Lane Pederson has been as expected in two games with the Blue Jackets.
Pederson has registered no points and one shot on goal in 26 shifts over two games after being claimed off of waivers by the Jackets on Jan. 28.
He's been in the lineup due to the absence of Johnny Gaudreau, who has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury he suffered in Thursday's win over the Winnipeg Jets. In those games, Pederson has played on a line with Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger, where they've registered an on-ice expected goals-for percentage of 35.7, per moneypuck.com.
Pederson is not a top-six player and was likely brought in as a depth forward to replace injured players like Gaudreau, as he did last week. He's been a perfectly fine replacement-level player, which is all the Blue Jackets can ask him to be, as he's recorded just 2-6--8 in 57 career regular-season games.
The fact that he was playing in a top-six role isn't his doing, and he'd definitely be better suited on the fourth line, but the Jackets' fourth line of Eric Robinson, Sean Kuraly, and Mathieu Olivier has been solidified this season.
Pederson may get an extended look depending on how long Gaudreau is out, but for what he's been his entire career, there's no way anyone can be disappointed with how he's performed through two games so far.
