most competitive is the bottom line.
Do the Blue Jackets need more players to answer the bell?
We saw the group answer the bell against the Bruins on Monday night (rightfully so) after the Marchand hit. Teams do have to know the balance between playing physically and not being pushed around while standing up for each other. You don't want silly penalties but there are times when a statement needs to be made.
The Colorado Avalanche are a heavy Stanley Cup favorite and recently lost Nathan MacKinnon to injury for one game, possibly due to a fight he took part in. Probably like most teams, the Avs prefer for their star players not to get into fights, for fear of injury, but MacKinnon also took it upon himself to stand up for Mikko Rantanen after he suffered a big hit at the hands of the Wilds' Matt Dumba.
Hockey is a physical game and all players are tough dudes. Regardless of how many penalty minutes one has, or how many goals the other has, you have to be tough to make it in this league.
As the Blue Jackets know, teams have to carefully weigh the consequences between playing smart, physical hockey, and standing up for each other without deploying goon tactics.
The concept seems simple but the lines seem to get blurred a little too often in the heat of the moment.
